Sliding With The Devil
Pennsylvania
Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Mile and one quarter on the Turf
$1,500,000
What a day of racing here we have here in the Keystone state. The Super Conglomerate that funded the races have put on one hell of a show, and we are now hearing Congress has ended the investigation into whether the spectacle was in fact a giant money laundering operation. Of course that has in turned launched an investigation into whether or not certain congressmen took bribes to forget about the original investigation.
While controversy swirls around the event, it hasn’t prevented the best and brightest from coming from all over the world to compete in a wide variety of events.
Here in the fifth running of the Devil’s Slide, we will watch some of the world’s best turf classic routers attack the ten furlong course, and attempt to claim the Devil’s Slide championship for 2011.
Gate 1: Neo Forty(GB) – lopic (Givens Stables) ridden by J Piotrowski – 13/1
New Approach(IRE) x Forty Niner x Lyphard (Scratch) 15: 8-3-1 ($1,849,244)
Turf Classic Rank: 2
The inside track goes to four time graded winner Neo Forty, with three of those wins coming at the grade one level, and all at ten furlongs or greater. This three year old daughter of New Approach loves the front and should seek the front early. She has proven however that she doesn’t actually need the clean air early, but will stalk close to the lead and fight for the lead in the stretch. She does come into the Devil’s Slide looking to rebound from her last outing in the G1 The Congie Devito’s Breeders’ Bowl F&M Turf, in which she ran a disappointing thirteenth, and faded badly down the stretch.
Gate 2: Rozelle Sumo(KY) – bjbandit2 (Bigkev & Bjbandit) ridden by T Kelly – 5/1
Unbridled’s Song x Gone West x Sadler’s Wells (Hemare – Satsuma) 25: 10-9-1 ($995,748)
Turf Classic Rank: 1
And here we have the number one ranked mare in the classic division and co-favorite in the race, however it must be pointed out that this will be her first attempt at the ten furlong distance. She has made a killing at a mile however, and over the last six months finished first or second in five of six graded attempts, locking down three wins with one of them being at the G1 level. Rozelle Sumo was brought along slowly through her two and three year old seasons and didn’t compete in her first stakes of any level until the beginning of her four year old campaign in March of this year. She has made the most of her brief time at the graded level however, rocketing to the top of the division with her off the pace style & strong closing kick. The test will be if she can get the ten furlongs or not.
Gate 3: In Confidence(IRE) – wfstables1 (Willyam13 Stables) ridden by U Douglass – 8/1
Galileo(IRE) x Kris S. x Mr. Prospector (Scratch) 26: 8-4-5 ($505,815)
Turf Classic Rank: 58
This five year old daughter of Galileo has just recently scored her first ever graded victory in seven tries, and only her second finish in the money. The win in the G2 The Beat Up Ford she posted an impressive and career best 113 speed figure at the ten furlong distance. Last out she ran in the G1 The Best of Rome at ten furlongs, and had a rough outing in the rain. She gets a fast track today & will get the chance to show that her run in September wasn’t a fluke. Another one that likes the front, we could see her try to get the lead out of the gate. In her big run however she sat right behind the early lead and pounced late.
Gate 4: Diebstahl(IRE) – domedriver (AFC Stables) ridden by Q Miller – 13/1
Galileo(IRE) x Kingmambo x A.P. Indy (Mare – Lufthansa Heist) 16: 7-3-2 ($999,814)
Turf Classic Rank: 6
AFC’s irish filly has won three graded races in eight lifetime chances, and hitting the board one other time. Diebstahl seemed to be improving greatly in August taking the G1 The Summer Filly Turf Slam at 10 furlongs easily drawing away by three lengths. Next out she won a listed stakes, and then placed in the G1 The Liz Taylor. She looked primed for a big run in the G1 Breeders’ Bowl F&M Turf, but like Geo Forty ran flat and finished a disappointing eleventh. She has an off the pace style, and has shown a big kick down the stretch. Can she rebound and give host AFC a championship in the race named for his millionaire mare.
