{"id":2471,"date":"2006-05-18T00:24:31","date_gmt":"2006-05-18T00:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=2471"},"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=2471","title":{"rendered":"The G-1 Black Middle Flower Stakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bluegrass Oaks conqueror, Armed With Money<\/B>, heads east this week looking to add another G-1 victory to an already flashy resume just two short weeks after an electrifying stretch move got her the money in Kentucky<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She\u2019s turned in arguably the two best performances by a three-year old filly this year in winning the California<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> and Bluegrass Oaks, but finds herself facing another full field of challengers in this year\u2019s running of the G-1 Black Middle Flower Stakes.\u00a0 Here’s your look at the field, from the rail out.<\/SPAN><\/P>

1\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Wally\u2019s Dehere\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(doa)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Boasts a closing style similar to that of Armed With Money, but she\u2019s 0 for 2 against that foe after a Bluegrass Oaks try in which she never really seemed to get in gear.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Seems like the forgotten horse after that performance and will probably be overlooked in here, but if you like her you can take solace in the fact that she missed by just a length to the favorite in California<\/st1:State><\/st1:place>. The South Dakota Oaks winner should get first crack at the front runners, but hard to say whether she\u2019ll bounce back this week or come up empty down the stretch.<\/SPAN><\/P>

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2\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Whip Smart\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(wistful)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/SPAN>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Never really threatened the winner, but thought her third in the Bluegrass Oaks was great all the same as she was the lone pace player that still had some gas in the tank at the finish.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Filly just behind her at the first call of that race \u2013 who went off as the lukewarm favorite \u2013 finished second to last.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>May get a similar trip this week with only Wango Tango<\/B> and K\u2019s Stand Tall<\/B> to reel in coming into the stretch.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Like the rail horse, she\u2019s been bested twice by our favorite with third place finishes in both California<\/st1:State> and Kentucky<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>, but pace scenario suggests third time might indeed be the charm.\u00a0 Needs every ounce of her best to hold off the favorite in the stretch, but think she gets there.<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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3\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Armed With Money\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(monksfield)<\/STRONG><\/SPAN>\u00a0 <\/SPAN>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Gutsy, modestly-bred filly always brings her \u2018A\u2019 game and never really seems to lose a race, it just seems like she runs out of ground on occasion.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Always closes like a runaway freight train, most recently witnessed in her scintillating Bluegrass Oaks victory in which she passed nearly half the field in the stretch.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Has missed the board just once in her life and is unbeaten on fast tracks this year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>If you\u2019re looking for chinks in the armor she may be slightly vulnerable with half a furlong less to negotiate this week and closing style has had her cutting it close more often than not.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Slow pace or not though, she\u2019s the one the others need to fear.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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4\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Why Did You Stop (IRE)\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(unreal)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Irish-bred lass kicked off the year with a G-2 upset at a big price and surprised a few highly regarded fillies, including Broadway Angel<\/B>, that day.\u00a0Unfortunately, she hasn\u2019t been able to reproduce that effort as she was nowhere to be found in the California Oaks and doesn\u2019t catch a break with the top three from that race all turning up here.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Stakes winner at this distance in last, but none of the fillies she topped can possibly be considered G-1 types.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Think the future may show this Swain filly to be better on turf, should 23% winning stable decide to go that route.<\/SPAN><\/P>

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5\u00a0 <\/SPAN>No Apagues La Luz\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(super21)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Highly regarded millionaire from Super Inc. has lost some luster as she\u2019s now dropped four in a row, culminating with a lifeless effort as one of the favorites in the Bluegrass Oaks.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Just super as a two-year old that never missed the exacta last year, but the best of her class seem to have caught up with her this year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Can forgive the try in Kentucky<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> against the big field, but that doesn\u2019t explain losses as the favorite in the Fantasy Stakes and the Florida Oaks.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Believe trainer wins a G-1 on the card this week, just not this one.<\/SPAN><\/P>

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6\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Dixieland Deputy\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(lurch)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Nice second against the boys last out in stakes company, but as the favorite in that race she was expected to do well and the colt that beat her that day hasn\u2019t yet tried graded stakes.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Fifth in Broadway Angel<\/B>\u2019s Louisiana Oaks win as the favorite, then finished behind that one yet again next in the Fantasy Stakes.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Hot start to the year when taking down G-3 company, but filly that ran second that day made zero impact in the\u00a0 <\/SPAN>South Dakota<\/st1:State><\/st1:place> and Florida Oaks.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Nice filly, but probably in over her head this week.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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7\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Fame Or Fortune\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(kyclocker2)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Filled out the superfecta with a\u00a0solid performance\u00a0in the Bluegrass Oaks at a price.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Smarty Jones filly started off the year by beating up on a couple of small fields in Florida and parlayed those efforts into graded stakes success with a runner-up finish in the G-1 Sweet Nanette and a victory in the G-2 Fantasia Handicap.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her lone poor effort this year came on a sloppy track that she obviously didn\u2019t take a liking to and, with no rain forecast this week, that won’t be a concern.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Consistent filly has won half of her starts and is certainly a contender today, just can’t envision her getting the win.<\/SPAN><\/P>

