One of the highlight races this weekend in Florida is The Ramp Art Handicap (G2). This years’ race has drawn a lucky thirteen horses to the post of what will be a mile and one eighth romp over the dirt course. Open to four-year-olds and up, the thirteen horses in the field will be going over what will be listed as a fast dirt course for the 2:30 pm race. The prize purse for the running of the race will be a total of $200,000. Let’s take a look at this years contenders that will be running this Saturday.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Siren Serenade (JPN)<\/strong>\u00a0– (Afleet x Awesome Again x In Reality) –\u00a0simond3<\/em> – L. Buchta – 8\/1<\/p>\n The first into the starting gate on Saturday, this Japanese six-year-old mare, second place finisher in last years Breeders’ Bowl Distaff (G1), \u00a0is out of the race-winning broodmare Jawdropping. The mare is lightly raced for her age with only twenty-nine career starts, including seven wins. The most recent start or the chestnut filly was last month in The Bom Bom Memorial (G2) at ten furlongs in Texas. Breaking just a quarter length back off the pace in third position, the mare maintained the position for much of the race but faded towards the end to just barely finish in the money in fifth position. Her most recent victory was just the start before in the Fumascus Dirt Mare Memorial, a listed stakes race over nine and a half furlongs in Michigan. The mare was a half length off the pace at the break of this race and steadily gained position throughout the running, ultimately going on to cross the wire in front by a length and three-quarters, setting a speed figure of ninety-seven. This weekend the mare will probably be sent out of the gate towards the middle of the pack or up as far as to an early stalking position just off the pace of a few other horses.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0Vivrant Thing<\/strong> – (Street Sense x Pulpit x Storm Cat) –\u00a0bpsisking<\/em> – M. Snider – 15\/1<\/p>\n Into the second slot, this six-year-old brown mare has made a total of thirty-three lifetime starts in her career so far, winning seven of these races. She is out of the allowance-winning broodmare Sudden Moves. The mare actually made her most recent start over the turf in an allowance race in Kentucky at nine furlongs. Breaking out of the gate and settling into second place, the mare lost ground throughout the race and ultimately crossed the wire to finish fourth in the race, back off the pace by seven and three-quarter lengths. Her two starts prior were both on the main dirt track at nine and a half furlongs. A start in the Whip Smart Dirt Mare Route, a listed stakes race, earned her a sixth place finish, but she saw victory in the W. Affair Dirt Mare Route, another listed stakes race. Breaking from the gate and settling just off the pace in third, the mare won by a length and a half, setting a speed figure of one hundred four. The mare hasn’t had a graded stakes start since December of 2012 when she finished seventh in the Jump Town Handicap (G2).<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0Cascadreya\u00a0<\/strong>– (Eskendereya x Unbridled x A.P. Indy) – jakeclaims<\/i> – D. Zordich – 10\/1<\/p>\n A younger horse coming into the field this Saturday, the brown four-year-old is out of the graded placed broodmare Cascade. With twenty-one career starts, the connections of the filly are hoping she will bounce back after two disappointing finishes lately. The most recent start for the Kentucky-bred filly was last month in the ten furlong Equinics – Sim Historians (G1). She broke well off the pace in ninth in the race and things didn’t improve for the filly later as she crossed the wire in tenth, ten and a half lengths off the pace. The filly last won a race in August during The Chicago Oaks (G3). Breaking well off the pace here as well, the filly found her groove midway through the race and began to challenge other horses. She would go on to win by two and as half lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred ten. Despite these races where the filly has been far off the pace, she usually is held up closer to the pace in the middle of the pack, which is where she will likely be positioned this Saturday.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0A State Of Mind<\/strong> – (Tapit x Storm Cat x Dubai Millennium) –\u00a0supapogs6\u00a0<\/em> – B. F. Abman – 10\/1<\/p>\n The first horse to go to the gate this weekend to have already accomplished a Grade I win, the four-year-old light gray filly is lightly raced with sixteen career starts, six of which have resulted in wins. Another win this weekend could push her over the half a million dollar mark in career earnings. Recently the filly has taken a step down in class back to allowance level races, most recently she ran at nine and a half furlongs at an allowance race in Arizona, finishing second at the wire, off the pace of the winner by just a length. Prior to this the filly won two consecutive allowance races, the more recent of the two by a margin of two and a half lengths, with a speed figure of one hundred four. In her graded victory, the filly won the 2012 The Darley (G1) by a head with a speed figure of eighty-nine as a two-year-old. The filly is widely varied in her running style, and has ran as a closer as well as up closer to the pace, so the speed set on Saturday will probably influence where this filly settles out of the gate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5. Giant In The Sky<\/b> – (Giant’s Causeway x Forty