Gate 5: Tracking Number(KY)– ticketman0 (Right At Home Stables) ridden by Y Feese – 10/1
Rahy x Secretariat x Buckpasser (Scratch) 16: 5-4-4 ($438,080)
Turf Classic Rank: 16
Tracking Number comes into the race still seeking her first ever graded victory, but she has earned her top twenty ranking by finishing second in three of her five career graded runs, all at the G1 or G2 level. Last out she was dropped back in distance running in the G2 Trash Can Mile, and while she ran a respectable 105 speed figure, her late run fell well short. Her best runs have all been at the nine and ten furlong distance, and its possible she could want even more distance. She can rate, but also seems to stalk the lead in some races, and seems to be able to do both well. Her career best 108 speed figure won’t be enough to win this race however, and she will need a career best run to compete.
Gate 6: Junmai Ginjyo(KY) – 2tohold (Super Stables) ridden by N Davis – 12/1
Distorted Humor x Dynaformer x Danzig (Mare – Sake) 14: 3-3-3 ($623,330)
Turf Classic Rank: 16
Our host for the race Super Stables enters this daughter of Distorted Humor to finish off a year in which she has run in ten graded races starting one year ago today in the DPCD G2 The Dancing Blade handicap. In those ten graded runs Jumai Ginjyo has finished in the money six times, and has scored one win. Interestingly this filly ran what might have been her best race of the year just three weeks ago in the G2 He’s A Charmer Stakes, posting a 109 speed figure and losing by a half length. Another filly that will need to post a career best number to win and coming off short rest.
Gate 7: P.A. Overlook(KY) – poppoptwo (Poppoptwo stables) ridden by La Ferguson – 8/1
Pulpit x Fantastic Light x Nureyev (Scratch) 19: 8-1-2 ($180,790)
Turf Classic Rank: 145
Still trying to find her way, P.A. Overlook debuted a mile on the turf to start her three year old campaign. Then she spent the next eleven races playing in the dirt, and doing fairly well. Then in May a switch to turf and she seem to find a new gear, winning three of the next four, increasing her speed figures in each peaking with a 113 in a listed stakes at nine and a half furlongs. That prompted poppoptwo to enter his talented filly in the G1 Yellow Submarine Stakes at ten furlongs, but she was beaten badly fading in the stretch. Two more tries in G3’s and improvements in each, but still not enough to hit the board. A deep closer, this daughter of Pulpit seems to have found her place on the turf, but will need to find some hidden reserves to overcome this field.
Gate 8: River Of Souls(KY) – thebigo (Phanton Pharms) ridden by D Cameron – 14/1
Perfect Soul(IRE) x Riverman x Lyphard (Scratch) 49: 21-8-4 ($875,925)
Turf Classic Rank: 225
The oldest and most experienced runner in our field today, River Of Souls has had a career that most would consider successful. Coming to the gate for her fiftieth race overall and thirteenth graded entry, she will attempt to add that final piece to her resume, a graded win. In her previous twelve tries she has managed four placings losing by as little as a head in one, but still hasn’t been first across the wire. A mid pack runner, this daughter of Perfect Soul has shown an ability to run to the front, thought it has been over a year since she was last able to get to the front in a graded event. Distance isn’t an issue, though rest may be … she has forty-nine races in a forty-seven month racing career. Folks it is a tribute to this ladies toughness that she has scored twenty-one victories in that span. Can she find a way to nap number twenty-two today?
Gate 9: Toy Soldiers(FR) – tazbred1 (Tazdevil Stables) ridden by D Pazjazz – 13/1
Soldier Of Fortune(FR) x Storm Cat x Generous(IRE) 16: 6-6-1 ($232,955)
Turf Classic Rank: 41
In ten races run in 2011, Toy Soldiers has been in the money in nine of them, including a pair of second place finishes in G3 events. Her lone miss was in the twelve furlong G1 The Irish Oaks, in which she fell off the pace early and faded fast and was beaten by over thirty lengths. It may have been the class of the field, the distance, or maybe just a bad day. Other than that run she has shown steady improvement, but has yet to show the speed figures needed to win this race. She could be an interesting choice in exotics, as bettors look to cash in on an improving filly.
