{"id":2767,"date":"2006-08-04T14:29:06","date_gmt":"2006-08-04T14:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=2767"},"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=2767","title":{"rendered":"KY Horsemen Series:  Black Jack Blues, Elite Groom Ted, Bermuda in top freshmen colt matchup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><DIV><STRONG>Kentucky<\/STRONG>&#8211;\u00a0 We&#8217;ve reached the glorious halfway point in the <A href=\"http:\/\/www.soulfunky.net\/kyh_G1.htm\"><STRONG>KY Horsemen Spirits Series<\/STRONG><\/A><STRONG>.\u00a0 <\/STRONG>Seven special Saturdays play host to 16 Grade 1 races.\u00a0 All are showcases for the game&#8217;s best talent and, this week, the top freshmen colts and fillies tackle graded <EM>Monster Miles<\/EM> for the very first time in their careers.\u00a0 California, New York, Florida, and of course the Bluegrass Racetrack here in Kentucky give away $4-million in total prize money&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>And, boy, did the sponsors of this Series, <A href=\"http:\/\/www.soulfunky.net\/kyhorsemen.htm\"><STRONG>The Kentucky Horsemen Residency<\/STRONG><\/A>,\u00a0save the most exciting race for their home track:<\/DIV><UL><LI>Unbeaten\u00a0dual graded winners <STRONG>Black Jack Blues<\/STRONG> and <STRONG>Bermuda<\/STRONG> put their win streaks on the line.\u00a0 Both are a perfect 3-for-3 so far and ranked 3rd and 6th respectively in their division.<\/LI><LI>Grade 2 winner <STRONG>Elite Groom Ted<\/STRONG> brings his #2 ranking to the table.\u00a0\u00a0The <STRONG><A href=\"http:\/\/derbyfever.com\/hr\/runtime\/lookret.asp?id=98002055\">Western Groom<\/A><\/STRONG> clone lost by a\u00a0smidgeon LTO to Black Jack Blues.\u00a0<\/LI><LI>Those wily DelPenners get in on the action too.\u00a0\u00a0<STRONG>Valentine Avenger<\/STRONG> and <STRONG>Rio Secco<\/STRONG> were just a whisker apart at the wire, finishing 1-2 with a smokin&#8217; 86 SP# in the restricted <EM>DelPenn Mile Open Dirt<\/EM>.\u00a0 <\/LI><LI>Outsider <STRONG>Ape The Great<\/STRONG> turned some heads with his own 86 SP# LTO, winning a mile open allowance.\u00a0<\/LI><LI>Stakes winners <STRONG>Cat Five Cyclone, Blue Skies Ahead<\/STRONG>,\u00a0and <STRONG>Seperated At Birth<\/STRONG> and more all test their mettle for the prize, glory, and Breeders Bowl\u00a0points!<\/LI><\/UL><DIV>Let&#8217;s take a look at the full lineup:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><STRONG><U>The Big Boys<\/U><\/STRONG>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>9 &#8211; <STRONG>BLACK JACK BLUES<\/STRONG> <EM>blackswan<\/EM> D Givins 6\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Beautiful beginning to this Came Home x Alydar x Native Dancer colt.\u00a0\u00a0 Heavily inbred with 3&#215;4 to Raise a Native and 3x4x5 to Native Dancer and the result is some macho speed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bagged his high-purse MSW debut well enough and then determinedly zipped through both the <EM>Television(G3)<\/EM> and <EM>Faber College Juvenile(G2)<\/EM> where he scored an 84 SP# for the 6f.\u00a0 Possible with so much RAN inbreeding that he&#8217;s gonna a sprinter, so this&#8217;ll be a litmus test for him.\u00a0 Faces some pace pressure, but has overcome that before.\u00a0 Not a lock, but a threat all the same.\u00a0 Top jockey Denny Givins aboard.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>7\u00a0&#8211; <STRONG>ELITE GROOM TED<\/STRONG> <EM>tempstable<\/EM> V Wright 7\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Gone West son\u00a0won the <EM>Vermont BB Juvenile(G2)<\/EM>\u00a0over Cat Five Cyclone before finishing second fiddle to Black Jack Blues in the <EM>Faber College Juvenile(G2).<\/EM>\u00a0 Splendid looking colt makes two-turns debut as well and should be behind the pace a bit.\u00a0 No reason to suspect that he won&#8217;t enjoy the mile &#8212; he&#8217;s a copy breeding of the famous Hall Of Famer\u00a0<A href=\"http:\/\/derbyfever.com\/hr\/runtime\/lookret.asp?id=98002055\"><STRONG>Western Groom<\/STRONG><\/A>.\u00a0 Lightweight jockey aboard.\u00a0 Should be right there at the wire and turf sometime down the road too.\u00a0 Dangerous.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<BR><BR>12 &#8211; <STRONG>BERMUDA <\/STRONG><EM>super7<\/EM> P Cadigan 12\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Topicount bred this gorgeous Speightstown son, winner of both the <EM>Montana Futurity(G3)<\/EM> and <EM>Early Morning Special(G3)<\/EM>.\u00a0 Perfect 3-for-3 so far, but all\u00a0of those starts came at 5f-5.5f.\u00a0 With Saint Ballado as dam sire, no reason to suspect that he won&#8217;t take to the mile.\u00a0 Versatile youngster &#8212; won his first two starts stalker-style, then switched to big-time closing in his last.\u00a0 Litmus test, but has well proven his class.\u00a0 Top jockey P Cadigan aboard for a romp.