Niner x Sadler’s Wells) –\u00a0dokki<\/em> – L. Locasico – 10\/1<\/p>\n Making the twentieth start of her career this weekend in The Ramp Art Handicap (G2), the Kentucky-bred four-year-old filly is also approaching the half a million dollar mark in career earnings. Last starting in January, the filly rallied late for fifth place in the Nimble Flyer Dirt Mare Memorial, a listed stakes race at eight and a half furlongs. In November she finished third in The Cool Hand Luke (G2) at a mile in Kentucky. However it wasn’t until last October that the filly saw her most recent victory in the Her Mats Dirt Filly Route, a listed stakes race at eight and a half furlongs. Settling into fifth out of the gate the filly made her move midway through the race, going on to win by three-quarters of a length and setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven for the race. In the race this weekend, the filly will likely be sent mid-pack at the start of the race to wait out the perfect time for her to challenge the other horses.<\/p>\n 6. Berri Duet<\/strong> – (Zensational x Forest Wildcat x Smart Strike) – crown\u00a0<\/i>– A. Scott – 10\/1<\/p>\n Very lightly raced with just four lifetime starts in her career, the light gray filly, out of the allowance-winning broodmare Sophie’s Duet, the filly will be making her graded stakes debut this weekend in The Ramp Art Handicap (G2). The most recent start for the Kentucky-bred filly was in the Fuengirola Dirt Mare Route, a listed stakes at nine furlongs in Arizona. Coming out of the gate and settling into second, the filly took the lead in the middle of the race and went on to win by \u00a0two and three-quarter lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred twelve. This speed figure was a lifetime best for the filly. Prior to this race the filly also won the Bucking Bronco Dirt Mare Route, a listed stakes race over nine furlongs in Colorado. This weekend, if the filly adjusts well to the step up in class she will probably be settled back towards the middle of the pack, or possibly farther up to the front just off the pace of a few of the other fillies and mares.<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0Ligeia\u00a0<\/strong>– (Big Brown x Deputy Minister x Buckpasser) –\u00a0fernando<\/em>\u00a0– O. A. Haack – 8\/1<\/p>\n In the middle of the field now, the five-year-old chestnut mare has made twenty-three career starts, winning nearly one and a half million dollars in career earnings. She is out of the broodmare Berenice. The most recent start for the mare was right here in Florida during the Exit Stage Left (G3) at eight and a half furlongs. Breaking just a quarter of a length off the pace of the early pacesetter, the mare settled into second. She would fade in the final furlongs of the race however, off the pace by three and three-quarter lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred four for the race. It was back in August of 1012 when the mare had her last win, this coming in the form of the Birmingham Stakes (G1) in upper New York, which she won impressively by three and three-quarter lengths after settling just off the front-runner in second. The mare will be a probable pace-setter this weekend in The Ramp Art Handicap (G2). If she doesn’t go out to lead the field she is pretty sure to be right there in second or third stalking the pace early on.<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0Tons O’ Fun<\/strong> – (Distorted Humor x Storm Cat x Seattle Slew) – given3<\/i> – N. Armstrong – 9\/1<\/p>\n Moving on towards the latter part of the field to make it to the track, this five-year-old brown mare has made a total of twenty-two lifetime starts and is a Grade III winner. The most recent start for the Kentucky-bred mare is the Daddy Derby Dirt Mare Sprint, a listed stakes race over seven furlongs in Arizona. Out to an early speed duel with another horse, the mare settled for second early on but would cross the wire back in third, one and a half lengths off the pace of the winner, setting a speed figure of \u00a0one hundred three. Prior to this she would finish fourth in her most recent graded start, the ten furlong Girls Cap (G3) in Kansas. Before this graded start came the mares most recent win, this coming in the Papua Theft Dirt Mare Route, a listed stakes race over ten furlongs in New Jersey. The mare won this race in wire to wire fashion by two lengths. She is another likely pacesetter for Saturday, and if she doesn’t get the lead she too will also be close to it, likely in second behind the front runner if she can’t get the lead herself.<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0Pinball Way<\/strong> – (Mutakddim x Saint Ballado x Deputy Minister) –\u00a0vampire4<\/em> – V. Gardner – 9\/1<\/p>\n With twenty career starts under her belt, the five-year-old brown mare is graded placed, but will be seeking out the first graded win of her career this weekend. The most recent start for the Kentucky-bred mare came in the Fuengirola Dirt Mare Route, a listed stakes race over nine furlongs in Arizona. Settling into fifth out of the gate early on, she began to advance through the field midway through the race, crossing the wire in third, two and three-quarter lengths off the pace. Prior to this the mare won a nine furlong allowance race in New York, running her race in a very similar fashion and winning by a length and a quarter while setting a speed figure of one hundred three. The most recent graded start for the mare was in April of last year during The Route Sixty Six (G3), in which she finished eighth. She was the 2013 second place finisher of The Ramp Art Handicap (G2). She will likely be placed mid-pack at the break, or a little farther back than that point.