Gate 10: Hoohah(KY) – muninn240 (Tees Stables) ridden by K Clark – 11/1
Distorted Humor x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector (Mare – Happy Project) 30: 5-8-5 ($646,775)
Turf Classic Rank: 45
Another of the fillies in this race seeking her first ever graded win, Hoohah has finished in the money five time in twelve attempts. Things were looking up for her when she had her best ever run a year ago in this very event, when she closed to finish third with a career best 109 speed figure. The next race she finished second in the G3 Shawnee River Handicap with a 108 speed figure at nine furlongs … and from there her speeds have decreased throughout 2011. She needs to find that ability she showed a year ago if she wants a shot at the money this week.
Gate 11: Dry Lightning – trotter7 (Empire State Racing) ridden by N Bedford – 9/1
Flying Spur(AUS) x Thunder Gulch x Kingmambo (Hemare – Secret Soulmate) 17: 6-2-4 ($182,910)
Turf Classic Rank: 84
ESR boss trotter1 has to be wondering which filly will show up at the gate today. The filly who posted a pair of 109 speed figures in the G2 The Romanet (second place) & G3 The Paris Hilton Stakes (third place) in the last few months. Or will we see the filly who ran in the G1 Yellow Submarine Stakes and finished a disappointing twelfth, with a 95 speed figure in October. All three races were run at ten furlongs, but looking at the races her best came when she stalked the lead a couple of lengths back. In her G1 attempt it appeared as if she tried to take the early lead, failed, and then faded late. If she runs her race, she very well could be a factor at the end.
Gate 12: Ali’Islei(KY) – abe (Foto Finish) ridden by W Smeenge – 5/1
El Prado(IRE) x A.P. Indy x Nureyev – (Mare – Hogan) 27: 9-7-5 ($552,122)
Turf Classic Rank: 27
Here we have the other co-favorite, and looking at her recent success should probably be the betting choice. What makes this filly special is that she was claimed for $25,000 out of a maiden claimer for three year olds. Since that day, Ali’Islei has rewarded Foto Finish farms keen eye with nine wins, and over a half million in earnings. Not a bad investment! She might be the hottest runner in the field at ten furlongs, having scored two placings, each at less than a length, and most recently a dominant win in the G3 The Paris Hilton Stakes in which she posted an impressive 112 speed figure. It’s hard to imagine this filly not factoring into the money in some fashion.
Gate 13: The Fifth Ward(KY) – kfastno3 (Kfastracer Stables) ridden by M Pringle – 13/1
Powerscourt (GB) x Lear Fan x Irish River – (Scratch) 31: 13-6-5 ($267,817)
Turf Classic Rank: 654
Manning the outside gate we find another mare that was claimed, not once, but twice in her career. She spent most of her first seventeen races competing in claimers and starters before being claimed for the hefty figure of $150,000 by Kfast. He immediately entered his new filly in a listed stakes at seven and a half furlongs and won. He has spent the last year slowly stretching out his filly who has recently posted low triple digit speed figures in ten furlong allowance runs. I nice mare who has done what she can to earn back the investment made by Kfast, but this looks to be like a half court prayer shot. But as they say … ya gotta be in it to win it, so we will see if The Fifth Ward has a fifth gear!
I won’t be handicapping this race simply because I am terrible at it, having never come close to picking a winner in previous articles. Also I feel like there are five or six mares entered with wonderful shots to win it, and I don’t want to have to pick against any of them.
It does seem to me there will be once certain …. Neo Forty will lead them early. Will anyone be able to close on her is the question, but there is without a doubt some that can. This is going to be a wild scene down the stretch.
Good luck to all of our entered ladies, and may they all come out of the race in fine shape.
** HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE **