{"id":2701,"date":"2006-07-07T08:18:57","date_gmt":"2006-07-07T08:18:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=2701"},"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=2701","title":{"rendered":"Stormshaft makes return in mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"

By ITCH<\/STRONG><\/P>

There can be little doubt about who has the best horse in Saturday’s Grade 2 D-Day Distaff at Old Waterford.<\/P>

It’s tripcrown9 with STORMSHAFT<\/STRONG>, who was second in last year’s Breeders Bowl Distaff to the current No. 1 filly in the classic rankings, SWIFT KICK for sdmf2. Her per-race earnings of $71,295 just dwarf the rest of this field, but can she really win off a five-month layoff? Even if she’s not at her best on Saturday, it is still wonderful to have a filly of this caliber racing here at the Mountain Oval. What a year it was last year for this daughter of Mineshaft. In 2005 alone, she won three, count ’em three, Grade 2 races, for a very sharp 19 percent career barn. She almost climbed all the way to the top on Breeders Bowl day, beaten only a length while gaining on the winner at the end. That being said, at 3-1 off a long, long layoff, this is what we call in real-life racing a “parimutuel opportunity.” Stormshaft is not likely to fire her best shot off that long of a layoff, and for all we know, tripcrown9 may be using his or her head and running this classy filly at more a workout. Better to look elsewhere if you look at the Distaff as a wagering proposition.<\/P>

How about the No. 2 qualifier, CHOPPING HILL<\/STRONG> from the LOL outfit (megure5th)? She gets leading jockey S. Tate in the irons, and 9-1 would seem rather juicy at first glance for the No. 32-ranked classy filly. But, she’s lost nine in a row since winning the Grade 2 King Classic in Germany in week 2650. That’s the bad news. The good news is she’s now hit the board in 5 of her last 6 races, all in stake company. The only time she missed the board was two back in the Grade I My Girl Handicap, which was probably a reach both class-wise and distance-wise, as that one was only 8.5 furlongs, and this late running daughter of Woodman needs a bit more ground than that. <\/P>

No 3 qualifer, and the last filly in the field with more than 50 stakes points, is THE DIVORCE<\/STRONG> frm the jarrod2 stable. Almost incredibly, this plodding daughter of Unbridled’s Song, just about a proven loser at 1-26 lifetime, is ranked No. 6 in the long distaff division. That lofty ranking is based on two second-place finishes in Grade I races. I mean no disrespect to the 689 Sim-race veteran jarrod2, nor the filly. I am just saying what a strange situation this filly represents, dismissed at 23-1 by Charlie the Drunken Morning Line Oddsmaker despite being ranked near the top of the Sim. She has class, as evidenced by those lofty Grade I placings. How frustrating this must be for jarrod2. How will he get her to win? She’s ranked No. 6 in the long division and she cannot even come close to winning an N1X allowance last out. She cuts back in distance here and takes a jump in class. Just seems so unlikely to win. Twenty-five out of 26 times, she has lost.<\/P>

It’s a dropoff in stakes points down to the No. 4 spot, occupied by BUBBLEGUM ROCK(IRE)<\/STRONG>, for two-time West Virginia Stakes Competition champion Ts1442 Tom out of his highpoint stable. Guess what, folks. Tom is going for triple points here, and has a legitimate chance with this 4yo daughter of El Prado, who is the first of a four-headed entry for him here. Drunken Charlie gives her respect at 7-1, and it seems he was still sipping coffee and thinking straight when he made that line. With the top three qualifiers all having serious holes in their form, this one seems most likely to take advantage. She’s a Grade 3 winner, and was second in a Grade 3 three back. On the other hand, she’s exhibiting a definite good race-bad race pattern of late, and she ran a good one last out, second in the locally run stake in 2867. She’ll have to break out of her pattern to score big points for Tom.<\/P>

Fifth qualifier is JALANG<\/STRONG> for the arning outfit. First thing you notice about this 4yo daughter of the bargain-basement Gulch sire Nayef is she is a very good 10-23 lifetime. The second thing you notice is the relative lack of earnings for a Grade 2 contestant, with only $168,000 lifetime. That means she’s been doing a lot of that winning in less than stakes class. In fact, arning made an incredibly good claim of this filly back in 2412 right here in West Virginia, when he took her for only $2,000. She strung together three straight starter allowance wins after that, but was ready to handle the class jump once the tag expired. She won an open allowance, then ran three off races before jumping up to stakes class, winning a DC stake this distance in 2699. That is about as good a success story as you can get in the Sim, winning a stake with a $2,000 claim. She didn’t stop there, winning another stake two back, and jumps up into a Grade 2 here. This is not the toughest Grade 2 field you’re ever going to see, however. She very well could handle it. Whatever happens, GREAT CLAIM!!!!!<\/P>

