The Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic <\/B>is the jewel in the crown for the older turf stayers, on this day, the EAAA equivalent of the Breeders Bowl. A race framed to find the best mile and a half turfers on the planet, the honour roll is ample evidence of its previous success. Another name will be added to the list this weekend, and the victor will take home the majority of the 2 million dollar purse put up for this race. The history book tells us of the quality of horse we will be searching for when trying to find the winner this weekend. Previous winners of this event are: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2000 \u2013 High Devil (devil) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2001 \u2013 Cecil Roo (toplight) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2002 \u2013 Joe Cayenne (rbgstable) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2003 \u2013 Green Bow (mano2) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2004 \u2013 Bristol Rovers (swampy) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>2005 \u2013 Rain God \u2013 (kevoman3) Random Thoughts\u2026Early Thoughts: <\/SPAN><\/I><\/B>I guess like many BTB writers, I like to do a little early homework after selecting my race. Once I\u2019d been to the BTB forum, signed up for one of the few races left, it was time to start. First up to the race history to make a list of the previous winners, then a browse of the early entries to try and get a feel for what I am going to write. Yukk! Now that the full field has been announced lets look through the complete list: Colorado Force<\/SPAN><\/B> has drawn the coveted inside barrier. <\/B>\u00a0<\/SPAN>After graduating from maiden to Grade 2 winner in 2005 the seeds were set for a most successful year in 2006. He began the year with an impressive ungraded stakes victory, before lining up against many of those he\u2019ll be meeting today in Barrier stall 2 has been reserved for Band of Budas<\/B>. chop<\/B> has raced this five year old homebred son of Tribal Rule \/ Affirmed \/ Native Dancer<\/I> throughout his career and has prepared him for victory on thirteen occasions, collecting just shy of one million dollars along the way.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s won a Grade 2 and a Grade 3, both over this weeks distance, in recent starts but has failed to finish ITM in five previous attempts at Grade 1 racing. That\u2019s the raw bad side of the form line. On the plus side is the fact that he\u2019s taken home a minor prize cheque against big fields in three of those five runs. The barrier draw will suit his \u2018drop out\u2019 running style, so he should be able to settle back on the fence and save good ground during the race. It would be hard to see him challenging the top stars if they all perform at their peaks, but at his best he will give them plenty to think about. Dancin in Seattle <\/SPAN><\/B>is due to line up at number 3. This lightly raced, five year old is a homebred son of Danzig<\/I> from Confederacy<\/SPAN><\/B>, from gate 4, <\/B>fits squarely into the up and comer category, and looms as one of the main dangers, despite being held in scant respect by those framing the markets. A four year old son of one of the sim\u2019s most solid broodmares, Confederacy<\/B> is one of two graded performers from the Grade 1 winning Caerleon \/ Conquistador Ceillo<\/I> mare Con Unit<\/B>. His older half sister Congressional<\/B> (by Storm Cat<\/I>) is a Grade 2 winner with a Grade 1 second also on the form page. Constitutional<\/B>, a lightly raced three year old Street Cry<\/I> winner of two from five starts, sits alongside her successful siblings, contributing to the impressive dynasty being set up by dawgpound<\/B>. Con Unit<\/B> and her descendents look assured of ongoing achievements in the sim for generations to come. Now back to the subject of this article. Confederacy<\/B> is a winner of 7 from 16 and over $600,000 in prize money. Graduating from maiden winner in early 2005, he ended the year with a bang, stringing together five consecutive victories, including two ungraded stakes at the end. 2006 has seen just the one run thus far, a strong second behind Bristol Rovers<\/B> in the Grade 1 Equinics Lester Piggott<\/I>. That type of run at his first Graded attempt virtually ensures a most exciting career ahead for this largely untapped colt. He could prove the value runner here, provided he doesn\u2019t come unstuck in an early duel for the lead with\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Dancin in Seattle<\/B>, drawn immediately inside him. Swingshift Sal<\/SPAN><\/B> jumps from 5, an ideal draw as he should be able to slot in on the fence and keep the leaders within firing range, preferring as he does to race just a few lengths off the pace. <\/B>This five year old son of Night Shift \/ Roberto \/ Fappiano <\/I>is always a threat in this type of event and although it is many months since he last scored against Grade 1 opposition, he\u2019s been running in fine form and is showing no signs of slowing down. With 37 races under his belt, he continues to compete in quality fields and continues to justify