This week’s regular added money event at Florida is The S. Needle Special Stakes and will be in the usual 10th race slot on the 16 race card on Saturday. A field of 11 are entered in this 7.5 furlong open turf sprint for 3YO+. A purse of $95,000 is up for grabs.<\/P>
Let’s take a look at today’s field:<\/P>
1)MANILA SHAKE—8\/1—<\/STRONG>oddly sends this 4 year old colt out of MANILA with a record of 23-7-4-4 and lifetime earnings of $173,508. He is out of the mare COZY PRO who was 8\/36 at the track and who has 4 foals on record of which 3 are winners including 1 stakes winner. This 317th divisional ranked colt races for The Moose Hollow Farms that are proud supporters of the State Tag Series. This colt was a 3 time winner at 2 year old including an overnite stakes win and added 1 more allowance win in his sophomore season last year. He has turned into a reliable allowance performer so far this season with 3 wins and had a 2 race win streak broken last time out when he tried The Petal Larry Memorial Stakes in DC where he ended up 5th but did post his lifetime best 102 speed rating over the 7.5 furlong turf race. He is a closer who sits midpack early and starts his move in the final turn and he has shown sucess at today’s distance. The rider for today’s race will be Lincoln (12.9%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—101<\/STRONG><\/P> 2)WORLD WAR III—<\/STRONG>26\/1—urso sends this 4 year old colt out of SPINNING WORLD with a record of 34-6-4-2 and lifetime earnings of $129,465. He is out of the he-mare CHANT THE DEVIL who was 5\/49 at the track. This 304th divisional ranked colt races for the unafilliated CV Bear Racing Empire. This colt started his career on the dirt and ended up being claimed in his 3 year old season for $15K. His new connections then found the ticket on this one when they switched him to the turf and ended up winning a stakes race with this colt in Minnesota this past March where he posted his lifetime best 106 speed rating over the 7.5 furlong turf race. He has changed hands twice in the last couple of months with his new connections picking him up for $650,000. This will be their first start with this colt who has appeared to struggle in his past 5 or 6 starts. While his best races have been on the front end engine he has not shown speed in some time and perhaps his new trainer can refind that trait in this colt. The distance should be ok and it should be noted that when he did win his stakes earlier this year that race came out of nowhere formwise as well. The rider for today’s race will be Maire (13.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—84<\/STRONG><\/P> 3)BBORS BABY TUNE—9\/1—<\/STRONG>bbor3 sends this 4 year old colt out of SKIP AWAY with a record of 25-5-3-2 and lifetime earnings of $255,485. He is out of the mare SKY TUNE(GB) who was 11\/62 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including 1 stakes winner. This 1390th divisional ranked colt races for the unafilliated Bbor stables. This colt was a 3 time stakes winner in his 2 year old season and he added another stakes win last year in his 3 year old campaign after finding the competition a little more difficult in Graded company. He has struggled so far this year having only 1 top 3 finish in 7 starts. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 104 last year while winning The Regal and Brave Challenge Stakes over 9.5 furlongs on the turf in Tasmania. While this colt shows a versatile running style his recent form has been dissappointing and it has been 2 years since he has shown any success at the long sprint distance of today’s race. The rider for today’s race will be Seguias (8%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—97<\/STRONG><\/P> 4)DEMON’S DIRECT(KY)—7\/1—<\/STRONG>cougar sends this 3 year old colt out of AWESOME AGAIN with a record of 15-6-4-0 and lifetime earnings of $337,850. This 23rd divisional ranked colt races out of the CR Racers residency. After debuting on the dirt in his 2 year old season this colt went on to win 4 out of 6 races after switching to the turf. Included in those races were 2 stakes wins and this year he has added to more added money event victories to his record with several more top 3 finishes. He posted his lifetime best 107 speed rating 2 starts back while finishing 2nd in The Speech Bruising Memorial Stakes in Washington. This colt usually displays a closing running style sitting well back early saving his best run for the stretch drive. While he has several wins at today’s distance he does sometime fall short in his rallies so he will have to time his move precisely to be a win factor here today. It should also be noted that this will be his first career start against older company. The rider for today’s race will be Gardner (21.9% ) PROJECTED SPEED RATING—104.<\/STRONG><\/P> 5)TIPPY’S LOVE—5\/1—<\/STRONG>relaytx sends this 4 year old colt out of SUCCESSFULL APPEAL with a record of 27-7-4-8 and lifetime earnings of $223,311. He is out of the he-mare FETILE RACCOON who was 1\/30 at the track. This 245th divisional ranked colt races for an independent and unafilliated stable. After spending most of his 2 and 3 year old seasons racing on the dirt he was switched to the turf last December and has raced almost exclusively on that surface since. While he did have 3 wins and 9 top 3 finished in 14 dirt races he has pretty well matched that record on the turf. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 105 back to back 2 races back in 7 and 8 furlong turf races. He will be looking for his first stakes win of his career in today’s race. His best races are run in a stalking mode just off the early pace and he then closes the gap in the backstretch and he has yet to win a race at today’s distance with his most recent win coming at the 8 furlong distance. The rider for today’s race will be Jones (6.5%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—102.<\/STRONG><\/P> 6)WINNING SPREE—8\/1—<\/STRONG>lazarus sends this 4 year old colt out of SPEIGHTSTOWN with a record of 31-6-7-4 and lifetime earnings of $187,841. He is out of the mare MISS WARLOCK who was 0\/7 at the track and who has 4 foals on record of which 3 are winners. This 343rd divisional ranked colt races for the unafilliated Kryn stables. This colt started on the dirt as a 2 year old and broke his maiden on that surface but was switched to the turf that year where he picked up a pair of allowance wins. He managed another allowance win in 10 starts before he was picked up by his current owners in either the auction or a private sale. They have picked up another pair of allowance wins so far this year and will be making their first stakes start with this colt who has not run in an added money event since last summer. This colt posted his top speed rating of 105 2 starts back in a 6.5 furlong turf sprint in Indiana. He is a speed horse who will be one of those expected to cut the early fractions today and his most recent form suggests that he may be hard pressed to carry that speed all the way to the wire at this long sprint distance. It should be noted though that he has won at this distance albeit in December of 2005. The rider for today’s race will be Barrett (10.9%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—101.