Danzig With Buda, This Cat Can Run faves at South Dakota
South Dakota– We’ll go a mile over the turf course this Saturday in the featured $55,000 Houston Knuckle(GB) Challenge……….
The Faves:
- Juju’s Danzig With Buda (2/1) tries grass for just the 2nd time in his long career. The Danzig son attracts a top jockey and makes 31st trip to post. Perhaps this is a move to try and wake the big guy up — hasn’t won in eons but is graded-placed this year with fine SP#s. We’ll see if he likes the green stuff after such a long time.
- He always gives all and you can’t expect nothing less from thebigo’s This Cat Can Run (5/2). The earner of over $500k makes his benchmark 40th call to the post and he can still pick up his feet. The 5YO Cat Thief horse showed us how it’s done over 7.5f two back and gamely followed that up with a third LTO over a mile. Must be so much fun to enter this guy….. we’ll see if he can play the hero again.
- The El Corredor 4YO Door Crack (4/1) took a break from getting pounded in the turf grades recently. The manager trainee found some confidence in the main track aLWs before switching back to the lawn in his last. The result: a textbook 100SP# 8.5f stakes score. Bravo to the vet of 30 outings and earner of over $600k. Should be back in the hunt from midpack.
- At 9/2, lightly raced Jumpin’ Java flashed some talent on the dirt, but was even more surprising in his last. It was his turf debut and he rallied finally to hit the board in 8.5f turf stakes company. Sky’s the limit for the Java Gold son — excellent shot since he’s already proven dangerous over a flat mile. Fair jock helps too. Races for waradmiral.
The rest of the field:
- Verygooday sends out Surf God Huey (5/1) and he’s been running to his mighty name of late. The Stormy Atlantic 4YO hasnt won much in his career, but recenty perked up after winning a NW1s. The pace presser should vie with longshot Apex Snapping for the lead. Dark horse if he can hold his own (running back to his prior SP#s) down the lane. Not without a chance for at least the board.
- Longshot players should love fakeleft’s Apex Snapping (13/1). The lightly raced 7YO horse comes into this event after patiently exhausting his ALW conditions….. and it only took 8 starts to do so! Should battle it out with fellow pacesetter Surf God Huey. Hmm… faces veteran miler specialists, but could surprise. Longshot pick if he can overcome 7-hole, 6-week layoff, and poor jockey. Select better jockey next time if he tires to 3rd or 4th due to layoff.
- At 14/1, sophomore Coffin Fit could be a live sleeper for ipicked4 stable. The Kafwain son exhausted conditions compeletely over the summer and just really didn’t take to the extra sixteenth in his last two outings. Sometimes, the sixteenth makes all the difference! He’s much better at the flat mile and I wonder how he’d do in a turf sprint. Midpacker looks keen with a decent jockey aboard to boot. Much better on paper than his odds.
Snowchief’s Picks:
I really like this longshot pacesetter Apex Snapping. This Cat Can Run should vie for the board. Doubt ‘Buda will take to the green stuff, but possible. Coffin Fit and Surf God Huey may snare some moeny. Jumpin’ Java is the one to watch though.
Win: Jumpin’ Java
Place: This Cat Can Run
Show: Apex Snapping or Surf God Huey
Good luck to all.