Kelso Handicap Preview
A small field of 6 will line up in the Grade 3, Kelso Handicap this week at Delaware, chasing the prize pool of $1,000,000.
5 of the runners are bred to retired simsters, so this preview looks at the records of their dam sides, as well as each of their chances this week in the DCPD Marathon on dirt.
PP1 FLEMINGTON GOLD(KY) (CURLIN x UNBRIDLED x ALYDAR) texasace 6/1
The only scratch bred runner in the race, this 3yo son of Curlin has been creeping up in distance over his 18 start career, and he rises to the ultimate 2 mile marathon this week. Placed in a graded stakes over 9 furlongs, it wasn’t until he got to 12 furlongs that his SP figures have exploded. Firstly he ran away for a 4 ¼ length win in an allowance, followed by an SP 108 at his next start. He then won an 11 furlong race by almost 10 lengths, and two starts ago he was unplaced in a stakes over 12 furlongs, but reached his best SP, running a 111. Last time out he started odds on, but put in a disappointing effort, finishing second with an SP 89. Hopefully that has topped him off nicely, and he will be at peak fitness for this. Is likely to take up a forward position in this small field, and the way he has been finishing off his races over 12 furlongs, indicate the 2 miles won’t be a problem. Big test, but his best suggests he is up to this class.
PP2 GATO DEL LAGO(AUS) (ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) x STORM CAT x A.P. INDY) mattress 8/5
The second top ranked older, dirt long routing male horse in the sim, and last start winner of the Breeders Bowl Dirt Marathon, is a proven grade 1 performer over 2 miles and shapes as the one to beat again here. His dam, Cuchi Cat, was a modest performer, one time hitting the board in a small stakes field, but winning only 3 career starts in total. Her results in the breeding shed have been much better, so far producing 3 runners who are stakes performers, including one stakes winner and GATO DEL LAGO, a graded stakes winner. Cuchi Cat was placed at distances up to 14 furlongs, but was best over about a mile. GATO’s last 4 starts have seen him take home the prestigious Breeders Bowl, The Seattle Stayer, Grade 1 over 2 miles, and the Hardwood Floor Dirt Stayer Stakes also over 2 miles. His only blip in that time was a third placing in the Skilled Sum Dirt Stayer Stakes over 11 furlongs, where he made up some ground late, but was never a winning chance. Has had a 7 week break after his last start win, so should be well rested, and is clearly the one to beat.
PP3 LASAGNA(KY) (BIG BROWN x A.P. INDY x BROAD BRUSH) rubber1 9/2
Possibly the best runner in the sim with a claiming tag, this 3yo started his career back in April, and since then has had 12 starts, winning 2 of them. A set back at his 3rd start caused him to have a 2 month break, and then he changed trainers 4 starts ago for a claim price of $50k, and now he suddenly finds himself a good chance in a Grade 1 stakes. His dam is a Grade D mare, who has only produced one foal, and was a winner of over $250k in prize money on the track, her best results coming over a mile on turf. Since joining the Double XX Ranch stables, LASAGNA has won one race, over 13 furlongs, by a margin of 8 ¼ lengths. He then followed that with three consecutive seconds, firstly, beaten by a nose with an SP 108, then in the Cavalcade Cup over 10 furlongs, and last start in the Gatling Prospector Dirt Stayer over 11 furlongs. The rise up in distance will be a query, but his huge win over 13 furlongs is a sign that he should have the stamina to go the full journey. A huge test for an ex-claimer who only broke his maiden 6 starts ago, but looks well placed here.
PP4 PRISONER FASHIONS(KY) (SEEKING THE GOLD x SEATTLE SLEW x SADLER’S WELLS) sunairfarm 6/1
Lightly raced 6yo who only graduated to stakes company back in August following his 7 ¼ length win over 2 miles against a field of 4. He has since run an impressive, career best SP of 107 when he won an allowance over 13 furlongs, and was placed in the Nice Performance Special over 14 furlongs. He has been well beaten at his last 2 runs, firstly in the Grade 2 The Rocky Top Derby, and then the Grade 2 The Hamburg Hall. His he-dam was the multiple graded winning, RUSSIAN THEATER, who took home nearly $2mil in prize money, including The Makybe Diva Cup, a Grade 1 dirt marathon over 2 miles, which PRISONER FASHIONS will attempt to emulate here. Despite some good recent runs, he will be lining up here slightly out of form, so he will be hoping he can turn it around against very tough opposition.
PP5 THE BIG BRITE PAST(KY) (SEEKING THE GOLD x DEPUTY MINISTER x MILL REEF) cjt 8/1
The outsider of the field is a 6yo chestnut, and winner of 2 of his 32 career starts, most recently, an allowance back in May, where he trailed the field at the third call, but powered home to win by over 2 lengths. Since then, he has raced 5 more times, of which he has been placed in 2, including the Bustfully Throw Dirt Stayer over 12 furlongs, where he held a prominent position throughout, and hit the board in third place, against a field of 11. His most recent 2 starts have been in graded company, and both times he has been outclassed, finishing over 12 lengths from the winners. His he-dam is the Grade B ranked, LEAVE THE REEF, who topped $800k in prize money, and was the winner of the Oak Tree Handicap (grade 1), over 9 furlongs as a 4yo. Recent form suggests he may not be up to this level of class, but in a small field, he could show up, and has a place hope.
PP6 HELLHOUND(KY) (BIG BROWN x GONE WEST x SADLER’S WELLS) wistful0 2/1
4yo who looks the main danger to the favourite, and is well placed here, coming off a seventh placing in the Breeders Bowl Dirt Marathon, and then a fifth in the Grade 2 The Hamburg Hall. Prior to those results, he was the impressive winner of the Grade 2 Foolin’ Around Stayer in South Africa, over 13 furlongs, when he settled just off the leaders and then raced to the front at the top of the stretch to win easily by 3 lengths. His SP was a career best of 110, and this was also the most notable of his 6 wins to date. He is the son of NAG OF NOTLEY, who has so far produced 2 graded stakes winners, the other of which is a turf miler, and who on the track strung together a series of stakes wins in her 3yo season, with 9 victories in black type events. All up she won 13 stakes races, and was placed twice in graded company. HELLHOUND aims to surpass her earnings of just over $1mil win a victory here. So far he has raced twice over 2 miles for a second and a fourth placing, both at Grade 2 level, and he should prove hard to beat in this.
Selections
1 – GATO DEL LAGO(AUS)
2 – HELLHOUND(KY)
3 – LASAGNA(KY)
Good luck to all trainers.