<\/STRONG><\/P> 7)BE SHARP ER—6\/1—<\/STRONG>erracing sends this 4 year old colt out of CAME HOME with a record of 17-4-5-3 and lifetime earnings of $138,393. This 96th divisional ranked colt races for the Cothill Stables based over at Minnesota Downs. This colt was unraced as a 2 year old and started his career on the dirt last year. He was switched to the turf in his 4th lifetime race and picked up 2 allowance wins as a 3 year old. This year he has a pair of wins including his first stakes win 2 starts back in The Award Dropping Bonanza Stakes in Arizona where he posted his lifetime best 110 speed rating over the 7 furlong turf race. He is another speed horse who along with others will ensure a lively pace for today’s race. While he has won at 7.5 furlongs before his form does suggest that it is stretching the envelope of his abilities at this distance and he would have to be at top form to carry his speed all the way to the wire. The rider for today’s race will be Darling (18.2%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—105.<\/STRONG><\/P> 8)LIBERTINE(IRE)—5\/1—<\/STRONG>super14 sends this 4 year old colt out of EL PRADO(IRE) with a record of 26-6-6-2 and lifetime earnings of $218,628. He is out of the he-mare STORM SLITHERING who was 17\/62 at the track. This 208th divisional ranked colt races for Super’s More Evil Than The Evil Empire Stables based over at Del\/Penn National. This colt posted 3 wins in his 2 year old season, 2 on the dirt and 1 on the turf. He won another allowance race in his 3 year old season and this year has picked up a pair of others. He has been snakebitten in his stakes starts finishing close many times including a pair of second place finishes in his last 2 starts. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 108 in the first of those 2nd place finishes in The Draft Choice Challenge Stakes over 7.5 furlongs on the turf in Mississippi. While earlier in his career this colt was a frontrunning speed horse he has switched tactics lately to become a closer and that many benefit him here today with the abundance of speed projected to post a lively early pace. The rider for today’s race will be Torres (15.4%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—105.<\/STRONG><\/P> 9)CALL ME SURELY—4\/1—<\/STRONG>cabin sends this 5 year old horse out of MACHIAVELLIAN with a record of 32-5-7-6 and lifetime earnings of $176,998. He is out of the mare CALL ME LUCKY who was 3\/23 at the track and who has 3 foals on record of which 2 are winners. This 126th divisional ranked horse races for an independent and unafilliated stable. This colt won his debut race while racing on the dirt in his 2 year old season. He switched to the turf midway thru his sophomore campaign picking up another allowance win on that surface. He ended up racing in the claiming ranks last year where he was picked up for the $30K tag by his current connections in May of 2006. Since then he has picked up 1 win in 8 starts for his new owners with that race being The Thirty Seven Maker Challenge Stakes. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 110 2 starts back while finishing 2nd in The Culver City Challenge Stakes right here in Florida over 6.5 furlongs on the turf. He is another front runner who will find the front end crowded in this race today setting up the possibiliy of some very quick opening fractions. He is another who will need to reverse the trend of fading in the late stretch that can be seen on his current form. The rider for today’s race will be Wright (14.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—104.<\/STRONG><\/P> 10)TOO FAR DOWN—13\/1—<\/STRONG>kaif011 sends this 4 year old colt out of PLEASANTLY PERFECT with a record of 18-4-0-5 and lifetime earnings of $44,635. This 592nd divisional ranked colt races for the Kaif stables which are based over at The Great Plains Residency. This colt was unraced as a 2 year old and picked up a pair of allowance wins last year. This year he won 2 more allowance races, his last 2 starts in fact, which have prompted his stakes debut in this event today. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 101 last time out over 7 furlongs on the turf in New Jersey. He is another speed horse which is heavy in those and would perhaps be better off if he reverts to his style of his 2nd last start by laying just back of the early pacesetters. The rider for today’s race will be Blackmore (5.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—98.<\/STRONG><\/P> 11)PUPPETEER(BRZ)—13\/1—<\/STRONG>steller sends this 3 year old colt out of PICO CENTRAL(BRZ) with a record of 16-5-2-0 and lifetime earnings of $96,490. This 191st divisional ranked colt races for the Deadinthelane stables that are based over at the GR Simsters. This colt raced on the dirt as a 2 year old and in fact broke his maiden on that surfact in his lifetime debut race. He was switched to the turf this year and been a solid allowance runner posting 4 wins so far this season. He made his stakes race debut last time out posting his lifetime best 103 speed rating while finishing a rallying 4th in The Petal Larry Memorial Stakes in DC over 7.5 furlongs on the turf. He is a closer who sits well back early and hopes to takes advantage of the anticipated fast early pace here today. The rider for today’s race will be Buchta (15.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100<\/STRONG>.<\/P> Speed, Speed and more Speed is the name of this race and if they should burn each other out I am going to predict that #8 LIBERTINE(IRE) will be the one to pick up the pieces last and presevere in this race today.<\/P> GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING<\/P> THEO<\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CALL ME SURELY MADE EARLY LINE FAVORITE IN TIGHTLY CONTESTED TURF SPRINT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"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-5046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5046","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\/419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5046"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5046\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}