The first weekend of race in the new year brings us the Special Bid Stakes here in Indiana as the highlight race for the weekend. The Grade III, $150,000 purse race is being run over the dirt track at six furlongs. The weather is quite cold here up in the northern states, but the race should go off without a hitch and be listed as fast at post time on Saturday. The newly turned three-year-olds will be trying out their talent in their first race of the new season, many carrying the hopes of their owners and trainers into dreams of possible future greatness. Last year\u2019s winner of the Special Bid Stakes (G3) was Sunset Mesa<\/b>, owned by twoofus2<\/i>, who went on to finish second in the Bluegrass Derby (G1) as well as make appearances in the Middle Jewel Stakes (G1) and Breeders\u2019 Bowl Classic (G1). However, the track record, a time of 1:09 2\/5, is credited to 2004 winner, King Of The Cats<\/b>, the now-retired colt owned by aaafarms<\/i>. But a new group of up and coming three-year-olds will be taking the stage in Indiana this weekend, the hopes and dreams of the near future.
1. Rare Picture<\/b> – (Any Given Saturday x Roar x Theatrical) – murray1<\/i> – B. Fox – 16\/1
This homebred colt is out of the first crop of stallion Any Given Saturday and will make his 2009 debut, along with everyone else, this weekend. The Kentucky-bred colt has made eight starts throughout his two-year-old season, winning two of his races. The bay colt has only made one appearance in a stakes caliber race. This was in the eight and a half furlong Saratoga Stud Special. The colt, breaking from an inside post position, finished sixth in the race, and was returned to allowance company thereafter. After a convincing win in his last allowance start over six and a half furlongs, the colt will be returning to the stakes picture. This will be the colts first graded stakes start of his career.
2. Sultan<\/b> – (Grand Slam x Wild Again x Nashua) – ovidius<\/i> – K. Collins – 8\/1
This Kentucky-bred colt will be heading to the second post on Saturday. The bay colt has made a total of six career starts as a two-year-old and won half of these races and holds the distinction of never finishing out of the money in any of his starts to date. The bay colt is a very seasoned veteran when it comes to stakes races, having run in five of them so far during his career. The most recent of these races was the five and a half furlong Ant Stacking Cap where the colt pulled off a win in a photo finish where he was placed in the lead by a head. The colt also has started twice in graded stakes races, these coming in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Nightcap Youth Dirt Sprint (G3) and the Faber College Juvenile (G2). The colt ran second by a nose in the Faber College Juvenile (G2) in July but was unplaced in the Breeders\u2019 Bowl Nightcap Youth Dirt Sprint (G3).
3. Rally Van<\/b> – (Van Nistelrooy x Came Home x A.P. Indy) – ashleigh<\/i> – T. Murphy – 14\/1
This homebred chestnut colt, out of the race-winning mare Jupiter Rally, has ran eight times during his two-year-old season and won three of his starts in addition to finishing second twice. The chestnut colt is also another very well seasoned competitor of the stakes caliber races with six of his career starts coming in the form of stakes caliber races. The most recent of his starts came in October during the End Of The Line Futurity (G2) over eight and a half furlongs where the colt finished a very disappointing tenth despite tying a lifetime best speed figure of eighty-two for the race. His only other stumble so far in his career came in the Vermont BB Juvenile (G2), where the colt finished seventh. The six other starts the colt has made have all earned him in the money finishes including a win in the five and a half furlong Sir Crafty Stakes early last year.
4. Wheresanna<\/b> – (Elusive Quality x Anabaa x Sadler\u2019s Wells) – newracing<\/i> – D. Gann – 5\/1
At the fourth post this Kentucky-bred colt will be making his appearance. The bay son of Elusive Quality has made six lifetime starts so far in his short racing career, winning two of his races. Again, like many of the horses entered into the field for the Special Bid Stakes (G3) this weekend, the colt is no stranger to the realm of graded stakes racing. The colt has made starts both over the turf and the dirt and has managed to win on both surfaces. The colts most recent race came overseas in Ireland during the seven furlong Twinhollow Trainer Champion (G1) over the dirt. Though setting a speed figure of ninety-four, the colt only managed to come home for fourth at the wire. His two other dirt appearances, occurring very early on in his career, earned him a fifth place finish in the Smackdown Restricted and a win in a maiden race. The colt received his only stakes win over the turf in the Sprinklers Are Broke Again Stakes (G3).
