{"id":1304,"date":"2005-12-15T23:52:11","date_gmt":"2005-12-15T23:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=1304"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","slug":"oldbtb_1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=1304","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Grave&#8217; Robbing A DelPenn Possibility"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">DelPenn\u2019s Champion\u2019s Day is like a Sim state fair: a little something for all ages at all distances on all surfaces, minus the deep-fried Twinkies.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>They\u2019ve largely segregated the juvenile races away from the events for older horses, and the New Jersey track got possession of the lion\u2019s share of races for juveniles: there are eleven races, restricted as well as open events, on the Champion\u2019s Day card here for juveniles.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags\" \/><st1:State><st1:place><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Delaware<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:State><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> and <\/SPAN><st1:State><st1:place><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Pennsylvania<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:State><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> both have just two races apiece for juveniles, by comparison.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office\" \/><o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">One of the most contentious of these, with the requisite trash-talking on the various message boards, is the <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Grade I, $500,000 Digging The Grave Stakes<\/B>, being contested over seven furlongs on grass for two-year-old colts.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>There\u2019s been a bit of jawing about Pub Crawl(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">), a bit of gum-flapping on the merits of Sharp Bend(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">) and Bead Too(GB), but ultimately the role favorite has been handed to Storm Tapper, who, it has been said, may \u201clook like a monster\u201d.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Here\u2019s the rundown of a full field of fourteen two-year-olds aiming at Grade I glory.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Northern Chant<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [War Chant x Raise A Native] draws an inside post as the #3 juvenile turf sprinter for <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">jockeymax1<\/I><\/B>, and he\u2019s a bit overlooked among these in the trash-talk.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A two-time stakes winner and Grade I winner at this distance, he figures to be speedy from the hedge, as he proved when he wired the Grade I Nationwide Stakes with ease two back.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He wasn\u2019t quite up to the challenge of the Breeders Bowl Juvenile Turf, where he received a poor trip and was always outrun to finish thirteenth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He gets a better jockey for this, however, and with the hedge and a lot of speed, it would appear he\u2019d be the one to catch&#8230;except for having the talented <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Pub Crawl(<\/B><\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> on the outside, thus providing a tough duel up front early on.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The Nationwide win gave him a strong speed figure, but it isn\u2019t the best in the field, and while he should be a solid source of pace, he won\u2019t be alone up front.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s impeccably bred and is ideally suited to this distance, so the question will be how intent is he on being the frontrunner, can he survive the early machinations of <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Pub Crawl(<\/B><\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> on his outside, and how much will he expend to that end?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Certainly, he\u2019s one to watch next year at these middle-distance sprints.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Phyl The Cat<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Cat Thief-Nurse Harley, by Afleet] is up next, and he is another of a long line of \u201cPhyl\u201ds making their way into racing society for trainer <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">tom<\/I><\/B>.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His pedigree is very solid for this, as he\u2019s the first foal for his dam, a stakes winner at this distance and surface.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s a graded winner, with a victory in the Grade <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">III<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> Grand Critter Mile two back, while in full-on stalking mode, which gives a good account of his usual preferred approach to racing.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It\u2019s a big field, and he\u2019s not shown evidence of a good closer\u2019s kick yet, which might be required to both deal with what should be a strong pace and a lot of other late speed.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His future may lie more accurately at the mile, truthfully, and his figures, while decent, are matched or beaten by twelve other horses in this field, so he may need to accelerate up the maturity curve to have his best shot here.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Storm Tapper<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Tapit-Malt Storm, by Storm Cat] seems to be the monster in the closet no one wants to tangle with.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This trainee of <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">runpastem9<\/I><\/B> has the best last-out figure of 94, and he\u2019s achieved that twice, which makes him very deserving of his favoritism.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s come to life late in the year since a surface switch finally took root in September, with two wins in three grass starts since.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He took the Grade <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">III<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> Omnipotent Juvenile with a strong middle move to net him his first 94, then faltered turning back in the Grade <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">III<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> Flying Saucer two back when stretching out.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Upon a return to the sprint distances he seems to enjoy, he registered his other 94 in a North Florida stakes while enjoying his usual stalking trip.