A big day of racing is being held at NewMarket this weekend with the end of season Grade I’s being held. The 14th race is The Grade I Eclipse Stakes to be run 10 furlongs on the Turf for all horses 3 year olds and up. A big purse of $1,000,000 has attracted a full field of 14 in the contest and the turf has come up firm for this weekend’s racing.<\/P>
Let’s take a look at today’s field:<\/P>
1)TOP JIMMY—15\/1—<\/STRONG>sdmf2 sends this 6 year old horse out of PEINTRE CELEBRE(IRE) with a record of 43-11-7-7 and lifetime earnings of $2,459,518. This 97th divisional ranked horse races for the Black Label Stables based over at Del\/Penn National. This horse was not raced as a 2 year old and started his career on the dirt in his 3 year old season where he broke his maiden. He was switched to the turf as a 4 year old where he picked up 5 wins including 2 stakes hilited by the Grade I Windy City Turf Classic. Last year he added 2 more stakes wins including The Grade I Explosive Bet Stakes in Loiusiana but was winless from April 06 until March 07 this year. He has added 3 wins including 2 overnite stakes wins so far this season. He has twice posted his lifetime best 109 speed rating and they came in the 2005 and 2006 Grade III King George BB Stakes in Ontario where he seems to really like the long sweeping turf course in Ontario. He is a closer who sits at the back early and has won many times at today’s classic distance and while his best days may be behind him if he can find some of that old form today would reward his backers with a nice mutual price. The rider for today’s race will be Williams (9.2%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—100.<\/STRONG><\/P> 2)SADLER SEEKER—6\/1—<\/STRONG>tenpin6 sends this 4 year old colt out of SEEKING THE GOLD with a record of 20-7-5-2 and lifetime earnings of $614,795. This 12th divisional ranked colt races for the Great Plains division of the Rockriver stables. This colt was unraced as a 2 year old and won his first race on the grass with an impressive 97 speed rating after making his lifetime debut on the dirt. He would end up winning a pair of allowance races last year and has won 5 races this year including a pair of Grade II races in The Confederate Stakes in Malaysia and The Fried Rice Mile in Japan. He posted his lifetime best 110 speed rating earlier this year while finishing 4th in the 8 furlong Grade III High Lady Cup right here in Newmarket. He had a rough time last time out in The Grade I BB Mile and this will only be his 3rd lifetime start at the 10 furlong mark having raced mostly at the mile distance. His most recent form has him racing as a closer albeit he has shown speed earlier in his career. The rider for today’s race will be Liddle (12.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—105.<\/STRONG><\/P> 3)ROCKIN’ PNEUMONIA(IRE)—11\/1—<\/STRONG>pikachu sends this 5 year old horse out of ROCK OF GIBRALTER(IRE) with a record of 40-13-8-6 and lifetime earnings of $593,541. He is out of the mare CUMBRIA RIVER(FR) who was 1\/5 at the track and who has 2 foals on record, both winners including this Graded winner. This 74th divisional ranked horse races for the Equinics stables based at Vermont at The Pastures of Green. This horse won a pair of allowance races in his 2 year old season and won 6 races as a 3 year old including 4 stakes races hilited by The Grade III Firebreather Special in California. Last year he picked up a pair of allowance wins as his form could not duplicate his sophomore season and he added 3 more wins early this season including his 2nd Graded win in The Grade III Boogity Bear Stakes in North Florida where he posted his lifetime best 108 speed rating for the third time in his career in the 9 furlong turf race. He is a speed horse who will be expected to cut the early fractions today and this will be his 2nd start at the 10 furlong distance. Last time out he had a big lead at the top of the stretch but had to settle for second place money and will perhaps need to be rated better on the lead today in order to fend of the closers in the stretch drive. The rider for today’s race will be Barnett (4.2%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—103.