the click<\/B> stables faith in keeping him there. His last start second in The Pan American Handicap<\/I>, when second behind Rapid Grey<\/B> and after finishing over the top of the favourite here,\u00a0Rain God<\/B>, was as good a formline as anyone could ask for. The biggest concern for the stable may have been their inability to secure the services of an in-form rider, as J.Twenty<\/I> is currently riding at only 3%. Swingshift Sal<\/B> takes on the elite once again this week, and, given a half decent ride, is a chance to be thereabouts at the business end of the race yet again. Bristol Rovers<\/SPAN><\/B> jumps from 6, the barrier of little consequence as he likes to drop out in the early stages. Adding depth, history and with an axe to grind, there is not a more fitting starter than this six year old who has tried to make this race his own. Disappointing last year, when sent out second favourite in the betting behind Sunnybank Memorial<\/B>, Bristol Rovers<\/B> has proven beyond all doubt that his run that day was an anomaly, and that he\u2019s currently as good as ever. Is the race jinxed? Can it not be won more than once by the same horse? Perhaps we find out this year.\u00a0Bristol Rovers<\/B> won 12 of 15, including the 2004 renewal of this event, coming into last years race, and has won 7 of 9 since. swampy<\/B> has kept this gallant six year old scratch bred son of Rahy \/ Danzig \/ Roberto<\/I> at the top of his game for four years. He comes into this off a Grade 1 victory in the Equinics Lester Piggott<\/I> and there\u2019s no doubt he\u2019ll have plenty of support in his attempt at dual Golden Turf Classic<\/I> victories. Puppet Regime<\/SPAN><\/B> jumps from gate 8. Carrying superb bloodlines (Kingmambo \/ Nijinsky \/ Mr. Prospector<\/I>) this four year old colt has been victorious on eight of the 13 times he has ventured to the racetrack. Breeder \/ owner \/ trainer wrecks2<\/B> has placed him superbly throughout his career to give him the background to fully justify inclusion in races at the top end. The only blemish on his scorecard comes in his two previous attempts at graded racing, which must be of some concern to his connections, but as he\u2019s proved himself more than competitive at stakes level, there is nothing to be lost by facing the best. Beginning his career at three, Puppet Regime<\/B> took three starts to clock up that first maiden win, a victory which was to signal the start of a six win streak, flying through the allowance classes and winning his first stakes race comfortably. The couple of graded failures (perhaps failures is too harsh, as he beat home as many as beat him) came next, then a return to stakes racing where two wins and a second ensued from his most recent three starts. Jockey T.Miller<\/I> is currently riding in a superlative fashion, and is sure to settle him handy, without giving away too big a start. He\u2019s picked a hard cast to overcome to remove the graded \u2018jinx\u2019, but his future clearly lies in high class racing. Gate 9 sees Rapid Grey<\/B>, from the champions4<\/B> stable, line up, and he may well prove to have got in under the guard of the bookies. This is\u00a0a rising star. A four year old colt carrying Tactical Cat \/ With Approval \/ Bold Ruckus<\/I> blood, he\u2019s the current form horse as he comes here looking to make it five wins in a row. With the first two of his current string coming in Grade 1 events, there can be no doubting his class. His last start victory in the Pan American \u2013 G2<\/I>, saw him leave in his wake horses of the caliber of Swingshift Sal<\/B> and Rain God<\/B>. Many pundits subscribe to the theory that recent form is the best form, and on that score, nothing comes into this event with a better chance. He\u2019ll give his backers plenty of heart flutters as he drops out early, but nobody is in a better position to guide him home than G.Harmon<\/EM>, who is riding in stellar form this year. Fans of Rapid Grey are becoming accustomed to his \u2018burst from the rear\u2019 style now. His flying finishes have become something to behold, and we may well behold yet another one this week Gate 10 is to be the starting position for Wild Trips<\/B>. His current form doesn\u2019t inspire confidence for this standard of challenge, but he was the winner of the Grade 2 Seventh King Eddie Stakes<\/I> over this journey less than twelve months ago, so we know the surface and distance will pose no problems. The bad news is that that was his most recent victory and he\u2019s been to the races thirteen times since. Wild Trips<\/B> is a four year old son of the very capable, Grade 1 placed Sadler\u2019s Wells \/ Pacific Native<\/I> mare, Your Trips<\/B>. Wild Trips<\/B>, a son of Forest Wildcat<\/I>, is the most successful of her four progeny, although older half brother Trips<\/B> (by<\/I> Polish Miner<\/I>) managed a Grade 3 ITM finish as a two year old. Back to this horse, and it really is hard to disagree with the bookmakers here. It would require a huge form reversal to upset his more favoured opponents and his out of form jockey would appear to only add to the list of almost insurmountable obstacles. In gate 11 we have