$3,000,000 On the Line In G-1 Penn Dash
A full field of 20 lines up for the G-1 Penn Dash. Run over seven furlongs on a firm turf course, the purse for this race is a cool $3,000,000. Nearly half of the field – 9 entrants – are already millionaires and a win or placing would put many of the others over that mark. Six of the runners are grade one winners, while only one has not won at least a listed stakes. We have one filly in the field and several three year olds challenging their elders. Let’s take a look at the runners.
#1 Water Landing 12/1 dixiedotc4 stables N Bedford rides
5yo scratchbred A.P. Jet x Habitat x Riverman
23-9-8-1 $1,684,747 Biggest Win – 2010 G-1 Longchamp Sprint Highest 2011 SP – 114
Water Landing has had a rocky 2011, winning only once but running second four times in nine starts. His win came in the Barndale Turf Sprint at six furlongs. He finished fourth and sixth in his two most recent starts, both grade ones.
#2 Urko’s Money 22/1 eliteteam stables I Pollara rides
7yo scratchbred Sadler’s Wells x Gone West xBlushing Groom
45-14-13-5 $478,888 Biggest Win – 2009 Pratfall Challenge Stakes Highest 2011 SP – 109
From nine 2011 starts, Urko’s Money has three wins and four second place finishes. His victories include the Gold Passport Turf Memorial and the Together Turf Dash, both at seven furlongs. Urko’s Money has tried graded company three times, with his best finish coming in the 2010 Grade Three Calgon Turf Sprint.
#3 Principal Dancer 9/1 cthstable stables W Smeenge rides
4yo mare Pivotal – Showgirl(g) , Fusaichi Pegasus x Storm Cat
24 13 -5-0 $1,038,836 Biggest Win – G-2 Winter Sprint Highest 2011 SP – 113
Principal Dancer is a winner of five of eleven 2011 starts with four of those victories coming at the stakes level and three wins in Grade Two races. All of her victories came at seven furlongs and one of them came against males. Since her last victory she has finished fifth, fifth and seventh in three graded starts.
#4 Don’t Play Me 11/1 1st class stables D Pazjazz rides
4yo Theatrical – Upper Crust (f), Seattle Slew x Danzig
30-13-5-1 $2,260,690 Biggest Win – 2011 G-2 Because I Said So Stakes Highest 2011 SP – 114
Don’t Play Me turned into a beast in the fall of 2010, winning the G-2 De La Fore with a 120sp. He seemed poised to be a force in the division in 2011 but something went amiss. He won the Syn City Turf Dash in March but did not return to the winner’s circle until October, taking the Wise One Turf Sprint and following that with a victory in the G-2 Because I Said So Stakes.
#5 Danecore 14/1 looney1 stables Q Miller rides
4yo Scratchbred Danehill Dancer x Giant’s Causeway x Exclusive Native
13-6-4-1 $1,629,505 Biggest Win – 2011 G-1 MGD Special Highest 2011 SP – 113
Danecore finished first or second in his first six of eight 2011 races. His wins also include the G-2 Powerful Sun. His two most recent races have been a fourth in the G-2 Drummer Boy and a ninth place finish in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint.
#6 Battle Dream 17/1 tigereyes stables La Ferguson rides
3yo Dansili x Battlefield Earth (B), Diesis x Kingmambo
13-6-5-0 $524,675 Biggest Win – 2011 Passively The King Turf Challenge Highest 2011 SP – 115
First or second in seven of ten 2011 starts, Battle Dream has two listed stakes victories. In his two most recent starts he has finished second in the G-2 Ascot Vail against his yearmates and second again in the G-3 Japan Sprint against his elders.
#7 San Jacinto 14/1 super13 stables T Kelly rides
3yo Giant’s Causeway – In the Air (G), Street Cry x Danzig
18-10-1-1 $1,611,960 Biggest Win – 2010 G-1 Blue Diamond Road Highest 2011 SP – 112
San Jacinto has five stakes wins in 2011, from ten starts. His biggest wins were the G-1 Vermont is 4 Lovers in February and the G-2 De La Fore in October. He also took the G-3 Green Ham Stakes between. Last out his was eighth in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint.
#8 Pop’s Avenue 15/1 domedriver stables L Bailey rides
4yo Street Cry – Pops Birthday Gift (D), Kingmambo x Northern Dancer
24-6-5-5 $166,329 Biggest Win – 2011 Basaltic Turf Sprint Highest 2011 SP – 111
Pop’s Avenue has made his last five starts on the turf and broke the 100 sp barrier in each, hitting the board in all five starts. His best race came two starts back, losing the G-3 German Sprint Cup by ¼ length.
#9 As the Sun Sets 23/1 astinator8 stables R Johnston rides
3yo Deep Sky – Sadfly’s Westie (E), Sadler’s Wells x Gone West
13-9-1-1 $245,775 Biggest Win – 2011 Our Cadillacs Turf Sprint Highest 2011 SP – 111
A winner of seven of eleven 2011 starts, As the Sun Sets has five stakes victories on the year. He was third in the G-1 Sprint Cup against his elders but was off the board in two other graded starts. He won an allowance last out.
#10 Mighty Mite Morgan 14/1 equistable stables J Keenan rides
5yo Scratchbred Rock Hard Ten x Danehill x Northern Dancer
27 – 6-2-3 $291,434 Biggest Win – 2011 G-3 Bally’s Chorus Highest 2011 SP – 114
Mighty Mite Morgan was claimed early in 2010 by current owner equistable. The colt has rewarded his new trainer with four wins, including two stakes wins in 2011. He’s finished fourth in his last three starts.