Sixth is L’AMANT DE MO<\/STRONG>I for kbsbargain. This lightly raced 5yo daughter of Thunder Gulch is off to a good start career-wise, winning five of her 13 races. She might be in a little short here distance-wise, however. She did break her maiden right here in WV going 9 furlongs, and her N2x condition at Saturday’s distance, as well, but she’s a deep closer who ran her best career race three back in winning a stake going 10 furlongs. We’ll see. A good argument in her favor is the fact that she’s run triple-digit speed figs in three of her last four. She will be running late, that’s for sure.<\/P>

Seventh is BLACKWOOD NYMP<\/STRONG>H for ozzy. Now, I am sure The Oz has handled a nymph or two in his time, but let’s see how he’s doing with this 5yo daughte of Black Minnaloushe. Answer: pretty darn well, especially lately. This mare has been a consistent sort, earning just over a quarter million in 29 career starts She’s particularly sharp of late, showing the ability to flash her early speed as she cuts back in distance. It’s nice to see her win a stake again and return to running those triple-digit speed figs after apparently suffering an injury when distanced and getting only a 3 speed fig back at the end of 2005, in week 2678. She’s fine now, to the extent that ozzy says it’s time to jump to graded competition. She’d really be tough if the track were wet, but it is dry.<\/P>

Eighth is NOELLE’S OREO G<\/STRONG> for two time WV champ Wassie out of his zz barn. This speedy daughter of Forty Niner will be looking to battle Blackwood Nymph on the front end. She’s never been able to hold on for the victory in stakes company, but she’s been contentious, hitting the board four times in stakes class. For sure, she damages the chances of any other speed in here, as she is very quick, and led at the head of the lane in four of her last five. In two of those races, she was ahead by large margins, 6 and 8 lenghts, but caught both times. This type of speed horse tends to set it up for the closers, as she always comes back to her field. An honest pace is ensured.<\/P>

Ninth is LEAVINGONAJETPLANE <\/STRONG>for urso. This lightly raced gray daughter of Runaway Groom breaks down on the rail with the famous Jocko Maloney aboard. Her last two look bad, eighth and tenth, but those races were at 8.5 furlongs. Before that, she ran two good ones at Saturday’s distance of nine furlongs. She is a stake winner, but she’s had multiple poor efforts in graded company. Mixed signals on this one, we’d have to say. <\/P>

Tenth is the second part of a four-part entry for defending champ Tom. It’s NEVER START<\/STRONG> for his biggd stable. This 5yo daughter of Jump Start is an absolute speed ball in here, as evidenced by her ranking of 107th in the sprint division and 635th in the classic division. This is bad news for Wassie’s filly, as Noelle’s Oreo G is not gonna make an easy lead over the sprint speed ball. She’s been 10th in her two most recent WV stakes starts, and it’s unrealistic to think she can be part of this race in the lane. Closers rejoice. There will be an impossible pace in this race.<\/P>

Eleventh is another one of Tom’s horses, TOM BOY BUDA<\/STRONG>. This good, old 8yo daughter of Seattle Slew makes her 69th start here. Charlie dismisses her at 17-1, and the string of sub-100 speed figs may discourage, but consider the fact she’s hit the board in her last two stake tries. All she has to do is run third here, and that would score six points for Tom in the contest.<\/P>

Twelfth is LAKE HOPEFUL<\/STRONG> for the kingman stable. Dismissed as the second-longest shot in the field at 21-1, this one has a $2,500 starter allowance tag in effect untiil 2951. She further adds to the red-hot pace scenario, as she, too, is a front end type going shorter. She was in contention here two back in the More for Brush challenge, second to the head of the lane before fading to sixth. Closers are licking their chops.<\/P>

Finally, we have the last of the Tom entries in LAVISH QUEST<\/STRONG>. This one is making the turf-to-dirt switch, and stands to benefit from the hot pace if she can do her late kick on the main track.<\/P>

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY!!!!!<\/STRONG><\/P>

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

Is favorite vulnerable in D-Day Distaff?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":225,"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-2701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2701","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\/225"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2701\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}