This is the second edition of the Smackdown residency challenge. Created by the GR Simsters, the first edition saw the Simsters take on the Del-Penn gang and came out the winners. This year the Smackdown expands to add a third residency. The Kentucky Horsemen and the Vermonsters of Pastures of Green were invited by the Simsters to participate. Before taking a look at the entries for this three year old colt sprint race, let’s take a look at last year’s race. <\/P>
What Came Before: <\/U>The inaugural edition of this race was filled with future stars, but none brighter than Casterly Rock. This superstar colt went on to a big win in the Breeders Bowl Sprint later in the season after winning this race, and although struggling a bit now, is still the #1 ranked sprinter for his age group. The second place finisher, Looking for More, has been Casterly Rock’s main\u00a0rival and is currently the #2 ranked sprinter. Final Thoughts, the #29 ranked sprinter finished third and Hard to Handle, the current 5th ranked sprinter, also participated in this race. Clearly the horses running in this year’s race have a large legacy to live up to. Let’s see if they are up to the challenge. <\/P>
GR Simsters Entries: <\/U><\/P>
The Simsters are clearly the team to beat in any residency challenge, so they deserve to be covered first here. Coming off team wins in the last Smackdown and the Equinics, these guys and gals are certainly the #1 residency in the sim right now. For them to lose here, it would have to be considered an upset. <\/P>
PP#2 Center of Attention-<\/STRONG>Trained by Elysium. Peintre Celebre X Nijinsky X Mill Reef. Bred from Scratch. 10\/1 odds. <\/P> I would have thought this one would love turf routes from the breeding, but I would be wrong. The 432nd ranked sprinter has sparkled in all four dirt races since starting off on the green stuff. He won two allowances, then moved up to stakes where he hasn’t quite been able to seal the deal with 3rd and 5th place finishes. You certainly can’t count him out based on his dirt results, but the combination of a strong field and perhaps too short a distance weigh against him in this race. <\/P> PP #6 Mambo Me-<\/STRONG>Trained by Peeps5. Belong to Me X Kingmambo X The Minstrel. Bred from Scratch. 8\/1 odds. <\/P> Another who looked like turf might be the preferred surface and started there before moving to dirt races seven races back. The move has worked out well, as the 110th ranked sprinter has won three of those races, including two of the last three, both ungraded stakes. And in that last race he broke the 100 SP barrier for the first time. He loves to run at the front, and the distance is short enough here that he might be able to hold on if the backrunners let him get too far ahead. Vermont is not traditionally a frontrunners track though, so it may be tough for him to hold on. Still a horse with a great chance for the win here. <\/P> PP #7-Athane-<\/STRONG>Trained by Niarchos, Bred by Jedi. Silver Ghost X Danzig X\u00a0Sadler’s Wells. Bred from Class G mare, No Ice. 11\/1 odds.<\/P> Boy these GR Simsters sure like to race the same way don’t they? Yet another who started out on what looked to be the preferred surface from the breeding, turf, and then move over to the dirt and find success. This 524nd ranked sprinter won at first asking on the sand, and has slowly moved through the allowance ranks with one try at a stakes. He finished second there at today’s distance. He’s moved to a new level in the last three, breaking 90 in each, with a career high 99 in his last race, an allowance. I think he’s certainly ready for another stakes shot, but I’m not sure this race is the one he needed. He has a variety of running styles, but looks like he enjoys a mid-pack start and then charge to the front. The problem here is that he’ll likely run out of real-estate when he makes his charge. But it could be a close thing, just needing a half to full furlong more. You certainly can’t count him out since he’s clearly peaking at this point in his career. <\/P> PP #8-What What What-<\/STRONG>Trained by Huginn, Bred by Amazon2. John Matthew X Air Forbes Won X Semipalantinsk. Bred from scratch. 51\/1 odds. <\/P> Well the Simsters must have been short on sprinters. Love the name though given the lesser known sires used. Lightly raced, this will be just the sixth race for this guy. Picked up in maiden claimer two races back, he immediately won a claimer for his new owner with a career high SP of 93. The next move was a try at an allowance, certainly deserved it. The front runner tried gamely to hold on to the lead but collapsed at the end to finsh back at 7th. A stakes given that result just seems to be way out of this guy’s league, but he’ll represent his residency proudly no doubt. If he wins, I’ll be saying, “How How How?” though. \ud83d\ude42 <\/P> PP #13 Distorted Facts-<\/STRONG>Trained by Wtas01. Distorted Humor X Known Fact X Tom Fool. Bred from scratch. 