The Ascot Vail
Three year olds will travel six furlongs over a firm turf in the Grade Two Ascot Vail in Queensland. Nine runners are looking to take home the $500,000 purse and the oddsmaker is having a difficult time sorting them out. Three horses are co-favored at 4/1 with another four under 10/1. Ironically the most accomplished horse in the field, millionaire Sismico is one of the two runners above 10/1. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 Sismico 18/1 alfalvi stables M Cameron rides
Sismico is a son of Street Sense out of the d-grade War Eagle x Daylami mare Eye On a Day. Eye On a Day was a stakes winner at five and one half furlongs on the turf and Sismico, her second foal shares her preference for turf sprints. He is her only stakes runner from three foals. Sismico was a multiple graded winner as a two year old and has repeated that at age three, taking the Grade Three Tetris Stakes and the Grade Two Ballydoyle Sprint Invitational, both at seven furlongs. He won those races in back-to-back starts in April and May but has not won since. Last out he ran third in an allowance on the dirt (a surface which he also has a stakes win on).
#2 Bon Hoffa Boy 16/1 hkrchwkz stables B Baker rides
Bon Hoffa Boy is a son of Bon Hoffa out of the g-grade Royal Academy x Red Ransom mare Pizza Academy. This is her only stakes runner from two foals. Bon Hoffa Boy won his first and only stakes in his 2011 debut. He took the Massacre Challenge at six furlongs by an easy three lengths. Oddly he did not enter another stakes race until September in the Vodka N’ Skittles Turf Dash at seven and one half furlongs. He ran a 100 sp that day but only finished third beaten over eight lengths.
#3 Battle Dream 7/1 tigereyes stables S Gann rides
Battle Dream is a son of Dansili out of the b-grade Diesis x Kingmambo mare Battlefield Earth. The three time grade two winner earned her stripes as a dirt sprinter. Her first foal was stakes placed but Battle Dream is her only stakes winner from four foals. Battle Dream was a successful allowance runner as a two year old and took his first stakes win in April when he won the Passively The King Turf Challenge at seven furlongs with a 102sp. His next win came in his most recent start, the six and one half furlong Two Cups Turf Special with a 112sp.
#4 If I Have To 4/1 ruidowns stables L Lang rides
If I Have To is a scratch-bred son of Mustameet x Lear Fan x Fappiano. If I Have To showed tremendous potential early on, winning a stakes in only his second start last December. He continued to show flashes of brilliance, winning an allowance in May with a 109sp but has really put things together in his last two races. He took a seven furlong allowance with a 108sp and most recently won the Cynicism Turf Sprint at six and one half furlongs with a 112sp.
#5 Lost Bound 6/1 desjettex stables S DeBerg rides
Lost Bound is a son of Half Ours based on the d-grade Distorted Humor x El Prado horse Ermington Prado. The multiple graded winner preferred dirt sprints, which is where Lost Bound began his career. He was stakes placed on the dirt but achieved consistency when switched to the grass, where he has been first or second in eight of nine starts. He has won three stakes races since the switch, at six furlongs, six and one half furlongs and five and one half furlongs. He ran a career best 108sp in his most recent start, a second place finish in the Lucky Trick Turf Sprint at six and one half furlongs.
#6 Much Light 4/1 mav1764 stables H Arthur rides
Much Light is a son of Candy Ride out of the c-grade Tiznow x Unbridled mare Heart of Light. He is the only stakes horse from three foals for the six time stakes winner. Much Light has run a mile in each of his last six starts and nine of his last ten. He’s done well at that distance, winning the Grade One Jean Brat and finishing second by a head in the French 2000 Guineas. He’s never actually run six furlongs, although he does have wins at five and one half and seven furlongs, respectively.
#7 Magnumus 9/1 oxymoron3 stables P Jenkins rides
Magnumus is a son of Magnus out of the h-grade Forty Niner x Wild Again mare Mt Clononic. He is her only stakes runner from three foals. A multiple graded placed two year old, Magnumus won five straight races beginning in December of last year. He topped off that run with a win in the Years Go By Turf Special at six furlongs with a 102sp and then the Tough Luck Turf Challenge at five and one half furlongs with a 92sp. He was off the board in two races before returning to the winners circle in the five and one half furlong Clever Connection Turf Memorial. He was fifth last out, his first graded attempt this year.
#8 Spanish Fire 9/2 super5 stables K Damo rides
Spanish Fire is a son of Birdstone out of the g-grade A.P. Indy x Forty Niner mare Inamorata. Although not a runner herself she has produced one graded winner and two stakes winners from four foals. Spanish Fire began his career on the dirt where he was grade two placed. Switched to the grass he has won two stakes races, both at six and one half furlongs. His last six races have all earned sps greater than 100 including a lifetime best of 108 just two starts back.
#9 Pioneer Park 4/1 socalman stables C Wyatt rides
Pioneer Park is a son of Street Cry out of the d-grade Danzig x Storm Cat mare Ash Highway. Ash Highway has been a monster producer, all of her first four foals are graded winners with her 2yo being the only one who has (yet) to reach that milestone. Pioneer Park won the Grade One Duetoburst Stakes as a two year old. He won two stakes races over the summer but didn’t earn a graded win until his most recent start, the Grade Two Near Tic at six furlongs. He beat his elders in that race and tied his lifetime best sp of 110.
Good luck to all!