{"id":7033,"date":"2008-12-19T01:18:21","date_gmt":"2008-12-19T01:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=7033"},"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=7033","title":{"rendered":"Two Year Olds Take On Touch"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week Maryland<\/st1:place><\/st1:State> sees the DelPenn <\/I>team <\/B>conduct eight of their annual Grade 1 season closers. The race we cover here, the Mother Story Handicap<\/I> is the final feature the year for the two year old fillies whose trainers have set them for the dirt mile. These are the fillies currently best placed to be featuring in the Oaks Triple Crown<\/I> next May. Some of them will come through race with their dreams intact. The placegetters will go home knowing they have added significant points to their classic qualifying positions, as well as enhancing their standings in this year\u2019s Eclipse Award<\/I> considerations. And of course that\u2019s all in addition to the half million dollars to be split up in prizemoney. Touch has earned the favorite\u2019s position in the early market, with virtually all other runners being treated with due respect by the oddsmakers. Fourth Seal Opened, the outsider, will run around at 21\/1<\/P>

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The early market this week is:<\/P>

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5\/1 \u2013 Touch<\/P>

7\/1 \u2013 Insome Gold, Poison Arrow<\/P>

9\/1 \u2013 Arias, Encostacat, Six Oasis<\/P>

10\/1 \u2013 SDSD, Torch The Track<\/P>

11\/1 \u2013 Desideria<\/P>

12\/1 \u2013 Cole<\/st1:PlaceName> Valley<\/st1:PlaceName><\/st1:place><\/P>

16\/1 \u2013 Ken\u2019s Mystery<\/P>

17\/1 \u2013 Respond To This, The Roof Is On<\/P>

21\/1 \u2013 Fourth Seal Opened<\/P>

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Looking through the field in betting order:<\/P>

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5\/1 \u2013 Touch <\/B>\u2013 (Touch Gold<\/I> \u2013 La Secret<\/B> (Seattle Slew \/ Secretariat<\/I>)) – # 5 \u2013 She heads the betting due to an umblemished and still improving dirt route scorecard. Her last three have all been over the mile, she\u2019s won each of them, and she\u2019s registered times which are two lengths faster at each of those three. Will she shave a couple more lengths off in this weeks effort? Or will it be even more if she\u2019s called on to find it? She deserves to be the measuring stick. Backnine<\/B> can have every confidence in her ability to score her fourth consecutive mile win<\/P>

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7\/1 \u2013 Insome Gold<\/B> – (Invasor<\/I> \u2013 AweGoldy<\/B> (Awesome Again \/ Seeking The Gold<\/I>)) – # 3 \u2013 She\u2019s won her last four, and her most recent performance can only be described as astounding. Having to pull out all stops to hold in in the Grade 2 Golden Red Stakes<\/EM>, she added ten points to her previous best speed rating. That 99 is the highest number on the formguide. She, too, is unbeaten at the route and while she\u2019d be happy to lead, she proved last start that she doesn\u2019t need to. Tenpin8<\/B> knows a repeat of her last run will be nearly enough to take this out.<\/P>

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7\/1 \u2013 Poison Arrow<\/B> – (Bluegrass Cat<\/I> \/ Machiavellian \/ Caerleon<\/I>) – # 11 \u2013 Her three wins from five shows that she\u2019s got what it takes. That bit of Grade 1 experience is also a plus against this level of competition. She\u2019s still a long way from her best (and I think that best will probably come next season when the races get a little longer). Having said that, there\u2019s nothing not to like in her form so far. A very handy 95 at just her fifth start paints her as one of those likely to be capable of hitting the triple digit mark, which will probably be required to take this out. Kevoman5<\/B> knows she will be working home in the stretch.<\/P>

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9\/1 \u2013 Arias<\/B> – (Corinthian <\/I>\u2013 Zaragoza<\/B><\/st1:place> (Fusaichi Pegasus \/ Storm Cat<\/I>)) – # 10 \u2013 This filly takes two big steps here. It\u2019s the first time she\u2019s tried the route, and it\u2019s the first time she\u2019s lined up against Graded opposition. She finishes off her races as though the extra trip will be more of a help than a hindrance. Her last four, all ungraded stakes, have seen her win two and run second in the other two. That inspires plenty of confidence in the question of her ability to handle the class. She probably needs to add about 8 points to her previous best to be a winning shot at this, but Limpid<\/B> knows she\u2019s nothing left to prove at the lower level.<\/P>

