We\u2019ve got another beautiful forecast for the 7th<\/SUP> annual running of the Big Hill Stakes<\/B>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In a week with few graded stakes races to choose from 14 trainers send their two-year-olds to the gate for a piece of the $225,000 pie. Previous runners in this race have come from all walks; 2000\u2019s champ GERI\u2019S TORNADO<\/B> is a royally bred STORM CAT X GONE WEST<\/B> colt while 2002\u2019s winner ZAFONIC PROSPECT<\/B> was modestly bred, and maybe even a cheapie.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Some were very successful two-year-old runners like last year\u2019s victor NORTHERN BLAST<\/B> (claimed three of his four stakes wins before his third birthday), while others were unknown before making the leap into stakes competition like 2003\u2019s star SILVER BULLET II<\/B>. A few have had less success in this race, but then catapulted onward to noteworthy careers including GOLD BANSHEE<\/B> and REAL DEAL SQUEAL<\/B>. Diversity being said, the front runners historically have a few traits in common; they have a handful of starts under their belts, they\u2019re bred to be stakes winners (lots of colts sired by Storm Cat, Forty Niner, Seeking the Gold, etc.), and the oddsmakers figure they\u2019ll be in the mix.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This year\u2019s batch isn\u2019t as easy to categorize; they\u2019re fathered by freshman studs, relatively unknown sires and top 100 sires, and come from a wide variety of mares.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Let\u2019s take a look: \u00a0 BLACK JACK BLUES<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by blackswan<\/I> \u2013 7\/1 This colt raced well early on this year, going 3-for-3 to start his career.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Blackswan<\/I> has since moved him into routes at the graded level.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This didn\u2019t seem to be a good fit as he finished at the back of the pack in both attempts. Trying back at a distance JACK<\/B> may be more comfortable at should bring some improvement and jockey A. Lageman<\/I> may be able to steer this one into the money. \u00a0 SPUD PICKER(AUS)<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by bargiana <\/I>\u2013 12\/1 This son of FLYING SPUR(AUS)<\/B> has been improving in terms of speed ratings, but didn\u2019t have much success last time out.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019ll need to pick up the pace yet again amongst this stiffer competition if he doesn\u2019t want to repeat his last performance. \u00a0 PROSPECTINGFORGOLD<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by teamfoppa<\/I> \u2013 14\/1 A son of freshman sire QUINTON\u2019S GOLD<\/B>, this colt\u2019s best race to date was at this distance.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Although he\u2019s never won a stakes race, he has primed himself coming into this one by finishing only a length and a half out of his last race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Despite the odds this once could make it into the money with a little improvement and a solid ride from the respectable jockey P. Wolff<\/I>. \u00a0 KITTY HEAVEN<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by onemore<\/I> \u2013 8\/1 This light grey colt by SOUTHERN HALO<\/B> out of a STORM CAT<\/B> mare has been on a role all season.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With a record of 3-1-2-0 he can\u2019t be discounted in this field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Last time out, in the BLARNEY BENGAL(GB) Cap<\/B> over 6.5f, he was closing on the victor in the stretch, finishing only a \u00bd furlong out of the winner\u2019s circle.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Of the inside post-positions he has run the fastest SP and pulling in one of the better jocks, K. Murray<\/I> with a 50% ITM percentage will certainly put him in the position to finish top five. \u00a0 SONG OF PEGASUS<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by bayouranso<\/I> \u2013 5\/1 Co-favourite along with his next-door neighbour in the gate, the bookies felt that this one was a pretty sure bet for the money.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I would agree; his last two runs have been solid.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>That being said he came a disappointing second to DANGER CAT<\/B> last time out.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He stayed in it all the way through the MEADOW DEPOSITING Memorial Stakes<\/B>, but just couldn\u2019t muster enough in the stretch to get the job done.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The extra half-furlong plays to his advantage, but is it enough to carry him to his first stakes win? \u00a0 DANGER CAT<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by stormbird9<\/I> \u2013 5\/1 Coming off a big win last time out, this colt is trying the graded ranks for the first time.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s certainly up to the task with a huge 92sp in week 2986 and respectable mid-80\u2019s in the two attempts before that.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The question is, can this one come up big twice in a row? \u00a0 QUESTION THE STORM<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by jakster<\/I> \u2013 14\/1 This colt took his time breaking his maiden, but was jumped very quickly into stakes competition.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He improved dramatically over 8 furlongs, taking home second prize in a stakes race last time out.