{"id":5832,"date":"2008-04-24T00:02:27","date_gmt":"2008-04-24T00:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=5832"},"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=5832","title":{"rendered":"Maine&#8217;s Mellow Breeze"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">Trainers hoping for Triple Tiara races plan their fillies\u2019 schedules so that they won\u2019t be running this late in April.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Add to that a recent wealth of graded opportunities for three year-olds, and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags\" \/><st1:State><st1:place>Maine<\/st1:place><\/st1:State>\u2019s Grade II Mellow Breeze Handicap will be run with its smallest field since 2001.<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office\" \/><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">The field may be small, and it may not contain any of the top rated fillies \u2013 only two are rated in the top 100; none any higher than 47<SUP>th<\/SUP> \u2013 but it looks very competitive.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The last two runnings of the Mellow Breeze have been won by the longest odds fillies in the race.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In 2007 it was won by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">graywolf7\u2019s<\/I><\/B> <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Snappy Hero<\/B> at 17-1, and in 2006 jockey <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">G Giant<\/I><\/B> guided <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Warbager<\/B><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\"> <\/I>home at 14-1. Graywolf and G Giant may figure prominently again today.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The trainer brings a pair of runners and the top jockey rides the favorite.<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">The winner won\u2019t pay anything like that today. Even if the longest shot wins today, she won\u2019t pay more than 6-1.<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">Here is a look at the field:<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 1 <STRONG>UNREAL WOLF(KY) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(STEPHEN GOT EVEN x <st1:City><st1:place>DUBAI<\/st1:place><\/st1:City> MILLENNIUM (GB) x SOVEREIGN DANCER) bred and trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">graywolf17<\/I><\/B> (Wolf\u2019s Den, 12%) Odds: 6-1<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">She broke her maiden in her first outing as a three year-old and followed that with what looked to be a very encouraging third in an overnight stakes.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>At the time the field in that stakes looked tough, but her foes from that day have gone 0 for 12 in their races since.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Unreal Wolf tried the always tough We Get Signal stakes next and turned in a forgettable performance.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She won for fun against a weak allowance field last time and tries the graded class again.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This field is not as strong as the We Get Signal crew, and she is always eligible to make a big jump, but she needs a big jump: her 91 figure last time is some 14 points below some others here.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Jockey pulled the upset last year with the longest priced filly.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Let\u2019s see if he can do it again.<STRONG><SPAN style=\"FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><STRONG><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 2 <STRONG>HOLY SOUP(AUS) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(LONHRO (AUS) x ALPHABET SOUP x VAGUELY NOBLE) bred by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">taylormade<\/I><\/B>, <SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0<\/SPAN>trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">graywolf6<\/I><\/B> (Wolf\u2019s Den, 12%) Odds: 9-2<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">Holy Soup has a second and a third in six starts as a three-year-old.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The loss on her grass try can be forgiven.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>So can her finish in the back half of the pack in the overnight stakes ran on the wet track.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Maybe also her first start of the year, where she was a distant 9<SUP>th<\/SUP> against a very tough field that included a couple certain Bluegrass Oaks starters.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I suppose even last time when she was second in a very tough allowance field where the winner ran off to an uncontested lead.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>At some point, though, she has to stop making excuses and find a way to win.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>If she\u2019s going to win a graded stakes, this must be the day.<o:p><\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 3 <STRONG>ENFORCER(FL) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(EXCHANGE RATE x PULPIT x PRIVATE ACCOUNT) bread and trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">mcsheen<\/I><\/B> (Vansheen Stables, 15%) Odds: 5-2<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">In just four races this brown filly has already made a bit of noise.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It looked like she was going to steal the Grade II Fantasy last time, only to be run down by a likely starter in the Oaks.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She finished easily ahead of 12 other nice fillies that day.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her figure in the Fantasy is tied for the best in this field.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She may get some early pressure from two or three of the outside fillies, but this looks like her race to lose.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It\u2019s probably too late to accumulate enough points to make the Oaks field herself, and the timing is probably too tight, but with a victory today, she may make a lot more in the Black Middle Flower.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The Gentle Giant rides and already owns two Mellow Breeze victories.