{"id":5724,"date":"2008-04-04T14:00:45","date_gmt":"2008-04-04T14:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=5724"},"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=5724","title":{"rendered":"$125K G3 7f 3-Yr-Old South Bronx Stakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

13 fast and improving 3-year-olds contend at 7 furlongs Saturday in the South Bronx stakes, the undercard event separating the Billy and Jimmy <\/I>from the Wooden Indian Derby Lock Prep<\/I> in an exciting day of Empire State racing. More than half of the field is bunched between 6\/1 and 8\/1 in a real handicappers’ challenge.<\/P>

Chattooga<\/B> runs from the inside at 8\/1 for trainer hoofers<\/I>. This well-bred son of War Chant<\/I> scored a win at this distance in Idaho in December in the Sore Without Two<\/I>. He improved his speed to 97 while running third in the Danimer <\/I>in Washington two months back and duplicated that speed in the Grade 1 Ring of Fire<\/I> at the beginning of March, fading late for a 6th-place finish at 8\/1. This field is within his capabilities but he will need to take another step up similar to the one he took in February. Jockey Tory Roberts has been as cold as can be, going winless in 19 starts. Chattooga runs from the front and will have the advantage coming from the inside in seeking that lead.<\/P>

Depute<\/B> runs from the 2nd post position at 25\/1 for trainer swhisper<\/I>. The son of French Deputy<\/I> scored a stake win as a 2-year-old in the Seattle Sound<\/I> back in October but has not been able to improve on the 86 he put up then in three outings since. Depute has crossed the pond for this event, having performed last placing in the Her Canyons<\/I> in Lisbon 6 weeks back. Like so many here, this one takes a stalk style and bug boy Lenny Israel will need to position this one to be able to strike if this is the day Depute, with only 5 races under his belt, takes a step upwards in performance. <\/P><\/I>

Sisson’s Superstar<\/B> runs from the 3rd post position at 31\/1 for trainer lever<\/I>. The imposingly scratch-bred colt (Distorted Humor x Storm Cat x Seattle Slew)<\/I> has 2 allowance wins to date both on the grass. His lone dirt score came while breaking his maiden at 6.5 furlongs in Kentucky in October. This one has not yet shown any growth as a 3-year-old and Christine Seppy will try to get him running to his pedigree; like many here he seems to prefer a stalk style.<\/P>

Adonai<\/B> comes from the 4th position for trainer theprofit <\/I>and runs at attractive 10\/1 odds. The son of Afleet Alex<\/I> is ranked 9th in his division and has 3 stake wins to his credit and his last was his fastest speed, a 97 which was good enough to win the Raise Mark<\/I> in South Carolina in mid-March. Adonai has never finished out of the money in a dirt sprint and has won his last 4 of them; like others here this one takes a stalk style and the track’s top jock, Nick Lawton, will be the one seeking to position him for a stretch move to add to Adonai’s $293K lifetime earnings. He has never raced at 7 furlongs yet and as he tends to make his move in the stretch he may like the extra ground. <\/P>

TSF Academy<\/B> runs from the 5th position as the 7\/2 favourite for trainer zman<\/I>. The son of Opera House<\/I>, not particularly known as a dirt sprint sire, crosses the pond after finding no success as a turfer before trying the dirt. The 27th ranked colt in the division comes off a field best 105 speed, winning the Almost Whirl<\/I> in Ireland at 6 1\/2 furlongs. Before that race there were two route tries of lesser success; taking these out, TSF Academy has run at ever faster speeds on each of his last 6 sprints, winning 5 of them. 6 1\/2 furlongs may be this one’s preferred distance and he has not yet competed at the graded level. This one, although not always a closer, sometimes runs from farther back than others here and the capable Billy Child will be charged with navigating past the pack of others who will be making their moves near the head of the stretch here.<\/P>

Bat for Lashes<\/B> runs from the 6th position at 8\/1 odds for trainer stalfrank<\/I>. The son of Red Ransom<\/I> scored his 2-year-old wins as first a turf and then a dirt miler but has since had more success as a dirt sprinter, scoring a stake win in Ireland in the Arctic Prospector<\/I> on good dirt. Last out this one grabbed the lead as a 5\/1 shot in the G3 Swale<\/I> in Florida before fading to 4th; his best speeds of 96 suggest he needs step it up a notch for this one and of course at this age that is quite possible. It may take some time to find this one’s preferred distance, but this could it as easy as any. Trainer stalfrank scores at a lifetime 17.9% rate; jock Tim Johnson is off to a slow 4-for-47 start. In this field Bat for Lashes may try to grab the lead from the outset and go wire to wire. <\/P>

Judas Has Spoken<\/B> runs from the 7-slot at 8\/1 for trainer zewango1<\/I>. This one is more lightly raced than some others here. Throwing out an unsuccessful effort at 8.5 furlongs in a G2 event last out, this one shows 3 straight wins at today’s distance, 2 of them stakes, with speeds improving each time; however the horse ran at no worse than 2\/1 odds in all three and there is more competition on the track Saturday. The son of Ghostzapper <\/I>likes to take the lead or hang right behind the leader and may well try to outrace Bat for Lashes to his immediate inside here. Veteran rider Joe Migliore is off to an 11% start for zewango1, who scores at a lifetime 14.5% rate. The question Saturday will be if this one is still on the improve or has hit a plateau.<\/P>

