{"id":51361,"date":"2020-02-21T17:59:02","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T17:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=51361"},"modified":"2020-02-21T17:59:05","modified_gmt":"2020-02-21T17:59:05","slug":"champions-or-road-kill-the-question-looms-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/?p=51361","title":{"rendered":"Champions Or Road Kill \u2026 The Question Looms In California"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\nThe\nRoad Kill Mile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade\nI \/ Group 1*CPU – Purse: $750,000<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 Furlongs | ~1600 Meters | One Mile<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to Sunny California as we get ready for the annual The Road Kill Mile. The turf is firm, the beer is cold, and my losing tickets are piling up around me. Lets meet our entries before I run out of beer money.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n1: Alert\nThe Soldiers<\/a>\t\t6\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soldier\nof Fortune x Seeking The Gold x Unbridled<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davarto\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17: 8-2-1 ………. $1,016,177<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alert\nThe Soldiers entered last summer on a high winning the G1 The Queen\nSam in June. He was off his game the following month as he was\nunable to find his kick and faded badly in the G1 The Suffix. Alert\nThe Soldiers was given a rest then entered into the Breeders\u2019 Bowl\nMile where unable to close <\/strong>again\nwas<\/strong> well beaten. \nHe finished 2019 entered the Listed Stake \u2013 Duex Bloon Turf Mile on\na soggy track and exploded for a career best <\/strong>speed\n<\/strong>easily winning and\nbringing his career earnings over the million mark. Another rest and\nhe opens his 5 year old season looking to regain his G1 glory.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n2: Cause\nOf Magic<\/a>\t\t15\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giant\u2019s\nCauseway x More Than Ready x Gone West<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slipery1\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21: 7-4-3 ………. $229,831<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cause\nOf Magic has spent almost his entire career on the dirt. His entire\n2 & 3 year old campaigns drifting from sprints to routes but\nnever finding his groove. He was tried in various listed stakes\nwithout success, but did finish 2nd<\/sup> in the 7f G2 The\nSelect Bud back in Oct 2018. Early in 2019 he was unable to find\nform that the trainer desired on the dirt. In May he was given an\nallowance start at a mile and an eighth on the turf but it was not a\nconvincing start. In October he was moved to a conditioned sprint at\njust under a mile in which he came second. The next two starts at 7f\nboth conditioned allowance runs on the turf resulted in wins with the\nlast being at the end of January of this year. He is being asked to\nmake a big jump against a top heavy field, but so far the move to\nturf is to his liking.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n3: The\nFalcata<\/a>\t\t\t9\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Churchill\nx Seeking The Gold x Northern Dancer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lenny\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13: 7-1-3 ………. $272,901<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An\nup and comer, Falcata to date is the best horse from sire Churchill\nin the sim. Bred from proven brood mare Compensation, Lenny brings\nhis talented colt to California searching for Churchill\u2019s first\ngraded winner. He is a confident trainer, and in entering the Road\nKill mile he gives Falcata his second graded chance in his young\ncareer. The first was back in September in the G1 Canada Mile, but\nhe faded late and was a non-factor. An easy allowance win on a soggy\ntrack followed, and then in early December finished 2nd<\/sup>\nin the Lemonade Turf Mile getting run down at the wire and losing by\na head. He celebrated New Years Day with a run in the Nightly The\nGordie Turf Stayer, but finished a disappointing third. The Falaca\u2019s\nlast two runs may not have been wins, but the effort and speeds show\na horse still improving.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n4: Deep\nHit<\/a>\t\t\t7\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redoute\u2019s\nChoice x Deep Impact x Storm Cat<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tees\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16: 6-5-1 ………. $1,114,290<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\nson of Redoute\u2019s Choice last tasted victory 10 months ago in the G2\nThe Firsco Mile, but it hasn\u2019t been for lack of trying. He\nfollowed that victory with a 2nd<\/sup>\nin the Fast Talker Turf Sprint which was his first effort at under a\nmile in a year. Deep Hit didn\u2019t like the even further drop in\ndistance in the G1 THE MGD Special but rebounded in a big way running\nwell in the G1 The Queen Liz Stakes finishing 2nd<\/sup>\nto Yo Bo. He was given a few months off to rest and brought back\ninto an allowance run at a mile. In that race he finished 2nd<\/sup>\nto A.P. Medal. Idle since, Deep Hit enters The Road Kill rested and\nlooking to taste sweet victory again.