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His pedigree is very strong: all four foals of his stakes-winning dam have earned over $100,000 in their careers, and as he matures he might develop more of an affinity for middle-distance routes on grass.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He should be strong in the meat of the race, on the turn for home, but if there\u2019s something that appears a bit worrisome, it\u2019s the jockey, who has but 7 wins on the year, and a 6% win percentage.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Though he\u2019s the post-time chalk, the top jock on the circuit will instead be on <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Pub Crawl(<\/B><\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">, which might tell you something about what his prospects could end up being.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s intimidating, but beatable.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Peacock Waltz<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Macho Uno-Again In A Storm, by Storm Bird] represents <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">oaklawn88<\/I><\/B>, and this colt switched surfaces from dirt to turf early on in his career, but without much in the way of effect.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Sure, he closed furiously in an Eastern Kentucky stakes three back, which netted him a career-best fig of 84, and he is a stakes-winner (taking the Aberlour in Virginia four back), but there\u2019s something troubling about a colt who backtracked from his best fig into numbers in the mid-70s, which is about 15 points lower than his counterparts here at their best.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The pedigree is a solid one, but the dam was a strong dirt router, who got better as she got older.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This colt is very nice, and at 3 he should begin to appreciate added ground a lot more, but there\u2019s not much in his two-year-old form to recommend him in his graded debut.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A surface switch in his three-year-old debut should get him to pop nicely.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019ll be coming late, to be sure, but he\u2019s going to require a lot more ground to unleash his best late charge.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Hard Rock<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Roar-Girls Girls Girls, by Capote] comes from the <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">gcphantom<\/I><\/B> barn, and has what I\u2019ve found to be a very good grass sire mixing with a dam with a strong turf foundation.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The result has been a colt that\u2019s caught fire upon the surface switch to the lawn, with three wins and a second in four tries on the weeds.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s won two stakes in a row, with consistent and solid numbers each time out, and now aims for a lot bigger territory.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He tries graded company for the first time, as well as making his debut beyond six-and-a-half furlongs, and while he\u2019s more likely to find the going rougher against the best of the division, he surely will appreciate the longer distances, the better of which to utilize his stretch run.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Figure him to be in the mix in the stretch, if only by making some headway with the extra sixteenth, and look for him to get better at the longer sprints and short miles at 3.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Bead Two(GB)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Beat Hollow(GB)-Out Of This World, by Spinning World], for <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">bodgit<\/I><\/B>, has a strong lineage, with a stakes-winning full sister who has experienced a lot of great success at middle distances on grass.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s making a name for himself, though, at present, with a pair of Grade <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">III<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> grass wins and a career-starting four-race winning streak already under his belt.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His mid-pack running style has already been proven effective in the shorter sprints, though when he\u2019s branched out to distances longer than this sprint, his late charge has been a lot of \u201cclose but no Cigar\u201d.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He was beginning to move belatedly when sixth in the Juvenile Turf last out; was a little late to get moving when second behind Northern Chant in the Nationwide, and was gobbling up a ton of ground late in the Tiny Toes three back before the wire came, winding up fourth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He possesses a strong kick, and his pedigree hints that middle distances are where it\u2019s at for him later in his career; while he remains #4 in the division, with steady figures into the mid-80s, the seven panels might not be enough ground to earn that Grade I win he\u2019s been very close to nabbing.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As an exotics wager, though, his closing kick ranks as one of the strongest in the field, so using him there would certainly be wise.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Spare T(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Theatrical(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">) x Danehill] is another \u201csuper\u201d entry (this time, for stable <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">super28<\/I><\/B>), and with five starts, he\u2019s one of the most lightly-raced entrants here (only Stag Night(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">), with three prior starts, is less experienced).<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Hedoesn\u2019t seem to like sprinting as a full-time vocation, as his only win sprinting was his debut at six furlongs.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Following a restricted Smackdown meltdown (an uninspired sixth), he\u2019s run much better as the distances improved, and his speed figures reflect this effort.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Though he\u2019s won only once in that time, in Washington, his numbers have increased quite nicely, and he\u2019s been pretty close, without finding just the proper rhythm to get him to the wire first.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He prefers to sit more in mid-pack and make one run when the pace starts to collapse, but he\u2019s been rather green in doing so, so while his numbers have improved, his results remain less than completely successful.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s bred, though, to appreciate more real estate, and seven furlongs doesn\u2019t appear initially to be his cup of tea.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Still, he\u2019s well-bred, and as he matures he should develop nicely into a strong turf horse in the middle distances.