5. Latent Ruby<\/b> – (Latent Heat x Clever Trick x Family Doctor) – trauma92<\/i> – L. Huhn – 11\/1
Coming up next is his very lightly raced colt, only making five career starts as a two-year-old. The striking dark gray Kentucky-bred colt las ran an allowance caliber race over five and a half furlongs in Texas. He easily won this race after sitting just off the pace of the leader before sprinting ahead to the lead to win by a length with a speed figure of eighty-eight. To date, the gray colt has made three starts in stakes caliber races, including two wis in the Senor Boomer Challenge over seven and a half furlongs and in The Storm Rebel Special over five and a half furlongs. Look for the dark gray colt to be very up close to the pace on Saturday, running on or near the lead.
6. Silky Top Hat<\/b> – (Hat Trick (JPN) x Mining x Nijinsky II) – river7<\/i> – P. Melander – 19\/1
In the sixth slot we will have this son of the Japanese-bred Hat Trick, out of the graded winning mare Scraggly Stud. The three-year-old bay colt will be making his career stakes debut this weekend with the Special Bid Stakes (G3). Though the colt has made six lifetime starts and won two of them, the colt never made a trip to stakes level until now. His most recent race, an allowance caliber start over six and a half furlongs ended with the colt finishing in third, back by one and a half lengths and securing a lifetime best speed figure of eighty-five. The colts two wins came in his maiden debut race over five furlongs, and an allowance caliber race over five and a half furlongs. Look for this colt to also break near the lead on Saturday, sitting just off the pace out of the starting gate.
7. Hidden Agendas<\/b> – (Ghostzapper x Seeking The Gold x Pleasant Colony) – super29<\/i> – R. Stacy – 7\/1
Out towards the middle of the track we will have this impressively-bred homebred colt from top sire Ghostzapper. The Kentucky-bred brown colt made eight starts as a two-year-old, winning two of his races and finishing second in three. The most recent start for the brown colt was made on a sloppy dirt track in North California during the Ignorant Gin Bonanza, a listed stakes over six furlongs, where the colt finished second his first time running over the slop. He has made five graded stakes starts so far, winning the Faber College Juvenile (G2) over six furlongs. The colt will likely come out of the gate this weekend towards the rear of the fourteen horse field, though he could be a bit of a surprise, as he has the potential to show a little bit of early speed and be running towards the middle of the pack early on if directed.
8. Affirmed Destiny<\/b> – (Werblin x Affirmed x Storm Cat) – jmsstable<\/i> – M. Nay – 12\/1
Still out towards the center of the dirt oval we will have this striking light gray colt hailing from Florida. The three-year-old colt has been fairly lightly raced as a two-year-old with a total of five lifetime starts made so far, three of which have winded up ending in finishes on the board for the gray colt. The most recent race for the homebred colt came in October during the four and a half furlong Breeders\u2019 Bowl Nightcap Youth Dirt Sprint (G3). The colt was a disappointment in this race, finishing six and one-fourth lengths back in sixth and finishing out of the money for the first time during his racing career. The colt has made another stakes start aside from the aforementioned Breeders\u2019 Bowl Nightcap Youth Dirt Sprint (G3), but didn\u2019t manage to come in on the board in either of them. His other start, in the Dell Computer Futurity (G2), resulted in a fourth place finish. The colts sole win has come in the form of his second shot at a maiden special weight race.
9. Tender Cross<\/b> – (Gone West x Cape Cross (IRE) x Darshaan (ENG)) – johnstable<\/i> – I. Gordon – 9\/1
Now moving towards the grandstand side posts we have this colt by top sire Gone West out of the stakes placed mare Tender Moment (IRE). The Kentucky-bred bay colt has made eight starts as a two-year-old, most of them coming over the dirt despite the colts turf influences. However the colt has made a single turf start, this came in his racing debut where he ultimately finished fourth. Since then the colt has been faster and better than ever over the dirt, winning four back-to-back stakes caliber races and winning his stakes debut in the Holy Storm (GB) Memorial over six furlongs. This weekend will be the colts first start in a graded stakes race, however. Interestingly, the colt has only finished worse than first twice in his career. If the colt is going to have a good run this weekend, look for him to go straight to the lead on Saturday.