9\/1 odds. <\/P> Nice results so far from this not so blue-brood breeding. Currently the 94th ranked sprinter, he’s yet another front runner. He’s been on dirt exclusively in his short eight race career, all but one sprinting. He’s hit the board in all seven sprints, winning five of them. That’s a nice success rate. His last three races have all been sprints, winning two of them, including one with a career high SP of 102. In his last race though, he got caught at the end to finish third. It will be interesting to see how he rebounds from that. Is he off form? He’s raced on the Vermont track once before, and it was a disastrous result where he finished dead last in his only race above sprinting distance. Was it the distance more than the track? If he’s not off form, and can deal with the track, this guy certainly has the speed to win this race. But with this many front runners, someone’s going to have a bad race. I don’t think it will be him though. <\/P> KY Horsemen (and women) Entries:<\/U><\/P> No doubt the Horsemen are out for blood after finishing in a tie for second at the Equinics behind the GR Simsters. These races should make for a good battle between the two residencies, but do they have enough ammunition to win? <\/P> PP #3 Tortured Vision<\/STRONG>-Trained by Simond5. Vision and Verse X Capote X Mr. Prospector.\u00a0 Bred from Class G mare Dear Prospector. 8\/1 odds.<\/P> Okay even though I’m from Vermont, I have to admit I’m pulling for this horse a little bit. I used Vision and Verse in one of my most successful breedings ever (Lyrical in a Vermont stable, yes I’m bragging), and ever since I’ve been partial to Vision and Verse horses. Sadly though for this 25th ranked sprinter, the recent form has been very much hit or miss. Like my Lyrical, TV is a front runner. And when he doesn’t get the lead from the start, he spits the bit out and quits pretty much. The latter is what happened in two of his last three races, a G3 and an ungraded stakes. In between was a win on a wet track. So which horse will show up here? Even on best form I’m not sure this guy will have enough with all the front runners. He’ll likely need a 100 SP or better, which he hasn’t quite accomplished yet. Certainly has a chance, but not a high one in my opinion. <\/P> PP #4 Crypto Flow-<\/STRONG>Trained by Kyclocker. Cryptoclearance X Carson City X Sunday Silence. Bred from Class E mare Flow Futuristic. 7\/2 odds.<\/P> Well I would certainly think dirt sprinter given the breeding, and Crypto Flow certainly agrees with me. The #2 ranked sprinter lends to the continued legacy of this race set by Casterly Rock last time out, and looks to have a real shot here. He’s broken the 100 SP barrier in his last four races, all some kind of stakes, winning two of them, including last time out with a blistering 105 SP. My concern for this horse is that this mid-back runner will find the six furlongs to not be quite long enough. He showed that here on the Vermont track at today’s distance in the Equinics equivalent of this race, not quite catching the leaders there to finish fourth. His last 6 furlong race, the G3 Great Fishing Hole Stakes, showed much the same result. I certainly wouldn’t bet against him though given his class and current form. <\/P> PP #9 Churchill Dancer (IRE)<\/STRONG>-Trained by Louisville, Bred by stephany00. Danehill Dancer (IRE) X Coronado’s Quest X Summer Squall. Bred from Class G “she-male” Coronado’s Song. 8\/1 odds.<\/P> Being an Ireland resident, it’s always nice to see some IRE horses in the big races. The 116th ranked sprinter hasn’t disappointed, coming along nicely until an ill-fated trip over the wet dirt last time out. Hopefully that race hasn’t knocked him out of form, because until that race he was doing reasonably well at the stakes level. Not dominating, but some consistent efforts. He loves to come from the back, but like others in this race, may run out of track at the end. I’d be more enthusiastic about his chances if the race was just a half furlong longer, but if he returns to the form that gave him a 98 and 100 SP in the two races before the off-track, he certainly could be a surprise here. My gut tells me otherwise, but that could be indigestion. \ud83d\ude42 <\/P> PP #10 Deligence<\/STRONG>-Trained by Julie. Posse X A.P. Indy X Forty Niner. Bred from Class F mare, Forty Indy, 19\/1 odds. <\/P> No, that’s not a mispelling on my part. \ud83d\ude42 Julie has been experimenting a bit in the last two races with this guy, with a first try on turf then most recently a dirt route. Both races were miserable last place finishes, so its hard to tell this guys current form. If he returns to his 127th ranked sprinter form, he certainly could play a part in the finish, so the odds here are a bit too high. The front-runner did well in the two races before the experiments finishing 2nd and 3rd in stakes with SP’s of 94 and 97. But he was caught in the end of both races, including one at today’s distance. I don’t think that bodes well for him in this race where there are so many front-runners. But he’s one that you certainly have to pay due diligence to in this race, cause he could surprise. \ud83d\ude42 <\/P> PP #15 Crazy Red Snapper<\/STRONG>-Trained by Chesapeake. Metfield X Sutters Pond X Future Storm. Bred from Scratch. 17\/1 odds. <\/P> This likely bargain bred has a lot of things against him in this race. Lightly raced, the far post, the quality of the breeding. But it would be a mistake to overlook this guy. The 710th ranked sprinter won at first asking and has had some up and down results since, but he’s held his own until the end\u00a0in two stakes races where he probably was just as overlooked, finishing second and third in those 9.5 furlong stakes. And his last race was his best ever, his second win and a 98 SP. But he’s never gone this short, and one of his two wins was his maiden win was just a half furlong longer. He’s clearly in good form, and could very well like the shorter distance. Odds are that this race is too much too soon for him, but it’s not out of the question for him to do well here even amongst his fellow front-runners. Just call me crazy. \ud83d\ude42 <\/P> Pastures of Green (Vermont) Entries:<\/U><\/P> Well I saved the best for last. (C’mon I gotta root for the home residency!). With this race being on the home track, the Vermonsters entries should be the most comfortable here, but its been a bit of a struggle for the residency of late. We finished a very disappointing middle-end of the pack in the Equinics, which after all was created by Vermont leaders Ladyssecret and Mano. A good showing here would no doubt boosts our spirits and hopefully boost our chances in future residency contests. But is there more disappointment ahead? <\/P> PP 1 Set Ablaze<\/STRONG>-Trained by Lasthope. Unusual Heat X Mr. Prospector X Northern Dancer. Bred from Class C mare Out the Prospect, 21\/1 odds.