\u00a0 <BR><\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><STRONG><U>Those DelPenners<\/U><\/STRONG>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>4 &#8211; <STRONG>VALENTINE AVENGER<\/STRONG> <EM>theavenger <\/EM>B Sipe 8\/1<\/DIV><DIV>It was a battle between the closers in the full 20-horse <EM>DelPenn Mile Open Dirt.<\/EM>\u00a0 &#8216;Valentine displayed a sweeping-turn-of foot closing from far, far back to snare the photo by a nose.\u00a0 Avenger must&#8217;ve been sky-high considering this Seattle Slew 2&#215;3 inbred took 4 starts to break his maiden.\u00a0 Talented and vindicated in that two-turns victory.\u00a0 Good jockey in B Sipe.\u00a0 Love both of these DelPenn colts.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>2 &#8211; <STRONG>RIO SECCO<\/STRONG> <EM>fatattack2<\/EM> B Carley 7\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Last year&#8217;s champion trainer brings a Sky Mesa to the battle-royale &#8212; great female family to boot.\u00a0 Bagged debut MSW well enough before losing a nasty heartbreaking photo to theavenger&#8217;s colt.\u00a0 Rio Secco\u00a0scored an 86 SP# too though.\u00a0 The duo might just shadow one another, though &#8216;Valentine could trail further on back.\u00a0 Difficult to\u00a0seperate the\u00a0pair at this point &#8212; both bred for two-turns.\u00a0 &#8216;Rio gets the lesser jockey.\u00a0\u00a0 Tough.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><STRONG><U>Black Type Already<\/U><\/STRONG>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>13 &#8211; <STRONG>SEPARATED AT BIRTH<\/STRONG> <EM>sportoking<\/EM> L Cardinal 8\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Black Jack Blues handed this Distorted Humor colt his first loss LTO in the <EM>Faber College Juvenile(G2)<\/EM>.\u00a0 Had previously won a North Carolina stakes around 6f with an 81 SP#.\u00a0\u00a0 His effort LTO wasn&#8217;t half-bad, resulting in another 81 and missing by just a length and 3\/4s.\u00a0 Speedy sire crossed with milerish turfy female family.\u00a0 Excellent jockey.\u00a0\u00a0 Very interesting.\u00a0 Not without a shot.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV><BR>14 &#8211; <STRONG>CAT FIVE CYCLONE<\/STRONG> <EM>ydracing3 <\/EM>M Margolf 8\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Mr Greeley colt out of a royal female family finished 10th (beaten 4 lengths) in the <EM>Faber College Juvenile(G2)<\/EM>.\u00a0 Won the <EM>Queensland Juvenile<\/EM> in 2nd career start with an 80 SP# and subsequently finished 3rd in <EM>Vermont BB(G2)<\/EM>.\u00a0\u00a0 Promising closer &#8212; no reason to suspect that he won&#8217;t appreciate the added distance.\u00a0 \u00a0Look for a better effort near the wire this time around.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><STRONG><U>Vermonster<\/U><\/STRONG>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>5 &#8211; <STRONG>BLUE SKIES AHEAD<\/STRONG> <EM>4stardave<\/EM> S Blood 30\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Breaking his maiden in the <EM>Freshmen Sires Series<\/EM>, this Roses In May colt then proceeded to cough it up big time in the ALW race afterwards.\u00a0 Was possibly injured and thus came back 8 weeks later, winning a Pastures-restricted stakes race.\u00a0 74 SP# for the 6f &#8212; not an eye-catching SP# that might warrant an entry on paper here.\u00a0 But ya never know and gotta try &#8217;em.\u00a0 Great jockey aboard, so that helps.\u00a0 Fair chance, but true outsider.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><DIV><STRONG><U>Stakes-Placed So Far<\/U><\/STRONG>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>3 &#8211; <STRONG>APE THE GREAT<\/STRONG> <EM>ape<\/EM> K Stabler 11\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Event Of The Year son broke his maiden precociously enough in debut start, but then struggled at ALW level versus short fields.\u00a0 the closer even finished 2nd to Seperated At Birth in a 6f stakes race.\u00a0\u00a0 While the latter went on to test the graded level, Ape The Great tried two-turns for the first time at ALW level.\u00a0 Big reward there too with an 86 SP# romp from midpack.\u00a0 Totally agree &#8212; the SP# warrants\u00a0entry next at graded level.\u00a0 It was a <EM>forward<\/EM> effort, so worth a shot.\u00a0 Decent enough jockey &#8212; we&#8217;ll see what this colt&#8217;s made of Saturday.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>11 &#8211; <STRONG>APACHE SUNRISE<\/STRONG> <EM>poorman<\/EM> B Alt 10\/1<\/DIV><DIV>This Harlan&#8217;s Holiday colt is a puzzle.\u00a0\u00a0 Little guy throws a gorgeous 81 SP# in MSW debut loss.\u00a0 then takes two more starts to break maiden running 70s&#8230;.. and then hits the wall in a 66 SP# yicky effort.\u00a0\u00a0Can&#8217;t blame it on the off track since his debut was over the off surface.\u00a0\u00a0 Had to be the 3 weeks rest then &#8212; *however* he raced back again 3 weeks later to finish a decent runner-up at stakes level.