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The return to sprinting may not suit and he may find it difficult to race against a quicker front pack since he likes to be near the front all the way. \u00a0 EARLY PEAK(IRE)<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by stupor8 <\/U><\/I>\u2013 11\/1 This son of somewhat obscure sire IN EXCESS(IRE)<\/B> has run the 6f course all five times out of the gate. The extra furlong in this one may do him some good since he closed late in the race last time out in stakes company and just missed the winner\u2019s circle. The horse will need to improve slightly here, but the biggest concern is the jockey \u2013 C.<\/I> Tuten<\/I>\u2019s record of 90-7-13-2 shows that he isn\u2019t the most talented (or lucky!) rider this colt could hope to get. \u00a0 CHEROKEE CONTENDER<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by dan02<\/I> \u2013 14\/1 With eight starts in his two-year-old season thusfar, \u201cKEE<\/B>\u201d is the most experienced horse in the field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>However, that experience doesn\u2019t include any in a stakes race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s been a handy type of runner, paying the bills with consistent top three finishes in seven of his eight career starts.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Bringing home a cheque in this much tougher field will be difficult, and I have doubts this guy is up to the task. \u00a0 TULL\u2019S BAI BAI(IRE)<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by hebbe<\/I> \u2013 13\/1 Hebbe<\/SPAN><\/I> certainly has a colt with the speed to win a big race like this one, but his consistency in running those big numbers hasn\u2019t been good.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Assuming the terrible race he had in the grade I Horsehead Juvenile<\/B> was due to injury, his performance in 2986\u2019s The THEIR BOOK(IRE) Memorial Stakes<\/B> makes him a contender in this one.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Again the jock is a bit of a let down, \u201cBAI<\/B>\u201d would need a pretty solid ride in order to hit the board and he\u2019s drawn the inconsistent and if I don\u2019t say slightly overweight jock L. Wilson<\/I>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In my opinion all that sweating before the race impairs his judgment and he\u2019ll have to have his game on to steer this one to victory. \u00a0 FILIBUSTIER <\/SPAN><\/B>\u2013 trained by hohenlohe<\/I> \u2013 15\/1 This son of FOXHOUND<\/B> earned his right to appear in this race off a big run in the allowance ranks eight weeks back.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The odds don\u2019t tell the full story here\u2026 \u201cBUSTER<\/B>\u201d has finished first in both attempts at seven furlongs, once breaking his maiden with room to spare, and then coming back with a big 87sp next time out.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m not sure which of the following caused his demise in the Grade III Indian Juvenile<\/B> last time out; the extra distance or the much stiffer competition.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Hopefully it wasn\u2019t the outside post-position because he\u2019s drawn another one here.\u00a0 <\/SPAN> \u00a0 TOUCH OF THE CAT<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by dshock<\/I> \u2013 7\/1 Dshock<\/SPAN><\/I> has got to be impressed with the effort this colt has being giving this year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Since a disappointing debut in 2874 this colt has been perfect; finishing 3-for-3 in a maiden, allowance and last time out a stake.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This will be his first time amongst graded company, but if he brings his usual enthusiasm he could end up upsetting some more experienced horses. \u00a0 SKYWALK <\/SPAN><\/B>\u2013 trained by unshaded99<\/I> \u2013 12\/1 Another colt with long odds, this time caused by a disappointing run in Trixy Delight\u2019s Special<\/B> Grade I Stakes in 2944.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He came back well, winning an allowance race last time out.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With his confidence restored I expect this one to run mid-pack \u2013 a respectable finish for a colt I envision as a solid top three finisher in the allowance ranks. \u00a0 WOETTE\u2019S OUTLAW<\/SPAN><\/B> \u2013 trained by stars1<\/I> \u2013 20\/1 With the longest odds this son of GRAND REWARD<\/B> pulled the worst postposition as well to make his stakes debut.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Throwing in an extra furlong and a much tougher group of colts won\u2019t help this one move forward in his career with confidence.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019d drop him back into allowance or non-graded competition, try the turf and put together a few more solid starts before trying him back in a field like this one.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A full field challenges him to do it again, including SONG OF PEGASUS who came a close second to him last time out<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"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-3181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3181","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\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3181"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3181\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}