<\/P> Unusual Heat seems like an unusual choice for a sire given the rest of the breeding, but the lesser known son of Nurevey can’t help but have success when matched up with two of the sims greatest. The unranked sprinter has been experimented with distance in his last two, with poor results. But he’s back now at a comfortable distance, and has won a stakes at just a bit longer with a career high 99 SP. If he’s not wildly off-form after those two longer races, the oddsmaker may be out of a job. He looks to be a bit of an odd-ball in this race, one of the few who like sitting just off the pace, and that could be a good thing as he will likely be able to pick off a few front-runners at the end. It’s tough to throw this one out because the races at shorter distances were good. So ignore this one at your peril-he could be on fire at the end. \ud83d\ude42 <\/P> PP #5 Otis<\/STRONG>-Trained by Zeusfury. Danzig Connection X Rubiano X Slew O’Gold. Bred from Class F mare, Regular Eyes, 47\/1 odds. <\/P> Ouch on the odds. And a horse named Otis doesn’t seem like a very fast horse to me for some reason. \ud83d\ude42 The Vermonster’s had some problems filling out their rosters in some cases, and sadly Otis here is a case of point. Still we’re grateful to have him in the race representing his residency proudly. Otis has shown some potential to develop actually if given enough time and patience, and I’d love to see him try a mile sometime, but a horse with SP’s in the 70’s and middle of the pack finishes in allowances the last two races out, really has little chance of doing well here. Hopefully he proves me wrong. <\/P> PP #11 King’s Beast (IRE)<\/STRONG>-Trained by Knowlton. King’s Best (IRE) X X Red Ransom X Private Account. Bred from scratch. 8\/1 odds. <\/P> Yeah another IRE sire. King’s Best is a son of Kingmambo as you might have guessed, so the sire quality is there. He’s been run at much longer races than this one of late, and has had some success there including an allowance win at a mile last time out with a 100 SP. So this race would seem a bit short for this who will likely run from somewhere just off the pace to mid-pack. But its been a long time since he’s run a short race, since the second race of his career, and he’s clearly improved a great deal since then. And he was competitive in those short races. But he’s yet to run in a stakes, and you never know how a horse will react to a step up in class. So while there’s a chance for a surprise here, it’s probably a remote one for this 730th ranked sprinter. But let’s hope knowlton can “unleash the beast.” \ud83d\ude42<\/P> PP 12 Seventh Cavlery<\/STRONG>-Trained by Calmriver2. Two Punch X Southern Halo X A.P. Indy. Bred from Scratch. 10\/1 odds. <\/P> Another frontrunner for you with this 319th ranked sprinter. Seventh has never been tested further than 6.5 furlongs, a bit odd for a horse named Seventh. \ud83d\ude42 But of late, he hasn’t needed to go any further, winning four of his last five. All were allowances though, which worries me in the step up in class for this race, especially with so many front runners. His last four races have all been in the mid to high 90 SP’s though, which shows he’s close to being ready for a stakes race. I’m just not sure this was the right race given all the speed at the front. Certainly has a shot though. <\/P> PP 14 Western Giant(IRE)<\/STRONG>-Trained by Aptitude11. Giant’s Causeway(IRE) X Gone West X Nijinsky. Bred from Scratch. 29\/1 odds. <\/P> Wow you look at that breeding and you wonder how could he have such high odds? And then you look further and see its only because he run four times, and his career high SP is a 84. Given the breeding you have to think there’s much untapped potential in Western Giant, but right now he looks like a sleeping giant to me. He’s yet another frontrunner, and he just in too deep to even think about contending for the lead at this stage in his young career. He’s certainly one to look for though once he gets a few more races under his belt though. <\/P> Well there you have it sportsfans. I have to say that this is a very intriguing race because I’ve not seen so much upfront speed in any race I’ve looked at in depth. It will be interesting to see if the frontrunners can hold on and which one it will be, or if a backrunner can steal the show from behind. In any case, good luck to all the trainers and horses in this race, and all three residencies in the Smackdown!<\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 3 Year Old Colts Ready To Fly<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":267,"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-2742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2742","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\/267"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2742"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2742\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}