#11 Buda Storm 17/1 vicki stables D Cameron rides
5yo Rahy – Danzig’s Buda (D-hemare), Danzig x Storm Cat
44-10-5-9 $643,540 Biggest Win – 2009 G-2 Jefferson Davis Highest 2011 SP – 111
After a stint on dirt, Buda Storm has three wins and two thirds from his last five starts on the grass. This includes a stakes win in the Clever Landing Turf Sprint. He’s run back to back 111 sps.
#12 Kalbarri 13/1 thylacine stables J Herrernan
3yo Deep Impact – Marked Woman (G), Dynaformer x Mineshaft
17-11-2-1 $716,270 Biggest Win – 2011 G-2 St. James Tavern Highest 2011 SP – 113
Kalbarri enters off two straight victories, the Carfullo’bluehairs Turf Sprint and the Hayden and Langer Turf Sprint, the latter against older horses. He has three other stakes victories in 2011 as well.
#13 Rapt 13/1 tyr stables U Douglass rides
4yo Kingsgate Native – Baba Au Rhum (E), Noverre x Nureyev
33-13-2-3 $1,460,520 Biggest Win – 2011 G-2 Sprinter Stakes Highest 2011 SP – 114
A former claimer, Kingsgate Native has two G-2 wins to his credit this year, the other being the Duke of Mork. He was fifth, beaten only 2 ¼ lengths in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint two back and returned to run seventh in the G-3 Japan Sprint.
#14 Star of Equinox 35/1 ajay11 stables D Yuengling rides
3yo Redoute’s Choice – Kepler Zilzal, Rainbow Quest x Fusaichi Pegasus
14-4-5-1 $193,025 Biggest Win – 2011 G-3 Hawkz Guineas Highest 2011 SP – 111
In 2011 Star of Equinox also has a victory in the Glitterhawk Turf Dash. He was fourth in the G-2 Church Mound Stakes, his only race against older horses. He followed that race up with a third in an allowance in his last start.
#15 Peace Be Still 14/1 verdugos stables D Williams rides
4yo Commands – Tale of the Sea (G), Tale of the Cat x Seattle Slew
19-5-6-3 $232,965 Biggest Win – Allowance NW4X Highest 2011 SP – 113
Although not yet a stakes winner, Peace Be Still is twice graded placed. Hi finished second in the G-3 Blue Pin in September and third in the G-2 Challenger in October. Sold at auction towards the end of 2010, Peace Be Still has been off the board only twice for his new owner, from eleven starts.
#16 Lattitude 13/1 super14 stables J Piotrowski rides
4yo Scratchbred Henrythenavigator x Nureyev x Riverman
28-7-4-7 $2,407,455 Biggest Win – 2011 G-1 New Market Handicap Highest 2011 SP – 116
A three time G-1 winner on the year, Lattitude’s form seemed to have fallen off over the summer. He reversed that in a big way by running third in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint, beaten only ¾ lengths for the win. He returned to the races in the G-1 King Kong Sprint and finished 11th, just two weeks ago.
#17 The Beach Cologne 16/1 seinfeld2 stables Y Feese rides
4yo Scratchbred Kingmambo x Danzig x Mr. Prospector
20-8-5-1 $663,860 Biggest Win – Ready For Trouble Turf Dash Highest 2011 SP – 112
The Beach Cologne has been first or second in eight of nine 2011 starts. He made his stakes debut in the G-3 Blue Pin in September, resulting in his only off the board finish. He rebounded to win two listed stakes races. Last out he finished a strong second in the G-1 King Kong Sprint, losing by only one length.
#18 Suicide Bomber 15/1 yunkai stables A Jeffires rides
4yo Scratchbred Danehill Dancer x Roberto x Nijinsky II
26-9-5-4 $374,778 Biggest Win – Danberry Turf Dash Highest 2011 SP – 109
Suicide Bomber has two stakes wins in 2011, after making his stakes debut in February. He was sixth in his only graded try, the G-2 Sprinter Stakes. His two stakes wins both came at five and one half furlongs but he did win an allowance at seven furlongs early in the year.
#19 Strike When Ready 11/1 sweetnan stables D Doyle rides
6yo Scratchbred More Than Ready x Smart Strike x What a Pleasure
31-12-8-5 $2,285,506 Biggest Win – 2010 G-1 Breeders’ Bowl Turf Sprint Highest 2011 SP – 116
Strike When Ready has only one victory since his Breeders’ Bowl win last fall. He took the G-3 Silk Road with a 116sp in February. He was off from the end of May until the beginning of November. He ran fourth in a listed stakes before running a bang-up third in the G-3 Japan Sprint, losing by less than a length while running a 115sp.
#20 Mean Dice 37/1 kevoman3 stables T Stack rides
4yo Scratchbred Medicean x Danehill Dancer x Kingmambo
27-11-5-3 $1,568,265 Biggest Win – 2009 G-1 Duetoburst Stakes Highest 2011 SP – 112
A winner of five of ten 2011 starts, Mean Dice has two stakes victories. He took the Silbersand Turf Dash in June and the G-2 Hawkz Challenge in August, both with 112sps. After an inexplicably poor performance in the G-2 De La Fore he returned to win an allowance in his most recent start.
Good luck to all!