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Curlwaa(AUS)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Bel Esprit-Blaze Of Glory II, by Fusaichi Pegasus] is next, and he\u2019s a pretty steady grass runner for trainer <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">greeny<\/I><\/B>: six grass starts, six paychecks, including a pair of stakes wins.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Longer sprints suit him just fine.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He prefers to be pretty close to the early lead, with hopes to take over when the pace collapses in front of him.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Fair enough, right?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But as much as the seven furlongs is definitely desirable for him, this time it\u2019s a bit more challenging.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s facing graded opponents for the first time, and these opponents by and large have stronger numbers.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Moving up in class is likely to require raising his game to another level.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>To get there, maybe he\u2019ll need to be rated a little harder to reserve enough energy.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s got possibilities, particularly since his dam was a winner going longer on grass, but it\u2019s a tricky spot to make a graded debut, even at his optimal distance.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">First Refusal(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Refuse To Bend(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)-Audi Five K, by Kris S.] is the first foal from a well-bred dam, who won sprinting on grass, and trainer <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">theatrical<\/I><\/B> has him entered here to take another shot at graded company.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It didn\u2019t work in the <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">GSR<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> Diamond three back, where he passed tired horses to get up for fourth, and it worked equally as well in the Dalesbark Cup, where he was no factor in eighth.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Sprinting appeals to him, and so does coming from off the pace, but his numbers have peaked in the low-to-mid-80s, and his wins, both of them, have come at the much shorter five-and-a-half furlong distance.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s bred for longer, and his race four back in the Turfstar looked initially promising, but his recent form is going to have to get better in a hurry to be competitive here.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Kirk The Captain<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Selkirk-Hank\u2019s Spit, by Notebook] represents\u2026the\u2026barn\u2026of\u2026trainer\u2026.<B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">corza1<\/I><\/B>.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This colt\u2026has\u2026a lot\u2026of\u2026.experience, with\u2026ten\u2026starts in\u2026his\u2026career.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Getting a good performance out of him, though, is like trying to coax a good performance out of William Shatner.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>For, in those ten starts, his best speed fig is an 82, the lowest career-best in the field, and he has only a maiden and an allowance win on his r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>That one allowance win did come at this distance, it should be noted, plus he is twice stakes-placed, and that career-best fig came when he was closing strongly in an Ohio stakes two back.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Additionally, he is a closer, although that\u2019s simply because he\u2019s not been used in any other tactical fashion so far.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s only failed to earn a check twice in these ten starts, so he has some consistency.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But the 82 still comes up rather weak in a field with so many stronger speed figures in bigger races, so\u2026he\u2019ll\u2026have to\u2026go\u2026where\u2026no\u2026man has\u2026gone\u2026before\u2026just to get a piece.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Vermont Victory<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Two Punch-Two Mile Victory(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">), by Theatrical(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)] is another one who really has woken up when switching surfaces here.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">wtas02<\/I><\/B> trainee won his maiden on grass when debuting on this surface, and then followed up quickly with a stakes win in Michigan stretching out to seven-and-a-half furlongs.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Further stretching, while within the scope of his pedigree, hasn\u2019t yet panned out, but then, he\u2019s been thrown into the fire against Grade I competitors since that stakes win: he passed tired horses to claim third in the <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">GSR<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> Diamond, was a mild ninth in the Juvenile Turf, but he <I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">did<\/I> relish the yielding ground when he was a fast-closing, belated third last out in the Duetoburst.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Here, he\u2019s similarly thrown to the wolves, and yet his form against some first-rate grass horses keeps him alive.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The Duetoburst at today\u2019s distance was strong enough to merit a 91 fig, and his late speed is welcome news here, as it\u2019ll come in very useful.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s seasoned well versus better, and comes back to a favorable distance.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Is there room for a breakthrough performance?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>We\u2019ll see&#8212;he\u2019s bred for longer than this, but that lies ahead at 3.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Sharp Bend(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Refuse To Bend(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)-Queen Deputy, by Deputy Minister] is <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Bead Two(GB)<\/B>\u2019s entrymate here for the <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">bodgit<\/I><\/B> stable, and this one also has a strong lineage, descending from a Grade II-winning mare (winner of the Adelaide Mile in 2001).<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He made it work for him pretty quick: you gotta admire a horse who breaks his maiden in a Grade <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">III<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> race (in Arizona\u2019s Sprinklers Are Broke Again Stakes).