<\/p>\n 10.\u00a0Silver Storm Pit\u00a0<\/strong>– (Pulpit x Silver Ghost x Storm Bird) –\u00a0beamerback<\/em> – D. Seguias – 11\/1<\/p>\n Making her graded stakes debut this weekend in The Ramp Art Handicap (G2), the four-year-old light gray filly is fairly lightly raced with just eighteen lifetime starts. The Kentucky-bred filly is coming of of two consecutive wins going into her first graded start this weekend. The most recent of these is the Racey Opossum Dirt Mare Route, a listed stakes race over nine and half furlongs in Ohio. The filly took this race in wire to wire fashion, winning by two and a quarter lengths and setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. Prior to this she would also win a ten and a half furlong allowance race, also in wire to wire fashion. She will probably be the leading contender this weekend to take the lead out of the gate, the question for her will be wether or not she will be able to maintain that lead in her first graded start.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 11.\u00a0Hoosier Daddy T\u00a0<\/strong>– (Pleasantly Perfect x A.P. Indy x Forty Niner) –\u00a0grimreaper<\/em> – M. Isdell – 12\/1<\/p>\n Nearing the end of the field for the race this weekend, this four-year-old filly will be going into the number ten slot. Out of the broodmare Golden Hoosier, the Kentucky-bred chestnut filly is a listed stakes winner and has made an attempt at graded stakes before but was unable to come up with a win for her connections. The most recent start for the filly was also in the Racey Opossum Dirt Mare Route with post ten contender\u00a0Silver Storm Pit<\/strong>. The chestnut filly settled into fifth out of the gate and gained some ground throughout the race but ultimately would cross the wire in fourth, five and a half lengths off the pace and setting a speed figure of one hundred five. Her most recent win was in September of last year during the Trillium Craft Dirt Filly Route, a listed stakes race over nine and half furlongs. Breaking out of the gate and settling into second, midway through the race she had the lead and went on to win by two and a half lengths. Her most recent graded start came in the Birmingham Stakes (G1) in New York which resulted in a fifth place finish for the filly. The filly is a versatile runner and has run as a closer and has been as close to the pace as second out of the gate, so the pace on Saturday will likely factor as to where she is placed out of the gate<\/p>\n 12.\u00a0Donoso (JPN)<\/strong> – (Pyro x Devil’s Bag x Storm Cat) –\u00a0trotnirish<\/em> – P. McGaunn – 6\/1<\/p>\n Next up in the field is the second of two Japanese-bred horses in the field who make up the only non States bred horses to make it to the race this year. The brown five-year-old mare has made eighteen career starts and is graded placed, though a graded win has so far eluded her. The most recent start for the mare was in an allowance race in Kentucky over eight and a half furlongs. Out of the gate and settling back in a mid-pack position of sixth, the mare began to advance through the field early on, eventually going on \u00a0to win the race by two and a half lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred two. Prior to this the mare was in a graded race, also in Kentucky, the Jump Town Handicap (G2) at nine furlongs on the dirt. Placed closer to the front early on in this race, she didn’t have the same kick early on and crossed the wire in fourth. She will likely be placed towards the middle of the pack in this race, or slightly off of it.<\/p>\n 13.\u00a0Allchargesweredrop<\/strong> – (Eskendereya x Street Cry x Devil’s Bag) – laylow<\/i> – D. Givins – 7\/1<\/p>\n The last horse in the field and last in the gate, this five-year-old brown mare is the second daughter of Eskendereya to be entered in The Ramp Art Handicap (G2) this weekend. The Kentucky-bred mare is lightly raced for her five years with just fourteen career starts, including seven wins. She is already a Grade I winner and is ranked #10 in her division. The most recent start for the mare came in December of last year during the Girls Cap (G3) at ten furlongs. Setting just off the pace in second for the vast majority of the race, the mare was able to easily power past the tiring front runner and go on to win by three lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. Prior to this the mare also won The Shutdown Showdown (G1) over ten and a half furlongs in New York. This weekend in The Ramp Art Handicap she will be attempting to make it three consecutive wins. With the rest of the early speed in the race, she will probably be set just off the front runners early on, likely sitting back in third or fourth out of the gate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the highlight races this weekend in Florida is The Ramp Art Handicap (G2). This years’ race has drawn<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[21,33],"class_list":["post-19579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews","tag-florida","tag-ramp-art-handicap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19579","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\/179"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19579"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19596,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19579\/revisions\/19596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}