<\/STRONG><\/P> 4)SHOULDN’T MATTER(IRE)—11\/1—<\/STRONG>seekgold sends this 3 year old colt out of NORTH LIGHT(IRE) with a record of 17-6-3-3 and lifetime earnings of $411,570. He is out of the mare DANCING QUEENY who was 3\/25 at the track and who has 4 foals on record, all winners including this Graded stakes winner. This 9th divisional ranked colt races for the Flagdown Stables based in Vermont at The Pastures of Green. This colt was a 3 time winner in his freshman season as a 2 year old including The Grade III Apparently Juvenile stakes in Hong Kong. This year after winning his first 2 starts of the year he found the going a little rougher when trying Grade I company. After picking up another overnite stakes win in June he has again been trying the top horses in the division and has fared better picking up several top 3 finishes. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 108 last time out while finishing 5th in The Grade II Fujimoto Stakes over 8 furlongs on the turf in Japan. His best races have been run when he sits midpack early and then makes his move down the backstretch and he has tended to be a bit to far back in his most recent races making it hard for him to pick up the wins. He has won at 9.5 furlongs several times already but will be making his first start at 10 furlongs in his career today. He has been racing against older foes in his last 4 starts. The rider for today’s race will be Jones (9.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—104.<\/STRONG><\/P> 5)STORM’S GONE AGAIN—13\/1—<\/STRONG>tisgold sends this 4 year old colt out of AWESOME AGAIN with a record of 24-6-3-7 and lifetime earnings of $862,880. This 23rd divisional ranked colt races for the Stevemunoz stables based over at the NWRC. This colt was unraced as a 2 year old and started his career on the dirt last season where he broke his maiden in his lifetime debut. He was switched to the turf in his 4th lifetime start and picked up a pair of wins including a restricted stakes start. This year he has picked up 3 stakes wins including a 17\/1 upset in The Grade I Smackdown Turf Classic race where he set his lifetime best 106 speed rating. He has has matched that mark in each of his last 2 races including an overnite stakes win last time out. He is a closer who sits at the very back early and seems to have found his liking in the 10 furlong distance after having raced in the longer routes earlier this year. The rider for today’s race will be Papp (4.7%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—106.<\/STRONG><\/P> 6)BALERION—7\/1—<\/STRONG>khalasar sends this 5 year old horse out of MINESHAFT with a record of 33-14-7-0 and lifetime earnings of $2,396,345. This 38th divisional ranked horse races for Given’s Fire and Blood stables based over at the GR Simsters. This horse won his debut race on the dirt as a 2 year old and then won his grass debut in his 4th lifetime start in the same year. He won 5 races in his 3 year old season hilited by The Grade III Roy Rogers Handicap in California. He won 5 stakes races last year including back to back Grade I wins in The Black Dread Awakens stakes in Ireland and The Movieland Turf Cup in California. He has 2 more stakes win this year including a Grade III victory. He posted his lifetime best 111 speed rating last time out while finishing 2nd in The Grade I Coffeefields Cup in Victoria over 12 furlongs on the turf where he had a 5 length lead at the top of the stretch but could not hang on and had to settle for 2nd place. The cutback to 10 furlongs today should benefit this one but this front runner will have company on the front end today and if a speed duel emerges could set this race up for one of the late closers. The rider for today’s race will be Cooper (12.5%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—108.<\/STRONG><\/P> 7)ALE N’ SKITTLES—12\/1—<\/STRONG>bigtime sends this 5 year old horse out of JADE HUNTER with a record of 36-15-7-5 and lifetime earnings of $1,105,770. He is out of the mare BEER N’ SKITTLES(IRE) who was 4\/48 at the track and who has 3 foals on record, all winners including 2 stakes winners and 1 Graded stakes winner. This 16th divisional ranked horse races for the Libitfarms stables based in Vermont at The Pastures of Green. This horse was unraced as a 2 year old and won his first 4 lifetime starts, all allowance races. He would also win his last 4 starts as a 3 year old, all overnite stakes races. Last year he picked up 4 stakes wins including his first Graded win in The Grade II Kinsho Kho Classic in Japan. This year he has added 3 mors stake victories including defending his Grade II title in Japan. He posted his lifetime best 109 speed rating in his 2006 final race of the year while finishing 2nd in The Grade I Harry Trotsek Turf Classic in Louisiana. He is a pace presser who has early speed and he will probably ensure that there will be a lively pace in this race today. He has won many times at the classic distance but it is interesting to note in his past performance that most of his wins come in shorter field races and that will not be the case in this race today. The rider for today’s race will be Edwards (12.1%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—102.