<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>
<\/SPAN>Grade II The Nakayama Handicap <\/SPAN><\/B>
$1,200,000, All horses 4 Year Olds and Up
One Mile and one eighth (9 F) \u00a0<\/SPAN>
Track:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Turf Good<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>
<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>Local racegoers will be crowding the grandstand in spite of the\u00a0damp forecast as nine older horses take to the track to compete in the 1st<\/SUP> Edition of the $1.2M Grade II The Nakayama Handicap \u00a0<\/SPAN>over nine furlongs of \u201cgood\u201d turf in Japan.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A highly competitive field will parade to the post featuring morning line favourite RODE ME HARD(KY) 40oz <\/I><\/B>closely followed by several others in here at 4\/1 and 9\/2.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/I><\/B>Actor <\/I>Bruce Willis<\/B> of Die Hard Fame performed the post position draw honours for the big race and was quoted as saying \u201cI thought they said come out to the Nakatomi but I knew I blew that %$&+# up twenty years ago!\u201d<\/I>\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Let\u2019s examine the field complete with quotes from the owner\/trainers \u2026<\/o:p><\/B><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>Race Analysis<\/SPAN><\/U><\/B> by Hladun<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>PP 1:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>116882\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>THEATRICAL TRAILER(IRE)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>coolk2<\/I>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(6\/1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>70<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>This five year old son of Theatrical comes into this race off of a win in the Grade II Sanders Stakes at today\u2019s distance of nine furlongs.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A monumental race in his career given that it was his first graded stakes attempt and put on a incredible show to boot with a 112 speed figure in wiring the field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With seven wins in fourteen career starts and coming off of two consecutive stakes wins, he\u2019s a dangerous dude right now as he\u2019s fresh and fast.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A major player here.<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u201cHe\u2019s been kicking the stall door down all week.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m expecting a huge effort here<\/SPAN><\/I>\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN>coolk2<\/I><\/B>\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>PP 2:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0 <\/SPAN>8666 \u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>NORTHERN BAY II(KY)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>supapogs9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/I>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>(9\/2)\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>30<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>This four year old son of North Light(IRE) is another high percentage shooter and comes into this race looking to rebound from his latest. \u00a0<\/SPAN>He exits the Grade III Strange Brew Turf Handicap where he was in striking position as they turned for home but didn\u2019t have it late finishing third beaten five lengths.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He did win the Grade II Boston Derby and the Grade III Haw Haw Derby this past fall.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This is his prefered distance and if sharp may turn the tables here on this group.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u201cWe scoped him after his last and he\u2019s fine.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Without a reason we\u2019ll chalk that last up to an off day and hope for a rebound here\u201d<\/SPAN><\/I>\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>supapogs9<\/I><\/o:p><\/B><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/I><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>PP 3:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>77269\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>BOWLED SHANE(IRE)<\/SPAN><\/B>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>cozzene99\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/B><\/I>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>(4\/1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>194<\/o:p><\/B><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>With eight career wins to his credit, this five year old son of Bahri has performed well in non-graded stakes races to date having paced in several of them.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He has posted three consecutive triple digit speed figures and has failed to hit the board in only one of his last eight races.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This distance may prove to be a tad short for him though he\u2019s handled it in the past.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The acid test.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u201cWe think he\u2019s earned the chance to prove he belongs in graded company so here we are\u201d<\/SPAN><\/I>\u00a0 <\/SPAN>cozzene99<\/I><\/B>\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>PP 4:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>73252\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>RODE ME HARDER(KY)\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>40oz<\/I>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(3\/1)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>45<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>This four year old son of Rahy has won his last three races over the turf and ten of seventeen overall.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He comes out of the Grade III Strange Brew Turf Handicap where he crushed the field at today\u2019s distance winning going away by over two lengths.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A monster performance, he ran the nine furlongs in 1:46:4 with a 116 speed figure.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A repeat of that effort takes this going away!<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u201cThat was a monster effort in his last.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>My only concern going into this one is the bounce factor. He\u2019s been eating hardy all week so I think he\u2019s primed for another stellar outing\u201d <\/SPAN><\/I>\u00a0<\/SPAN>40oz<\/I><\/B><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P>\u00a0<\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/B><\/P>