<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Since then, he\u2019s been a little spotty, with a ninth in the <\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">GSR<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> Diamond followed up by a hard-charging second in Ireland\u2019s Serial LC(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">), but he possesses a solid late kick that fits well here, provided the early pace is strong, which it should be.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Is <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Bead Two(GB)<\/B> a rabbit for him, or vice versa, or are they both running on their own merits?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>More likely it\u2019s the latter, but with as sharp pacesetters as this race has, a little extra help would suit this entry more, as both haves are confirmed stretch runners.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>On his own merits, though, this one seems to have a little further to develop before evolving into the formidable deep threat he has shown the potential to be<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Pub Crawl(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [El Prado(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)-Bonezig(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">), by Giant\u2019s Causeway] has a sort of good news\/bad news vibe going on.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The good news is that he\u2019s the top-ranked juvenile turf sprinter here.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s won five of six lifetime for trainer <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">stormborn<\/I><\/B>, and is a two-time Grade I winner in his juvenile campaign (the Guinness and the Bass Ale, ironically enough), both of which were at today\u2019s distance.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s a speedster, leading at all but one point of call in each of five wins.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His speed figures have cracked the 90 barrier twice, which has only been done with one other member of the field.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He successfully carried his speed a mile in winning the Preview Cup two back.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s a precocious colt with a load of potential at 3.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The bad news?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Well, for one, he draws post #13 to try and carry his speed seven panels here.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Even following that draw, he faces another potent early speed horse who drew the rail, <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Northern Chant<\/B>.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Those two are certain to act like an episode of Blind Date and hook up early and often, and should he manage to survive both of these things, will he have anything left to hold off a closing maneuver of someone like Sharp Bend(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">), Bead Two(GB) or Storm Tapper?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Finally, his race in the Juvenile Turf last out was underwhelming, stalking early and fading to fourth late.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Considering he\u2019s bred to run a long, long way, and that he has possessed a lot of speed in his other starts, was it an off day, or a portent of things to come?<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>We\u2019re inclined to think that one was a fluke, but this spot is most challenging indeed.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A top jock, a lot of speed, vast amounts of class, but the post position does bother us, and so does the potential for fireworks on the front end in a duel.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It\u2019s a tough spot, but might his back class hold up?<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Stag Night(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<\/SPAN><\/B><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"> [Election Day(<\/SPAN><st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/st1:stockticker><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">) x Deerhound] is the most lightly-raced colt here, with just three starts under his belt.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s also, in the wake of so many top pedigrees, modestly bred.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s come out swinging; though he has just a maiden win, he\u2019s stakes-placed at six-and-a-half-furlongs, a near-miss at Hong Kong last out.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s improved his numbers each start, and his last was a competitive 87 fig, which ranks him right in the middle of these.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His outside post shouldn\u2019t hamper his chances much, but his lack of experience makes him a bit easier to resist, with as many horses here that have had either more starts or better quality of starts.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s a deep threat, with a lot of potential at a mile based on bloodlines, and with a sharp pace expected, it should give him a chance to show us his moves late.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Trainer <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">ecosse<\/I><\/B> should have him primed for a solid run, but in this graded debut, it\u2019s a show-us-what-you-got-kid type of deal.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">My selections:<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><OL style=\"MARGIN-TOP: 0in\" type=1><LI class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Sharp Bend(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/LI><LI class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Northern Chant<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/LI><LI class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Pub Crawl(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/LI><LI class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Vermont Victory<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/LI><LI class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Stag Night(<\/SPAN><\/B><st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">IRE<\/SPAN><\/B><\/st1:stockticker><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">)<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/LI><\/OL><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 11pt\">Good luck to all, happy racing, and happy holidays.<o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Juvenile Turf Sprinters?  I&#8217;m &#8216;Digging&#8217; It<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/123"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1304"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1304\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}