First Warrior<\/B> runs from the 8-slot at 7\/1 for trainer dora<\/I>. This one likes to have his picture taken, with 7 wins and 1 place in 9 races, the last two being stake wins, most recently a score in the G3 Lord Pye’s EWC Tipping. <\/I>This son of First Samurai<\/I>‘s last 4 have all been at 6 furlongs or shorter; he did score once at 7 furlongs in an allowance as a 2-year old, at 1\/9 odds. His speeds have been inching up for the last 4, reaching a high of 98 last out. Patty Davis is scoring at a good 11% rate, right around her lifetime mark and looks to be in midst of the throng stalking the early leaders; trainer dora likes to have a picture taken too, having won 27.6% of races entered. <\/P>

Encostina<\/B> runs from the 9-position at 6\/1 for trainer superfecta<\/I>. The son of Encosta Del Lago<\/I> is one of 3 horses in the field to have put up a 100 speed, just 2 weeks back in winning the 6-furlong Fernando Slew<\/I> in Germany. Like some others here this one crosses the pond this weekend having dropped turf running for a career on the dirt. There is a pattern in this one’s dirt races which may be related to the quality of competition: when running at 4\/1 or lower odds the horse has held onto its early lead and won, while when running at higher odds he has dropped back in the stretch. This 7-furlong test will be the longest Encostina has faced; his greatest success has come at 6 furlongs. Still a repeat of last time’s 100 speed would make this one competitive with any here and the early lead is attainable. Rider C. J. Anderson is off to a slow 2-for-37 start.<\/P>

Corporate Finance<\/B> runs from the 10-slot at 7\/1 odds for trainer grandview<\/I>. This son of With Approval<\/I> has been aptly named with lifetime earnings of $343K, leading today’s field.<\/P>

Game dam Paris Seattle<\/I> was a 3-time dirt sprint stake winner in a short career. We will throw out the last place finish 5 weeks ago at 8.5 furlongs in the G2 Fountain of Ute<\/I>. Before that this one turned in 3 straight stake wins, the last at a 101 speed, second best recorded in today’s field, and at today’s distance, in the Tabasco Cat<\/I> in Illinois. That 101 represented the 7th straight speed improvement this one has shown in sprints of 5 furlongs or more. Corporate Finance takes a deep stalk or closing style; there is little competition in that niche today, giving 18-year veteran jock Bobby Haffner a great opportunity to make a late move and make his way through the crowd of fading stalkers he hopes to find late; Haffner is off to a slow 6-for-123 start.<\/P>

Wild to the Touch<\/B> runs from the 11-slot at 6\/1 odds for trainer fortywalt<\/I>. The son of Touch Gold<\/I> has only 2 lifetime wins, because he has taken a different career path than the others here; after winning his MSW, this one has been entered in 7 graded stakes, finishing in the money in 5 including a win in the G3 Little Tree<\/I> on New Jersey as a juvenile. This one has 2 races as a 3-year-old, showing his best speed of 99 last out running third in the G3 Swale<\/I> at 4\/1 at this distance. There may be doubts about others here but we know that this one can compete in a graded field, although this one may be a harder field than the Swale<\/I>. Jockey Walt Jenkins is off to a 2-for-27 start. An improvement in speed like that shown last out puts this one right there at the finish line.<\/P>

Wolf’s Slam<\/B> runs from the 12-position at 28\/1 odds for veteran trainer graywolf4<\/I>. Although the odds are long, a look at the record shows that this one cannot be written off. This son of French Deputy<\/I>‘s game dam is Land Slam<\/I>, a Grade A multiple dirt sprint winner. This one’s 1st win, after 8 unimpressive starts, came in a $5K Maiden Claimer in Mexico in October. The rest of the sim, it appears, was asleep at the switch that day; either that, or someone stole the claiming box. This one has since put up 5 straight wins — 3 starters, 1 allowance, and 1 stake, the Alypain Brain <\/I>in New Mexico in December. The best speed put up during these efforts was a 94, right at this distance, in January. Not much improvement is needed from that to put this one right there at the wire. Rider Ax Williams will no doubt be as interested as anyone else to find out what kind of horse he has under him Saturday.<\/P>

Bluegrass Holiday<\/B> runs from the far outside at 70\/1 for trainer babygirlz<\/I> . This daughter<\/P>

of Bluegrass Cat<\/I> was stuck into the claiming ranks second back by her original breeder and her new conditioner now seeks to find the level at which she may be be competitive. This one’s best speed was last fall at this distance, so this may be a could place to start, although the field may be too competitive for her. This one would be an interesting longshot as a deep closer, but her stalk style puts her in direct competition with most of the field here. Rider Clarence Mannion, having lost his bug, faces a challenging task here.<\/P>

——————————————————————————————————<\/P>

Toral Picks From his Fedora:<\/P>

(4) Adonai<\/P>

(8) First Warrior<\/P>

(5) TSF Academy<\/P><\/B><\/FONT><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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