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9\/1 – Encostacat<\/B> – (Encosta De Lago \/ Storm Cat \/ Clever Trick<\/I>) – # 13 \u2013 This filly has finished on the podium in six of her seven runs, so there\u2019s no doubt she knows how to run a race. The last effort is of some concern, being the first time she\u2019s tackled a Graded event, and the first time she\u2019s finished beyond the placegetters. However, she did run a 93 in that G2-Golden Red Stakes<\/I>, and that, combined with her previous good form, is enough for the bookmakers to show her plenty of respect. She\u2019s two wins and a third from three at the mile and while Muninn240<\/B> knows she\u2019ll need a personal best this week, her speed ratings have been taking significant jumps at each of her last four runs.<\/P>

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9\/1 \u2013 Six Oasis<\/B> – (Oasis Dream <\/I>\u2013 Elrod\u2019s Colonel<\/B> (Kingmambo \/ Northern Jove<\/I>)) – # 14 \u2013 Three wins and a second from four is the mile record of this improving filly. She\u2019s another jumping straight from ungraded stakes to the ultimate level, but she\u2019s shown enough recently to justify it. She\u2019s a natural leader, so the wide barrier is of some concern and she\u2019s likely, for the first time in her career, to face a serious challenge for the early lead. She\u2019s added eight and seven points to her previous best speed ratings at each of her last two, and Given3<\/B> knows that a similar jump this week takes her to triple digits and a genuine winning chance.<\/P>

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10\/1 \u2013 SDSD<\/B> – (Any Given Saturday <\/I>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u2013 Adam\u2019s Cat<\/B> (Storm Cat \/ Raise A Native<\/I>)) – # 1 \u2013 She\u2019s a stakes winner last time out, and placed in the G1-Getaway Stakes<\/I> the start before, so her opening price looks a tad generous, considering her most recent form. She\u2019s chosen a tough assignment for her first run beyond the sprint distance, but she was closing late in the aforementioned Grade 1 and extending her lead in that last start stakes win. The distance should not be a problem and she\u2019s drawn the best gate. She\u2019ll need to find a few lengths as low 90\u2019s won\u2019t get her home in this but Ceclaim26<\/B> can have confidence in that fact that she\u2019s shown she can handle this standard, and many of her opponents have not.<\/P>

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10\/1 \u2013 Torch The Track<\/B> – (Red Ransom <\/I>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u2013 Torch Song<\/B> (Woodman \/ Seattle Slew<\/I>)) – # 8 \u2013 If we forgive her last run, what do we have? Four wins in a row, culminating in victory in the G1-Frickazee Stakes<\/I>, over the route distance. She\u2019s the only Grade 1 winner in the race. Perhaps those framing the market should have concentrated on that fact rather than over-emphasizing her last start Grade 2 fourth, which in itself was not a bad run. It\u2019s probably going to take triple digits to win this, so she\u2019ll need to find a few lengths on her previous best, but Gradetwo<\/B> has a filly which has scaled the highest peak. The others haven\u2019t. <\/P>

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11\/1 \u2013 Desideria<\/B> – (Bluegrass Cat <\/I>\u2013 Mach Nine<\/B> (Machiavellian \/ El Gran Senor<\/I>)) – # 9 \u2013 In the money at each of her last seven, statistically her worst finish was in her most recent outing. How bad was that? Tackling both the route distance, and Grade 1 company for the first time, she ran third in the premiere event for her class, The Breeders Bowl Juvenile Filly<\/I>. I find it difficult to align her price with her three consecutive wins prior to running third in that feature. She added five points to her personal best speed rating last time out, so needs only a similar improvement to be right in the mix here. Legacy<\/B> will be aware that she represents great value and stable supporters will be lining up to place their bets.<\/P>

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12\/1 \u2013 Cole Valley<\/B> – (Kingmambo <\/I>\u2013 Ash Highway<\/B> (Danzig \/ Storm Cat<\/I>)) – # 4 \u2013 Lightly raced, she\u2019s had just the four runs, won two with two seconds and added substantial numbers to her speed ratings at each subsequent start. She\u2019s won her only attempt at the route mile. She does make a huge jump in class here and with a triple digit speed figure the likely requirement, she\u2019ll need to shave a second and a half off that most recent winning time. Perhaps her biggest advantage is that she\u2019s inexperienced enough to be able to find those extra lengths. Socalman<\/B> can be confident that she\u2019s going a long way in the future, and could take her biggest step this weekend<\/P>