10. Samurai Spider (SWE)<\/b> – (Jubilation (SWE) x Forestry x Halo) – ywhisper<\/i> – D. Lyght – 23\/1
Next up we have the longshot of the race in the form of this brown filly, the only filly going into the gates on Saturday in the Special Bid Stakes (G3). The filly has been extremely lightly raced as a two-year-old with only two races so far to her credit. She won her maiden debut over five furlongs against other fillies impressively by two lengths with a speed figure of seventy-six. Her next, and only other race came over six furlongs and against the boys in the Bald Under Rapid Bonanza. She finished second in this race, just a length and one-fourth off the pace. This weekend, the lone filly makes her graded stakes debut here in the Special Bid Stakes (G3).
11. Alberta Riches (JPN)<\/b> – (War Emblem x Pine Bluff x Believe It) – shortplay<\/i> – M. Jennison – 10\/1
In the eleventh post we will have the bay colt hailing from Japan, an offspring of the Triple Crown near miss War Emblem. The now three-year-old colt has made seven starts last year, finishing on the board in five of his races, including two wins. The homebred\u2019s most recent start came in the six furlong listed Lightning Bert Stakes in which the colt won easily by one and a half lengths with a lifetime best speed figure of eighty-eight for the brown colt. He has made two graded stakes as a two-year-old, in the Faber College Juvenile (G2) and in the High Roller\u2019s Juvenile (G2) but didn\u2019t manage to achieve an on-the-board finish out of either attempt. However, after his win in the Lightning Bert Stakes, he\u2019s back to try the graded level stakes races again as a three-year-old. Look for this colt to be right up in the thick of things out the gate, battling it out for a front position.
12. Super Brave<\/b> – (Awesome Again x Forty Niner x Danzig) – super13<\/i> – K. Buzzman – 11\/1
Up next we have the second entry for the More Evil Than The Evil Empire Stable Group in this impeccably-bred chestnut colt who is out of the mare Crabby Niner. The Kentucky-bred chestnut colt has made eight career starts in his first year of racing, winning three of his races to total earnings of $74,115. The chestnut colt will be making his graded stakes debut this weekend in the Special Bid Stakes (G3). This decision comes after the colt won by one and one half lengths the Sore Without Two (GER) Cap in Idaho last November with a lifetime best speed figure of eighty-nine. Just before this stakes win, the colt also won a five furlong allowance caliber race in similar fashion to his stakes win. We can probably look for the colt to break towards the middle of the pack on Saturday because of the expected fast scramble to the lead out of the gates this weekend.
13. Punchout<\/b> – (Forestry x Forty Niner x Saratoga Six) – kauffmac2<\/i> – N. Disher – 15\/5
Into the lucky thirteenth post we will have this lightly raced brown colt out of the race-winning mare Godzilla\u2019s Rates. The Kentucky-bred colt only made four races as a two year old and has never made a stakes start so far in his career up until what will come this weekend. The brown colts most recent start came in the form of a seven furlong allowance caliber race overseas where he won his first non-maiden race by half a length, setting a lifetime best speed figure of eighty-nine in the process. All of his four starts have ended with a finish on the money, and all of his starts over the dirt have ended with a finish on the board for the brown colt. Look for the colt to be slightly forwardly placed on Saturday, but not going out for the lead.
14. Del Penn Dude<\/b> – (Forest Wildcat x Kingmambo x Seattle Slew) – topicontc<\/i> – N. Armstrong – 5\/1
In the far outside grandstand side post fourteen we will have another impressively bred bay colt, this one from Topicount Stables. This colt has made eight career starts, winning half of his races and finishing second in two more of them, earning a total of $316,486 in career earnings in just one racing season. The colts most recent start came overseas in Ireland during the Twinhollow Trainer Champion (G1) where the colt turned out just his second disappointment of his career, crossing the wire twelfth in the race. Despite this poor finish in his final race of his two-year-old season, the colt is coming back for more. To date, he has come back victorious from three stakes races the Big Hill Stakes (G2), Little Tree Stakes (G3), and the listed Appealing Love Handicap. We can look for this impressive colt towards the middle of the pack once the horses come out of the gate this weekend.
Good luck to all with runners this weekend in the Special Bid Stakes (G3). This is tellnotale<\/i> signing off.
Tellnotale\u2019s Picks<\/u><\/b>
Win:<\/b> Del Penn Dude
Place<\/b> Tender Cross
Show:<\/b> Sultan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Most Bids Sent to Wheresanna & Del Penn Dude<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":421,"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-7076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7076","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\/421"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7076\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}