Major Alex a Major Danger
Fourteen two year olds will clash in upstate New York in the Grade Two Upper New York Special Stakes. Run at six and one half furlongs over the fast dirt, these babies are running for a purse of $150,000. Major Alex is the only graded winner in the field, having taken the Grade Three Manor of Bashford last time out but several runners will look to add that title to their resume today. Fleetwood Forest came closest to being a graded winner, running second by a nose in the Grade Two Vermont BB Juvenile. But there are plenty of lightly raced horses as well in this diverse field. Let’s take a look at them.
#1 Hushwing Slam 12/1 hushwing1 stables P Nabinger rides
Hushwing Slam is a son of Grand Slam out of the g-grade Sky Mesa x Kingmambo mare Hushwing Pest. This is her first foal. If he wins today he will be the first two year old by Grand Slam to take a stakes this year, although he does have 20.8% winners. Hushwing Slam broke his maiden in his second start, going four and one half furlongs with a 69sp. He returned to win a five furlong allowance with a 76sp. Last out he ran fourth in the Grade Two Midsoil Stakes with a 79sp.
#2 Flip Flop Tip Top 5/1 ramo stables M Delahoz rides
Flip Flop Tip Top is a son of Henny Hughes based on the d-grade Dansili x Mr. Greeley horse Colorful Degree. He is one of two stakes winners for Henny Hughes from the 2011 crop; the other is already a graded winner. Overall Henny Hughes has 22.9% winners this year. Flip Flop Tip Top won his first three starts, including the Elite Groom Ted Dirt Juvenile at six furlongs with an 80sp. He was beaten one length when second in the Grade Three Montana Futurity with an 88sp and fifth last time out when going seven furlongs in the Grade Two Horserhead Juvenile.
#3 Odyssey Dawn 19/1 blankpoin8 stables F Solomon rides
Odyssey Dawn is a son of first year sire Warrior’s Reward out of the f-grade Pulpit x Rahy mare Take the Points. This is her third foal. Warrior’s Reward has gotten 26.4% winners so far this year and already has one stakes winner. Odyssey Dawn ran fourth in his debut while going five and one half furlongs. He returned at six furlongs to win a maiden special weight by one length with a 71sp.
#4 Uncle Owen 7/1 peeps6 stables E Holsclaw rides
Uncle Owen is a son of Bernardini out of the f-grade Danzig x Nijinsky II mare Proven Success. She has already produced a graded winner by Galileo and two other foals. Bernardini’s 2011 two year olds have produced 40.7% winners from starters but no stakes winners as yet. Uncle Owen broke his maiden in his second start going five and one half furlongs with a 66sp. He returned to run a solid second with a 79sp while going seven furlongs.
#5 Mr. E Horse 29/1 bhm stables S Hommell rides
Mr. E Horse is a son of Fan the Flame out of the g-grade Mr. Greeley x Silver Deputy mare Miss Weld County. Both of her two foals are stakes placed runners. Fan the Flame’s two year olds are a whopping 52.8% winners in 2011 with one stakes winner. Mr. E Horse ran second by ¾ lengths in the Whosebroadstripes Dirt Juvenile at five and one half furlongs with a 73sp before he broke his maiden. He had previously finished second in a maiden and subsequently broke his maiden going six furlongs with a 65sp.
#6 Major Alex 6/1 jetchamp stables Z Ayya rides
Major Alex is a son of Daiwa Major out of the f-grade Awesome Again x Storm Cat mare Beatbenwithastick. He is the second graded winner she has produced from three foals; her first was by A.P. Indy. Daiwa Major is in his third year as a sim stallion and has produced 39.5% winners this year including one other graded stakes winner. Major Alex broke his maiden first out with a 68sp. He’s traveled six furlongs in each of his four races, running second in an allowance and then winning an allowance with an 81sp. Last out he won the Grade Three Manor of Bashford Stakes with an 85sp.