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16\/1 \u2013 Ken\u2019s Mystery<\/B> – (Silver Deputy <\/I>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u2013 Lemon Or Lime<\/B> (Galileo \/ Lemon Drop Kid<\/I>)) – # 6 \u2013 Facing the starter for the ninth time, she\u2019s another taking a huge step up in competition. Having said that, two starts back she was a handy allowance filly. A spike in speed figures saw her graduate to stakes racing, where another huge numbers boost saw her finish a good second. She\u2019ll need a third consecutive enormous lift to be a winning chance in this \u2018triple digit\u2019 event. While I don\u2019t see her as that winning chance, it would come as no surprise to see her run a top race. Lordbear3<\/B> knows she has had a solid grounding, and is now displaying the benefits of that early experience.<\/P>

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17\/1 \u2013 Respond To This<\/B> – (Gone West \/ Seattle Slew \/ Northern Dancer<\/I>) – # 7 \u2013 She\u2019s being harshly treated in the betting market for a somewhat surprising, and unsuccessful, experiment on the grass last start. Prior to that her form was virtually faultless. Four consecutive wins, two of the over a mile, culminating in victory in the G2-Walnut Tree Stakes<\/I>. The 1.36.6 of that win is a lot slower than the time they\u2019ll run in this, but who knows what she may have posted had she kept to these conditions last time out. If you like to back a roughie, she may be the one. Sender2<\/B> has a Graded stakes winner. Only two other runners share that statistic <\/P>

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17\/1 \u2013 The Roof Is On<\/B> F<\/B>– (Red Clubs \/ Le Fabuleux \/ Red Ryder<\/I>) – # 12 \u2013 We\u2019re well into the outsiders now, and it\u2019s a measure of the depth of this field, that we\u2019re still looking at very good horses. Although her best win was recorded in an owner restricted stakes, the sponsors of this carnival put on owner restricted events every bit as good as the sim in general. Her only tilt at Graded racing saw her miss the podium, but still take home a check in a full field. Despite her breeding, she\u2019s shown massive improvement in her two dirt runs and Photonic<\/B> can approach the race, aware that she\u2019s a longshot, but confident that she can run a better race than her price would suggest.<\/P>

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21\/1 \u2013 Fourth Seal Opened<\/B> – (Devil His Due<\/I> \u2013 No More Lies<\/B> (Slew O\u2019Gold \/ Forty Niner<\/I>)) – # 2 \u2013 She\u2019s earned her tilt at this via that early victory in the G3-Arizona Shootout, and a couple of handy runs in dirt route stakes races. But she\u2019s also lined up for her last two starts in Grade 1 company. And been found wanting. She\u2019s the only runner never to register a speed in the 90\u2019s, despite having been to the track eight times. She\u2019s the outsider, and I can\u2019t make any sort of case to dispute that position. Even Kerikow<\/B> must concede that this is a \u2018Don Quixote\u2019 attempt.<\/P>

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Summary:<\/U><\/B> As we\u2019d expect in a two year old feature of this stature, finding a winner is a bit of a dartboard exercise. While the favorites have earned their quotes through top performances in impressive times, some of the lesser lights need only an ounce of luck to feature in the finish. Touch<\/B> is a deserving favorite. Insome Gold<\/B> is racing in superlative form, Poison Arrow<\/B> is ready to step up to the elite. Arias<\/B> is developing impressively, Encostacat<\/B> loves the trip, Six Oasis<\/B> has shown brilliance at the mile, SDSD<\/B> has proven herself to be Graded quality, Torch The Track<\/B> is the only Grade 1 winner here, Desideria<\/B> is a model of consistency, Cole Valley<\/B> is lightly raced and still improving rapidly, Ken\u2019s Mystery<\/B> has taken enormous bounds in her last two, Respond To This<\/B> is the best value runner in the race, The Roof Is On F<\/B> is capable of being the surprise packet while Fourth Seal Opened<\/B> is the only runner in a position to cause a totally unexpected boilover<\/P>

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Selections: <\/U><\/B><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/U><\/P>

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Insome Gold<\/B> \u2013 Can\u2019t Ignore her heart. Or that 99.<\/P>

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Torch The Track<\/B> \u2013 Ridiculous price for the only Grade 1 winner.<\/P>

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Respond To This<\/B> \u2013 Graded winner again way over the odds. She\u2019s the across the board bet.<\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Top Fillies Line Up For DelPenn Mile<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":261,"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-7033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7033","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\/261"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7033\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}