<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 4 <STRONG>COURT LADY(KY) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(<st1:place><st1:PlaceName>FRIENDS<\/st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>LAKE<\/st1:PlaceType><\/st1:place> x SMART STRIKE x STORM CAT) bred and trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">bredtasell<\/I><\/B> (Tulloch Stables, 10%) Odds: 6-1<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">After starting her career with wins in her maiden debut, her allowance debut, and her stakes debut, she quite reasonably tried graded company against boys in the Grade II Minnesota Derby Trail.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The first three races came against small and suspect fields, so it was uncertain how she would handle the class jump.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Well, she ran like the 18-1 runner that she was.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She next tried girls again, and despite passing several tired foes late in the Fantasy, she still finishing some nine lengths behind The Enforcer.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Maybe she hated the sloppy surface that day, but nine lengths is a lot of real estate.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her dam made a very decent living finishing in the money but seldom winning.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m not saying that\u2019s Court Lady\u2019s fate, but she\u2019ll have to make a big turnaround to get her picture taken today.<SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 5 <STRONG>TABASCO AFFAIR(WV) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(BLACK TIE AFFAIR(IRE) x <st1:State><st1:place>TABASCO<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> CAT x CAPOTE) bred and trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">jackscott<\/I><\/B> (Jackscott Stables, 15%) Odds: 5-2<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">This co-favorite has six wins and five seconds in 11 starts, including three overnight stakes wins.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Patient trainer at last finds a graded field he feels she can continue her success.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Her 105 figure last time ties The Enforcer for the fastest here.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It\u2019s an improvement of 14 points over her penultimate and previously highest rated race, so if you believe in bounces for three-year-olds, she may be a candidate.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(On the other hand, the sudden 14 point improvement should give courage to the four 6-1 fillies here.)<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It is also troubling that the jump came as she shortened from eight furlongs to seven.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>In fact she definitely has shown a preference for one-turn races.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She is surely fast enough to be a major factor here, but there is a surprisingly large difference between a filly\u2019s ability at seven or seven and a half furlongs and eight.<o:p><\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 6 <STRONG>CHANCELLOR(GER) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(MONSUN(GER) x SADLER&#8217;S WELLS x SECRETARIAT) bred and trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">shades<\/I><\/B> (Coolk Stables, 20%) Odds: 6-1<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">Beginning with the foals of 2007, the sire Monsun was \u201cconsiderably upgraded,\u201d but he still hasn\u2019t produced a graded winner from the 91 runners in that 2007 crop.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Chancellor has a big chance to be the first.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With four wins in her five dirt routes and her triple digit figure last time, she clearly fits with the best in this field.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She\u2019s yet to try a stakes at any level, much less a Grade II, so she may wilt under the pressure, but I don\u2019t see that happening, and neither does the highest percentage trainer in the race.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Chancellor has faced a few decent fillies in her allowance races and handled them easily, though this is her toughest test yet.<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\">PP 7 <STRONG>SIZZLING(AUS) <\/STRONG><\/SPAN>(ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) x GIANT&#8217;S CAUSEWAY (IRE) x HAWKSTER) bred and trained by <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\"><I style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal\">slim<\/I><\/B> (Tees Stables, 14%) <SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0<\/SPAN>odds: 6-1<SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><SPAN style=\"FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">This filly was doing well sprinting, and then a funny thing happened in early March.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The barn tried her in an allowance around two turns, and she responded with a very quick and convincing win against a decent field.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The allowance-to-graded stakes class jump may be warranted here.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>She\u2019s had another seven weeks to mature since posting her 100 speed figure, so we have every right to expect an improvement from that race.<\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">Summary<\/B>.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>It\u2019s a dubious trifecta.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>One of the early runners is bound to fade and one of the late runners is sure to fire.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">\u00a0 <\/SPAN>But as far as looking for a winner, I\u2019d rank their chances: <B style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal\">The Enforcer \/ Sizzling \/ Chancellor<\/B>.<o:p><\/o:p><\/P><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No Longshots Here<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":432,"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-5832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5832","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\/432"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5832"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5832\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}