#7 Onewaki 9/1 vertain6 stables P Garbaccio rides
Onewaki is a son of Silver Charm out of the d-grade Miswaki x Forty Niner mare Waki Alexis. She has produced one other stakes placed runner from five foals. Silver Charm has produced 27.3% winners from his 2011 crop. Onewaki broke his maiden at five furlongs with a 71sp. He returned to finish second in the Trifecta Taxes Dirt Juvenile with an 81sp.
#8 Fleetwood Forest 6/1 fleetwood stables B Cooper rides
Fleetwood Forest is a son of Forestry out of the g-grade Awesome Again x Gone West mare Fleetwood Hillery. He is the second stakes winner from two foals for the mare, the other being by Distorted Humor. Fleetwood Forest won his first two starts, a maiden and the Wonderboy Eamon Dirt Juvenile, the latter at five furlongs with a 77sp. He returned to run second by a nose in the Grade Two Vermont BB Juvenile with an 85sp at six furlongs. Last out he ran an 85sp again but only managed sixth in the seven furlong Grade Two Horserhead Juvenile.
#9 Spun Back 23/1 spredi stables R Radzinski rides
Spun Back is a son of freshman sire Hold Me Back out of the g-grade Hard Spun x Silver Ghost mare Webs of Deceit. This is her only foal. Hold Me Back has produced 28.9% winners in 2011. Spun Back broke his maiden first out at six furlongs with a 65sp. He finished second in the Swift Hollandia Dirt Juvenile at six and one half furlongs with a 70sp. Last out he was third in an allowance at seven furlongs with a 76sp.
#10 Golden Gimlet 6/1 smtest6 stables C Orza rides
Golden Gimlet is a son of Tanino Gimlet out of the e-grade Seeking the Gold x Danzig mare Resting Toucher. This is her third foal. Tanino Gimelt is a third year stallion who has 34.5% winners from 2011 two year olds and two stakes winners. Golden Gimlet has won his last three starts after being beaten a head in his debut. His first two starts were in Owner Restricted Maidens, one on the dirt, one on turf. He returned to dirt to win a six furlong allowance with a 75sp and then took a similar allowance with an 85sp in his last start.
#11 Otara Castle 46/1 atcgift stables G Purcell rides
Otara Castle is a scratch-bred son of Castledale x Postponed x Beaufort Sea. Otara Castle is the only winner from five 2011 two year old runners for Castledale. He started the year on the turf with a ¼ length victory in a six furlong maiden. He switched to the dirt and finished second by ½ length going six furlongs again with a 68sp. Last out he ran tenth in the Grade Three Montana Futurity at five and one half furlongs.
#12 Presque Isle 14/1 prfctdrift stables K Wasko rides
Presque Isle is a son of Fair Banks out of the g-grade Dixieland Band x Unbridled’s Song mare Dixieland Denial. This is her only foal. Fairbanks is another third year stallion who has 30.8% winners from 2011 two year olds. Presque Isle broke his maiden in his second start at five and one half furlongs with a 55sp. He returned going six furlongs to lose by ¾ length in an allowance while running a 77sp. He improved again when winning a six and one half furlong allowance with an 85sp last out.
#13 Bustin Jeepers 7/1 alysheba11 stables Y Maguire rides
Bustin Jeepers is a scratch-bred son of Street Cry x Danzig x Seattle Slew. Street Cry has sired 57.6% winners from 2011 two year olds including one graded winner and two other stakes winners. Bustin Jeepers broke his maiden first out at five and one half furlongs with a 68sp. He was ninth in a listed stakes effort before winning a six furlong allowance last out with a 78sp.
#14 Silencedby Silence 12/1 lag stables P Ornstar rides
Sildencedby Silence is a son of Haradasun out of the g-grade Flying Spur x Wild Again mare Pub Brawler. This is her third foal and first stakes runner. Haradasun is in his fourth year as a sim sire and has 25% winners from 2011 2yos. Silencedby Silence has run exclusively on the grass, where he broke his maiden first time out. He has run second in two listed stakes races on firm turf but finished off-the-board in a listed race over a yielding turf course. His highest sp came last out when he went six and one half furlongs with a 76sp.
Good luck to all!