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8\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Drop The Lemon Kid\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(jpcrazy)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Improving, but still a deserving longshot.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She does have a touch of speed and cuts back in distance this week after stringing together a set of nice efforts in stakes company.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Trouble is, she\u2019s not catching stakes types here and the filly that beat her in last stakes try went on to finish sixteenth in the Bluegrass Oaks after prompting the pace.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Lemon Drop Kid filly was also well behind both Fame or Fortune<\/B> and Dixieland Slam<\/B> when seen splitting the field in her lone G-1 outing and will probably have a tough time of it this week too. <\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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9\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Groomed To Romp T\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(pick6)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Tenacious trainer sends this one out to contest a route yet again despite 0 for 10 record.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Talented filly won her first four starts \u2013 you guessed it, all sprints \u2013 but has dropped her last thirteen, which includes dead last finishes in both the California Oaks and the Fantasia Handicap.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Clone-bred of trainer\u2019s stable star, Western Groom, has never been better than sixth at this distance and can\u2019t possibly be endorsed in this spot this week.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>If this G-3 winning, Gone West filly shared Mr. Ed\u2019s ability to speak she\u2019d probably tell everyone that she didn\u2019t feel like running this far.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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10\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Broadway Angel\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(theleague)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Lit up the tote board in Louisiana<\/st1:State><\/st1:place>, but if you take away that race she always seems to be a cut below graded stakes caliber.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Well bet in last two, but ran fourth in both and blew a lead in the stretch two back against common stakes foes.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Hasn\u2019t moved forward off the Louisiana<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> race and would probably have to duplicate that effort just to finish fourth this week. <\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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11\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Dixieland Slam\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(profitthis)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Another closer who didn\u2019t get the money in last, but did fire a career best speed figure against stakes runners.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Seems like an also-ran in here as she\u2019s lost to a number of these in her grades stakes tries at big prices and finished behind Fame Or Fortune<\/B> in back-to-back races.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Should bring up the rear with Armed With Money<\/B>, but don\u2019t imagine that will inspire her to run like that one when they hit the stretch.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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12\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Wango Tango\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(zewango4)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Pine Bluff<\/st1:City> filly is bred up and down for sloppy tracks, but popped and stopped in the mud when last seen in Pennsylvania<\/st1:State><\/st1:place>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Run and gun style has bought her a G-3 win and numerous big leads in the past, most notably in the California Oaks, but more often than not she hasn\u2019t been able to seal the deal when the real running starts.\u00a0 Race doesn’t feature a ton of speed and she should be able to get the lead if she wants it<\/SPAN>, but have to believe she’ll fold like a bad poker hand down the stretch when she finds Armed With Money<\/STRONG> and all the rest of them in her rear view mirror.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She\u2019s another who might be best suited to sprint races as she was G-1 placed as a two-year old at seven furlongs. <\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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13\u00a0 <\/SPAN>K\u2019s Stand Tall\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(sledwith)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>At one time, speedster was 6 for 6 with a trio of stakes victories to her credit before dropping her two-year old finale.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Lone try in G-1 company came next at a distance she liked, but she was hung out wide in a big field and never contended while finishing behind Wally\u2019s Dehere<\/STRONG> and the filly that should keep her company this week, Wango Tango<\/STRONG>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Looks like a case of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu for a filly who\u2019s never really shown a willingness to rate as she\u2019s once again hung wide in a big field against G-1 types and it all probably adds up to a similar result.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>

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14\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Katherine\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(phonetrick)\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/B>–\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Second Pine Bluff filly in the field never raced as a two-year old, but wasted no time getting experienced as she parlayed a first-out maiden breaker into a third place finish in G-2 company.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Finished a few lengths behind Whip<\/STRONG> Smart<\/STRONG> that day though and hasn\u2019t really seemed to improve off her smashing maiden victory.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Always well thought of as she was third choice in the Fantasia Handicap \u2013 where she finished seventh \u2013 and has been favored in her last three.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Those thoughts may be unwarranted however, as she only managed to win one of those three and that was in restricted allowance company.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Poorest tries have come against these types and find no reason to think she\u2019ll turn that around this week. <\/SPAN><\/P>

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Selections\u00a0 –\u00a0 2 – 3 – 7<\/STRONG><\/SPAN><\/P>

<\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/P><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Full Field Set To Ambush Oaks Queen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"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-2471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471","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\/159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2471\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}