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n5: My\nAwesome King<\/a>\t\t20\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Awesome\nAgain x King Kamehameha x Dubawi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stockswami\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13: 6-2-0 ………. $1,687,860<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nson of Awesome Again began\nhis career with 5 straight wins capped by a dominate run in the\nBreeders Bowl Juvenile Turf. My Awesome King capped an awesome 2\nyear old campaign with the 2018\n2yo Turf Male\nof the year award. He\nbegan 2019 with Derby fever and did enough to accumulate points to\nget into the Bluegrass. He had run well in the Sand Castle Derby\nLock taking 2nd<\/sup>,\nbut the jump to a mile and a half proved to much and he finished well\nbeaten. Since he has\ntried to find surface and distance trying to get back to the winners\ncircle. From a mile turf in the G1 Jean Brat, top\na sloppy 7f dirt jaunt in the G1 Prince,\u2019s Knight Stakes, and up to\na mile and an eighth in the G2 The Usain Bolt back on the turf he\nwasn\u2019t running well. He had accumulated enough points to get into\nthe Breeders\u2019 Bowl Mile and posted his best ever speed in a 5th<\/sup>\nplace finish. A mile seems to be his sweet spot and he pushes into\n2020 hoping to regain his 2018 form.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n6: Yo\nBo<\/a>\t\t\t\t7\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Awesome\nAgain x Kingmambo x Sadlers Wells<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balata\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10: 7-1-0 ………. $1,652,340<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\n4-year-old is son to one of the sims great celebrities. His mother\nBotwisted wasn\u2019t much on the track, but between the sheets she is a\nmonster \u2026 and that happens to be what she foals. Yo Bo is one of\n11 graded winners Botwisted has foaled with every indication he may\nbe the best yet. He had a dominate effort in the G1 The Queen Liz\nStakes back in September. He followed that up with one of the\nfinishes of the year in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Dark Beers where a\nback-stretch duel found him nipping Dubai Cadet by a \u00bc length. He\ncame back to earth in early December in the King Kong Mile finishing\na disappointing 7th<\/sup>.\n Now back on the track after getting a rest he will be looking to put\nhis stamp on his legacy as the best Botwisted baby.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n7: <\/strong>Tycoon<\/a>\nDew<\/strong><\/a>\n\t\t\t496\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord\nKanola x Lawman x Invincible Spirit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nNYCowboy\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5: 2-0-0 ………. $39,780<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\nfolks this is not a misprint. <\/strong>Connections\nfirst horse in the race, <\/strong>Tycoon\nDew is going off at 496\/1 and it is easy to see why. This lightly\nraced 4 year old enters the race with only a pair of wins both at\n3\/4\u2019s of a mile or less. Tycoon Dew was beaten soundly at a mile\nand a 1\/16 back in his 2<\/strong>nd<\/strong><\/sup>\never race over a year and a half ago. His last race in fact was over\na year ago in the Big Zak Turf Memorial sprint in which he did not\nrun well. Connections decided a very long break with new training\nmethods might provide a huge jump in class. He is going to need it. \n<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n8: <\/strong>Alwaysseekhimfirst<\/a>\t\t<\/strong>9\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seek\nAgain x Giant\u2019s Causeway x Kris S.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nWillyam Racing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15: 6-2-1 ………. $304,372<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\ntalented Floridian has decided that the local scene is not for him,\nand has taken his act all over the world. <\/strong>He\nspent his first couple of years racing all over Europe and Asia, but\nlast summer returned to the states entered into the G2 Dell Web\nMile\u2019. He ran well closing in the stretch but it was not enough\nand he finished fourth. <\/strong>Entry\nin <\/strong>the\nG1 <\/strong>The\nSourball Mile <\/strong>held\nin October <\/strong>was\nnext as again his closing effort came up short finishing just off the\nboard in fourth. <\/strong>Alwaysseekhimfirst\nwas give<\/strong>n<\/strong>\nthe rest of the year off, but was back on the track on February 1<\/strong>st<\/strong><\/sup>\n<\/strong>in\nan open allowance that he won handily. Back on short rest and\nlooking to build on that warm up run this son of Seek Again looks to\nbring Florida its next G1 champion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

G<\/strong>ate\n9: <\/strong>Blossom\nSong<\/a>\t<\/strong>\t\t182\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

M<\/strong>akfi\nx Daiwa Major x Red Ransom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nNYCowboy\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10: 3-1-2 ………. $158,990<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NYCowboys\nsecond entry in <\/strong>The\nRoad Kill Mile, this son of Makfi is also a long shot, but he has\nexperience running against higher competition. On<\/strong>c<\/strong>e\nhe broke maiden back in early 2018, Blossom Song has been trying to\nget his name in lights. <\/strong>He\nwon the mile long West Of The Sea Turf Juvenile in November of 2018\nto close out his 2yo season. He only raced twice in 2019 the Mile\nand an eighth G3 Panhandle Park Derby in January and the mile long G3\nThe Regal Hill held in June. He was a non-factor in both races, and\nconnections shut him down for the year. He comes back with his\nstable mate hoping that <\/strong>seasoning<\/strong>\nand the wonders of chemistry bring home a monster run.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

