<\/SPAN> Andy, the Creep, and the Lion Look to Drown Isle of Revenge<\/SPAN><\/B> Five Graded Winners Highlight Impressive 3yo Turf Equinics Group <\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P> By: Dan Silver (Given) Close your eyes, focus your thoughts, and you can probably imagine the gates opening, the brilliant colors of the jockey silks, the chaos into the first turn, the thundering of the hooves as the horses turn for home, and finally the look of exultation on the winning jockey\u2019s face. That vision of grandeur will become reality this weekend as the Sim\u2019s biggest week of the year takes stage. The 2006 Equinics<\/B> have arrived, and so too have hundreds upon thousands of Simmers from around the globe, all converging on Defending champions GSR<\/B> have seen some turmoil since their winning run in the 2004 Equinics but have still put together a very formidable squad. The host residency Let\u2019s turn our attention to the matter at hand, examining the J.D. Tovar Stakes<\/U> (G1, 9.5f Turf, all 3yo\u2019s). The race\u2019s namesake is certainly an elusive character. He\u2019s so elusive, in fact, that no matter whom I questioned during the last two weeks, I wasn\u2019t able to find out any information about him at all, except that he was last seen working his trade somewhere in Much of the current buzz surrounding the race involves an element out of everyone\u2019s control. All week long the local experts predicted sunshine all Equinics weekend, but yesterday a maelstrom in the Mediterranean Sea created a flash storm in Let\u2019s have a look and try to make some sense of this massive 19-horse field! 1) Representing -This colt is more talented than his record of only one win indicates, as he\u2019s finished in-the-money in two consecutive graded races at nine furlongs. Two back he finished 2nd<\/SUP> in the G3 Phenom Stakes<\/U> to Isle of Revenge, and in his last race he finished 3rd<\/SUP> in the G3 Panhandle Park Derby<\/U> to Listen to the Lion. His stalking style should give him an advantage in a field of this size, and he has one run on a good turf course finishing 2nd<\/SUP> in an allowance. He\u2019ll need to improve to win, but a top three finish could be in the cards. 2) Representing -One of five graded winners in the race, this colt comes into this weekend needing a spark. Despite being a G2 and G3 winner as a 2yo, he\u2019s fallen on hard times of late, finishing 11th<\/SUP> two races back in the G1 DelPenn Champions Day Epiphany Too<\/U> at 8.5f, and most recently finishing 3rd<\/SUP> with a 77 SF in a 6.5f ungraded stakes race. The huge upside here is that his most impressive race, the G2 Manofjunk Stakes<\/U> was run at the longest distance he has seen, 8.5f. It\u2019s entirely possible that he could explode in his first long turf effort, especially with his tremendous turf classic breeding. Definitely one to watch. 3) Representing the Kentucky Horsemen<\/B> is -A very intriguing mid-level longshot, as this colt is riding a three-race turf winning streak including two straight stakes triumphs. In his most recent race he won a tenacious stretch battle to emerge victorious by a head in an ungraded turf stakes at 9f. His speed figure of 85 from that effort will need to improve by at least five points to have a shot at medaling here, but it\u2019s certainly within the realm of possibilities. 4) Representing the -A definitely longshot, this colt was defeated 15 lengths in a mile turf allowance last time out, although two races back he won an 8.5f turf allowance convincingly by two lengths. He\u2019s never seen the off turf, so if he can get out to a big lead and finds the soft turf to his liking, there\u2019s no telling how far he\u2019ll be able to go! 5) Representing GSR<\/B> is Ollie\u2019s Gone<\/B>, 9\/1, Gone West x Lear Fan x -In terms of dark horses go, no horse was mentioned by pundits around the track this week than this very regal looking son of Gone West. He won his debut at 7f on the lawn easily and proceeded to dominate two consecutive turf stakes routes, the latter at 8.5f by two lengths with an impressive 92 speed figure. His trainer wanted to see if he could handle the dirt in his most recent race, and while he didn\u2019t embarrass himself, it was clear that his preference was for the green stuff. His undefeated turf record is on the line this weekend and his pedigree says the distance shouldn\u2019t be a problem. He rates an excellent chance to win but he will have to prove his class. 6) Representing Viking Racing<\/B> is Tete Ratamanaz(NZ)<\/B>, 29\/1, Zabeel(NZ) x Testa Rossa(Aus) x Sky Classic, trained by racelord<\/I> (aka sabbath<\/I>) -Two races back this modestly bred colt blew up an mile turf allowance with an explosive stretch rally to win going away by 3 lengths. He received a nice 83 speed figure for that effort. If he was coming into the Equinics off that effort his odds would have been lower, but last time out while running on a turf course rated good, he ran poorly in an 8.5f allowance, finishing 5th<\/SUP> by ten lengths. He obviously has a lot of talent, but unless he runs the race of his life it\u2019s hard to see him taking home part of the purse. 7) Representing Nexis<\/B> is Hr De Fond<\/B>, 31\/1, Chateau Royal x Le Fabuleux x Native Prospector, trained by hracinggem<\/I> -Not much to go on with this colt as his lone race was a maiden win. In that effort he ran down an impressive group of debuters going 8.5f with an 88 speed figure. This is an enormous step up and while his speed figure stacks up very nicely with the field here, it\u2019s hard to envision him running a big race going from MSW to G1. 8) Representing Ohio Thoroughbred Racing<\/B> is Andy\u2019s Choice<\/B>, 9\/1, Rainbow Quest x Gone West x Lyphaness, trained by gunsynd<\/I> (aka hydrogen<\/I>) -An Eclipse finalist and one of the horses to beat this weekend, he\u2019s won four of six turf starts including a G1 and a G3. He started off his career as good as it gets, ripping off four straight victories culminating with a gutsy victory in the mile G1 High Flyer Stakes<\/U> with a 90 speed figure. In his next start he ran well in the Breeders Bowl<\/U> finishing 4th<\/SUP>, and in his most recent start he finished 2nd in the G1 DelPenn Champions Day Epiphany Too<\/U> at 8.5f running a career best 94 speed figure. This will be his first run going more than 8.5f but his pedigree says he should relish the added distance. If he handles the yielding course he is clearly one of the top contenders. 9) Representing DelPenn<\/B> is Listen to the Lion(Ire)<\/B>, 8\/1, Rock of Gibraltar(Ire) x Irish River(FR) x The Minstrel, trained by super10<\/I> -When people have been discussing the race, this is invariably one of the first two names mentioned. After failing to wow the world in his first six races, his astute super<\/I> trainers entered him going 9f in the G3 Apparently Juvenile<\/U>, and he responded by powering his way to an overwhelming two length victory with a scintillating 95 speed figure. He dispelled any notions of that race being a fluke in his most recent race, pummeling his helpless foes in the 9f Panhandle Park Derby<\/U>, again winning by two lengths. His breeding says the soft turf should be no problem at all, and expect to see him flying through the stretch like his sire did in the Breeders Cup Mile. But unlike his sire, this Lion might get just up for the victory. 10) Representing the GR Simsters<\/B> is Creepshow(Ire)<\/B>, 9\/2, Rock of Gibraltar(Ire) x Deputy Minister x Seeking The Gold, trained by ![](\"http:\/\/p1t.net\/hr\/spons\/20060115112928equinics.gif\")