Gourmet Turf Route draws four

Virignia race fans get a look at the longer classic runners, in this week’s highlight race, the Gourmet Turf Route.  The race will run over ten furlongs of turf, and invites all horses three years old and older to take of the challenge.  Bundle up for the autumn chill, but you shouldn’t need you umbrella, and the turf is expected to be firm for the event, which carries a purse of $30000 to split among the competitors.  The race draws a short field of four, and they appear to be fairly well matched.  The oddsmakers have chosen a 6/5 favorite, with the rest of the field between 2/1 and 4/1 odds.  Payouts should be fairly light at the betting windows, though with a surprise or two the exotics could pay marginally decently.

PP 1) Sanctify(KY)  Sired by Purge, Trained by bohemia.  Sanctify is the youngster of this field, a three year old making his thirteenth start here.  This will be his second try against stakes competition, and he’s looking to notch that first win.  He’s gone 2-2-3-2-0 in his last ten, with a pair of 100 speed figures, topped by a 104.8 to starts back.  His last start was a nine and a half furlong stakes in Tennessee, where he had a nice second half run to grab second in a short field.  After a lackluster start on dirt, he made the switch to turf, where he notched eight top three finishes in his next eleven starts.  He’s shown some excellent stamina out to twelve furlongs, and has won both of his starts at this distance.  He likes to start midpack, which makes him the closer in this field.  His close has been quite consistent, and the extra distance benefits him here.  He’s coming off a pair of career best runs, and at this distance, he could be poised to surprise.

PP 2) Tank’s Arsenal(KY)  Sired by Mineshaft, Trained by elida.  Tank’s Aresenal is the six year old veteran of the field, taking his thirty fourth trip in this race.  This will be his first try at stakes level.  HIs last ten starts have netted him a 5-1-1-0-1 record, with five 100+ starts, topping out at 107.4 mid last year.  His last start was an eight furlong open allowance in Ottawa where he opened up a big lead and hung on to best a field of nine by two lengths.  He’s scattered a smattering of dirt starts throughout his career, but he’s primarily a turfer, with nearly all his success coming on the grass.  The mile has been his bread and butter race, and though he has a place in one of his two starts at this distance, he hasn’t run better than a low eighties speed number.  He’s a fast starter and needs a clean cut lead to have success.  That he should get here, but the distance is a big question mark for him.  Should set the pace here, but look for him to falter late with the distance he faces here.

PP 3) Orphan(KY)  Sired by Giant’s Causeway(IRE), Trained by super14.  Orphan is a royally bred four year old colt, taking the gate for start number twenty nine.  He’s a stakes veteran, and has one win at this level, coming early in his three year old season.  He’s gone 2-2-2-1-1 in his last ten with seven 100+ speeds with his best of 107.9 coming early this season.  His last start was an open allowance at a mile where he ended up settling for third in a field of twelve.  He took a single dirt start in his two year old season, and it only served to prove his turf preference.  Though the nine furlong range has arguably been his best, he has three wins and a show at this distance in nine starts.  He likes to run from the head of the midpack, but his close has been spotty unless he can stay relatively close off the lead.  With the rabbit out front here, he may find himself out deeper than he llikes at the half.  Unless he can find a bit stronger close here, he could find himself settling again.

PP 4) Gulchical Ted(KY)  Sired by Theatrical (IRE), Trained by tcopyright.  Gulchical Ted is four year old colt, who makes his twenty seventh career start here.  He has a pair of stakes runs, but he’s still seeking that first win.  He showcases a 4-2-0-1-1 record in his last ten with six 100+ starts, topping out at 108.4 early this season.  His last start was the Grade 3 Patrick Ewing, where he faded down the stretch settling for fourth in a field of eight.  He made his first five career starts on dirt with mediocre results, but then improved significantly with a switch to turf.  He’s been quite good in the eight to nine furlong range and he has a place in two starts at this distance.  He likes to run from just off the lead, but three of his last four wins have come in wire to wire fashion.  He’s going to have to spend a good deal of energy early to challenge the lead here, and that could be a problem for him late.  If he holds the pace, look for him to take over early in the second half, but he could have a problem holding it late if the pace is too hot early.