<\/STRONG><\/P> 8)MERRY MEX—11\/1—<\/STRONG>gradeone sends this 5 year old horse out of DEPUTY MINISTER with a record of 36-8-6-6 and lifetime earnings of $597,453. This 33rd divisional ranked horse races for Super’s More Evil Than The Evil Empire Stables based over at Del\/Penn National. This horse raced once as a 2 year old and raced on the dirt in his first 7 starts picking up a pair of wins on that surface. He added 3 more allowance wins on the turf in his 3 year old season. Last year he picked up a pair of overnite stakes victories and has added another one this season. He posted his lifetime best 109 speed rating last year in The Grade III Irish Immigration Stakes over 8.5 furlongs on a yeilding turf course in West Virginia. This closer will be looking for his first Graded win lifetime today albeit he has had several top 3 finishes in Graded races and this will be his first start at 10 furlongs since racing back to back Grade I’s at the distance last year where he usually gave up ground in the stretch drive. The rider for today’s race will be Ambrose (12.9%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—104.<\/STRONG><\/P> 9)FLUSHING WATERS(IRE)—8\/1—<\/STRONG>pm sends this 4 year old colt out of HIGH CHAPARRAL(IRE) with a record of 20-6-3-3 and lifetime earnings of $499,858. He is out of the mare VIOLET SANFORD(IRE) who was 5\/28 at the track and who has 3 foals on record of which 2 are winners including this stakes winner. This 53rd divisional ranked colt races for PM racing based over in Ireland. This colt broke his maiden in his 2nd of 2 races in his 2 year old season and won his first 3 races as a sophomore including an overnite stakes race. He would go on a 10 race winless streak before finding the winners circle again this year in an allowance race and has added another stake win in his last start in British Columbia. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 113 in The Grade I World Cup Long Turf Sprint over 7 furlongs where he finished 2nd just beaten a nose. He is a pace stalker who sits a few lengths back of the front runners and he will be returning to the classic distance for the first time June having sprinted in his last 5 starts. His success in those sprints do make some wonder why he is returning to routing today but a $1,000,000 purse can be enticing to all horse owners. The rider for today’s race will be Anderson (5.6%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—101.<\/STRONG><\/P> 10)WOETTE’S DELIGHT(IRE)—19\/1—<\/STRONG>totje sends this 5 year old horse out of FALBRAV(IRE) with a record of 38-9-3-7 and lifetime earnings of $865,230. He is out of the he-mare DALGETY BAY who was 3\/24 at the track. This 60th divisional ranked horse races for The Royalstables of Ostend which is based at Benelux. This horse broke his maiden in his lifetime debut in a stakes race and added a Graded win in The Grade III Grand Critter Stakes that year. While he would have several minor share cheques earned in Grade I events as a 3 year old he would not pick up his next win until his 2005 finale in an allowance contest. He picked up 3 wins including 2 overnite stakes wins last year and has 3 more stakes wins this year including The Grade III King George BB Stakes in Ontario.\u00a0 He posted his lifetime best 110 speed rating earlier this year while finishing 5th in The Grade III High Lady Cup over 8 furlongs on the turf right here at Newmarket. He is a closer who has had most of his success at the 8-9 furlong distances but who’s style suggest he should be able to handle the extra ground today. His last race was on a yielding course and cannot be used in determining his ability at the distance. The rider for today’s race will be Byrne (6.2%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—99.<\/STRONG><\/P> 11)DOODLEBUG—10\/1—<\/STRONG>ajm sends this 6 year old horse out of CRYPTOCLEARANCE with a record of 27-7-7-1 and lifetime earnings of $391,116. This 42nd divisional ranked horse races for AJM racing based over in Ireland. This horse won his turf debut as a 2 year old after starting his career on the dirt track for one race. He would add 2 allowance race wins in his 3 year old season and then would run one more race 8 months later in 2005. It would be 19 months before he returned to the track this spring where he has picked up 4 wins including an overnite stakes race. