None Show Up For Nonethorpe

Surrey is the home of a 2 year old G1 race this weekend, the Nonethorpe.  This $500k purse race is in it’s third year and featured Living Loud as the first winner of this race in 2009.  He won this 5 furlong turf sprint race on a good track with a speed of 82, which is the record speed for this event.  Living Loud is currently approaching the $2 million in earnings.

In 2010, Sluggy Trouble got to the wire first.  This was on a firm turf track and the charted speed for the race was 79.  Out of the 8 horses in the race, he has the highest career earnings with over $400k.  Also, six of the eight runners last year have either won or placed in a graded or non-graded stakes race.

A very surprisingly small field of 5 have been entered into this race.  The turf will be firm and we should see some decent speed in this race as several like to be on the front.

1.  The Rage of Love   3-1

Distorted Humor is the sire for The Rage of Love, a chestnut colt who has won two of four career starts.  After breaking his maiden on the dirt first time out, he struggled in the next two races trying to keep up on the front end going 6 furlongs, faltering back into forth.   All three dirt events had speeds in the mid 60’s.  In July, he was maneuvered over to the turf where he won a 6.5 furlong allowance race with a vastly improved speed of 78 and pretty much leading most of the race. 

2.  Living Hard   8-5

Son of Sebring, this spunky colt loves to shoot right out to the lead.  He’s won 2 of five starts, both at 5 furlongs , each time having no problem getting the lead.  Living Hard won the Test the Slew Turf Juvenile in early July, his sole stakes win with a speed of 78.   Steps up to graded company but his need for speed can’t be overlooked.

3.  Don’t Mezz With Me   3-1

Don’t Mezz With Me is the son of Street Sense with one win  which was earned in his first career start in May where he was the winner of a 3-way battle on the front end early on.  In June he was second in the Conservatory Turf (5.5f) with a speed of 68, setting the pace but unable to hold on at the end.  Last month he ran in the G3 Golden HandGrenade at a distance of 7 furlongs.  Although his speed was an improved 72, the distance may have been too much as he finished well back.  Shorter distance here may be the right key.

4.  Glad Danz   9-1

Glad Danz is hopeful of becoming the first stakes winner for first-year sire Gladiatorus.   He’s been in the money three of five races with a maiden win.  Speeds have topped at 69 in May where he finished third on an off-track dirt race.  He ran on the grass for the first time at the end of July where he finished forth with a speed of 62 in the 6f Huskie Q B Casey P Turf Juvenile.  The turf effort didn’t result in a speed burst and hard to see a turnaround here.

5.  Summer Siesta  2-1

This girl is gonna mix it up with the boys, again!  This daughter of Rip Van Winkle has started her career with a pair of seconds which were followed by a pair of stake wins.   She broke her maiden in the Offlee High Dirt Juvenile stalking the leaders to win the 6.5 furlong event on the dirt.  At the end of July, she moved to the grass for the first time and won the Mr Xyz Truf Juvenile, a short field of four, but she beat the boys in the race drawing away with a speed of 76 again at 6.5 furlongs.   She seeks her third in a row and certainly can pull it off.

I like the inside horses the most, starting with the rail and The Rage of Love who showed a nice effort on the grass going on surface for first time.

Living Hard races hard and will be in the thick of things and could get the top spot.

Don’t Mezz With Me drops in distance and that could make a world of difference.