G<\/strong>ate\n10: <\/strong>Darkest\nFantasy<\/a>\t<\/strong>\t7\/2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Awesome\nAgain x Giant\u2019s Causeway x Gone West<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nextbonus\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20: 9-1-5 ………. $717,476<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connections\nstarted this son of Awesome Again with a few failed tries on the\ndirt, but in the subsequent 17 turf starts Darkest Fantasy has missed\nthe board only twice. He has been on a tear winning 6 of his last 7,\nand the one non-win a 2<\/strong>nd<\/strong><\/sup>\nin the G2 The Rennen Mile. He followed that win with easy wins in\nthe Huge Tale Turf Mile, the G2 The Mile Championship and in the\nNightly The Gordie Turf Stayer all at a mile. This will be Darkest\nFantasy\u2019s first try at the G1 level, however current form has made\nhim the odds makers choice.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n11: <\/strong>Z<\/a>eus\nLightning<\/a>\t\t7\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Point\nOf Entry x Sadler\u2019s Wells x Pivotal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3Away\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23: 6-4-1 ………. $454,679<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zeus\nLightning has had a good racing career to date but is still searching\nfor that elusive first graded win. In October he finished third in\nthe G3 The Farley at a mile and an eight. He followed that with a\nstrong run in the G1 Jolly Summer Camp at a mile and a quarter\nfinishing a strong second. Zeus Lightning was given the rest of the\nyear off and then entered the G2 Marcos Footwear Handicap but\nfinished a disappointing 6<\/strong>th<\/strong><\/sup>\nwell off the pace. Speaking with owner & trainer 3Away \u2026 he\ncommented on the reasoning behind the dropping into a mile race \u201cI\ndon\u2019t know how mine will go, trying to shorten him up to see if\nthat works\u201d. Looking at his race history, almost 2 years ago\nexactly he ran and won his last run at a mile, a conditioned\nallowance race. Could surprise.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n12: <\/strong>Shady\nRide<\/a>\t\t\t<\/strong>10\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candy\nRide x A.P. Indy x Deputy Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knightmare\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17: 8-2-2 ………. $699,440<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first two years of Shady Ride\u2019s career he plied his trade on the dirt. While he was there he ran in some of the biggest races open to him including the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Juvenile and the Bluegrass Derby. He didn\u2019t run well in either, but still showed some talent and raced another year on the dirt after the Derby. His last dirt outing was in the G2 Double Barreled Mile that saw him fade in the stretch. Connections decided at this point it was time to try something different and his next two outings were turf allowance runs in which he ran exceptionally well. It may be that Shady Ride was just waiting for a change of surface to blossom, and he will get that chance in the rugged Road Kill Mile.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gate\n13: <\/strong>A.P.\nMedal<\/a>\t\t\t<\/strong>7\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medal\nCount x A.P. Indy x Distorted Humor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Haack\nRacing Stables<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18: 7-3-2 ………. $242,304<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A.P. Medal broke his maiden on the dirt but was moved to the turf shortly after. He spent his 3-year-old season finding his distance and working through conditioned allowance races. This past year he moved up in class, competing well with a listed stakes record of 3: 1-1-1 all at a mile, and in June finishing just off the board in the G2 The Sparkler Handicap. He capped his year running down Deep Hit to score an allowance victory. The Road Kill will be his first G1 attempt and will be another step up in class, so it will be interesting to see if this son of Medal Count is up to the task.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

_______________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\nis a tough race to handicap, and I have pissed away my bankroll on\nbeer, <\/strong>women\nand losing tickets<\/strong>.\n The money I have left will be riding NYCowboy all the way to the\nbank \u2026 boxing Tycoon Dew & Blossom Song over the field <\/strong>counting\nthat he knows something the rest of us don\u2019t.<\/strong>\n <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good\nluck to the runners \u2026 this is definitely a race to watch.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Road Kill Mile Grade I \/ Group 1*CPU – Purse: $750,000 8 Furlongs | ~1600 Meters | One Mile<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":235,"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":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51361","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\/235"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51361"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51377,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51361\/revisions\/51377"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}