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 111 for the third time in his career 3 starts back while finishing 2nd in the 8 furlong The East For Trick Special Stakes at Longchamp. He is another front running horse who while he has a 10 furlong win already, that came at a lower class and he may find the going a little more difficult here with his habit of losing ground in the stretch drive in his most recent 8 furlong contests. The rider for today’s race will be Firmage (8.6%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—98.<\/STRONG><\/P> 12)K’S OKKASION—9\/1—<\/STRONG>pompeya sends this 5 year old horse out of SEEKING THE GOLD with a record of 30-13-5-2 and lifetime earnings of $1,065,180. This 10th divisional ranked horse races for ledwith’s Pompeya Thoroughbred Racing Corporation based over at the Hispano Parlante residency. This horse won his first 2 lifetime races as a 2 year old, both races coming on the dirt track. He switched to the turf in his 5th lifetime race as a 3 year old and picked up 4 wins on the grass that year including a pair of overnite stakes races. He added 3 more wins last year hilited by The Grade II Jacobsson Stakes in Sweden. He has added 4 stakes wins this year including a 3 race win streak earlier this year hilited by The Grade I NY Island Cap where he posted his lifetime besgt 109 speed rating in the 10 furlong turf race. He tried a mile and half last time out in The Grade I Coffeefields Cup and can be excused for that performance with both the yielding surface and extra distance. This mid pack closer returns to his favorite distance today and will have lots of pace to chase in his closing strides. The jockey for today’s race will be Bradley (18.6%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—106<\/STRONG>.<\/P> 13)EXCLUSIVE HABITAT(ENG)—8\/1—<\/STRONG>iant8 sends this 3 year old colt out of SAKHEE with a record of 11-6-4-0 and lifetime earnings of $912,055. This 2nd divisional ranked colt races out of the stables of the Kentucky Horseman residency. This colt broke his maiden in his 2nd of 2 starts as a 2 year old and has added 5 wins this year including 4 stakes races hilited by The Grade I Big Red Stakes in Illinois where he wired a field over 10 furlongs on the turf and posted his lifetime best 116 speed rating. This colt must be on or pressing the lead to be successfull and with at least 2 and most likely 3 others looking for the lead here today may present a problem for this one today. This will be his first start against older company and while distance does not appear to be the problem his post and the race development early may be. The rider for today’s race will be Craig (25.7%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—107.<\/STRONG><\/P> 14)ROSENTHAL(IRE)—10\/1—<\/STRONG>simsters8 sends this 4 year old colt out of ROCK OF GIBRALTER(IRE) with a record of 25-7-7-4 and lifetime earnings of $740,220. This 55th divisinal ranked colt races for Lenny’s Evil Empire based over at The GR Simsters. This colt broke his maiden in the last of 5 starts as a 2 year old and added 4 more allowance wins last year. This year he has picked up a pair of wins including another overnite allowance win. While he has yet to win a Graded stakes race he has had many top 3 finishes in the big races which account for the majority of this ones lifetime earnings. He posted his lifetime best speed rating of 112 three starts back while finishing 2nd in The Grade II Shimko Classic in Japan. While this colt does have early speed it is expected that he will sit just of the frontrunners today in a stalking style and save his best run for the stretch drive. The rider for today’s race will be Harvey (10.3%). PROJECTED SPEED RATING—102.<\/STRONG><\/P> All in all a solid field for today’s race with the emphasis being on speed, speed and more speed and with that I am going to take a shot on #12 K’S OKKASION to sit midpack and pass them all in the stretch drive and pick up the 9\/1 return.<\/P> GOOD LUCK AND GOOD RACING<\/P> THEO<\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THE PACE IS EXPECTED TO BE A HOT ONE WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF EARLY SPEED HERE TODAY<\/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-5113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5113","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=5113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5113\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}