\u00a0 Will his A-game show up here?\u00a0 Lots of questions.\u00a0 Pace\/stalker.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV><BR>10 &#8211; <STRONG>FOLLOW THE FLAG<\/STRONG> <EM>flaw<\/EM> S Garber 18\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Pulpit speedball joins classy pace fray.\u00a0 Freshest horse in the field on 8 weeks rest.\u00a0 Yet to break 70 SP# &#8212; 2-for-2 on dirt\u00a0followed a runner-up turf stakes effort.\u00a0 Trainer asks him to pass two-turns and graded test without any SP# backclass.\u00a0 I think this is an ambitious placement and should be at longer odds.\u00a0 Good jockey, but too much to prove.\u00a0 <\/DIV><\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><STRONG><U>ALWers To The Bigtime<\/U><\/STRONG>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>1 &#8211; <STRONG>HAUNT<\/STRONG> <EM>arrakis<\/EM> R Connor 11\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Speedy Ghostzapper son racing in restricted competition so far.\u00a0\u00a0 Won 2-of-3 and really manhandled the field over a mile LTO.\u00a0 84 SP# indicative of even better things down the road.\u00a0\u00a0 Lousy jockey but I think this is a great placement &#8212; gotta try him versus the big boys and see if that SP# was no fluke.\u00a0 Has proven he can withstand a speed duel, but faces classier run-and-shoot foes this time around.\u00a0 Live sleeper if he can take bumbling jockey for a ride.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV><BR>8 &#8211; <STRONG>WOETTE&#8217;S HOPE<\/STRONG> <EM>derbystud<\/EM> K Bortz 15\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Strong Hope son makes tw-turns debut.\u00a0\u00a0 Won 2-of-4 so far around one-turn and threw a nice 80 SP# victory around 6f LTO.\u00a0 I think his pedigree certainly leaves room for the mile and maybe a bit more.\u00a0 Competitive colt, but in the toughest spot of his young career.\u00a0\u00a0 We&#8217;ll see what he&#8217;s\u00a0made of.\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV><BR>6 &#8211;\u00a0<STRONG>GHOSTLY DEBUT<\/STRONG> <EM>lasthope<\/EM> D Sherman 12\/1<\/DIV><DIV>Another Ghostzapper midpacker.\u00a0\u00a0 Won 2-of-4 so far and also broke his maiden in the <EM>Freshmen Sires Series<\/EM>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Romped over an off track mile LTO at ALW level.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a077 SP# puts him right up there near the faves and of course the off track could&#8217;ve slowed him down too.\u00a0\u00a0One of the best KY jocks aboard merits possibilities.\u00a0 Needs to put his best foot forward.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<BR><BR><\/DIV><DIV><U>Snowchief&#8217;s Picks<\/U>:<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>Anything can go in these freshmen races, but the favorites here are pretty enticing.\u00a0 Black Jack Blues might be something special even if he doesn&#8217;t pass this two-turns test.\u00a0 Bermuda reeks of talent and Elite Groom Ted&#8217;s aching for more ground.\u00a0 <\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>Look for\u00a0better efforts from Seperated At Birth and Cat Five Cyclone.\u00a0\u00a0 Ape The Great might grab a piece of the purse if not shock the field.\u00a0 Haunt is an up-and-comer but\u00a0perhaps needs more seasoning to pull off this\u00a0level of victory.<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>Unbeaten horses make great stories, but I&#8217;m gonna bet with my head and not my heart (LOL!) here and\u00a0go with the two\u00a0DelPenn colts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Valentine Avenger and Rio Secco both\u00a0ran their\u00a0guts out over the mile LTO.\u00a0 One or the other might bounce after such a tough effort, but I&#8217;ll gamble that they\u00a0will prove their class Saturday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>I&#8217;ll go with the midpacker over the extreme closer:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>Win:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rio Secco<\/DIV><DIV>Place:\u00a0\u00a0 Valentine Avenger<\/DIV><DIV>Show:\u00a0\u00a0 Black Jack Blues or Elite Groom Ted<\/DIV><DIV>\u00a0<\/DIV><DIV>Good luck to all and thanks to <STRONG><A href=\"http:\/\/www.soulfunky.net\/kyhorsemen.htm\">The Kentucky Horsemen Residency<\/A><\/STRONG> for this ongoing awesome Series!\u00a0 <\/DIV><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>#2, 3, &#038; 6-ranked 2YO Dirt Colts try $1-million main track mile<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"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-2767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2767","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\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2767\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}