{"id":7308,"date":"2009-02-26T14:18:06","date_gmt":"2009-02-26T14:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blacktypebugler.com\/?p=7308"},"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=7308","title":{"rendered":"Psst .. Your Ute’s open"},"content":{"rendered":"

By ITCH<\/STRONG><\/P>

Awaken from your long winter naps, ye lovers of the Simulated Triple Crown.<\/P>

It’s time to get on the Derby trail!<\/P>

Here in sunny Florida in week 3875, we have the Grade 2 Fountain of Ute<\/STRONG>, one of the early stepping stones each spring to the Bluegrass Derby. It’s late February in the Sunshine State, and one of the early prep races for the first Saturday in May.<\/P>

From the Fountain of Ute alumni newlettter, we have the following:<\/P>

2008: Winner ROMAN PLUTONIUM got waxed in the Derby, fading to 12th after pressing the early pace in second. Since then, he’s won a Grade 2 and has topped the $1 million earnings mark. Runnerup LISTENING missed the Derby, but stayed in one piece. He just ran the best race of his life, a deep-closing second in a Grade 2 for his best speed figure.<\/P>

2007: Winner DEGOLDENSTORM was punished at 14th in the Derby, and has gone badly off form since. Runnerup\u00a0HENIANLAUCH ran third in the Derby, but has been retired after winning only four of 33 career races.<\/P>

2006: This was the disastrous year for the race. It was run on a sloppy track, and had no impact on the Triple Crown whatsover. Winner KISARAN ran only six more times in his career, hitting the board only once before retirement. He never so much as ran a triple-digit speed fig. Runnerup CHINEDU HOLLANDIA also was retired early, after winning only three of 17 lifetime starts. I think the off track doomed the race in 2006 because none of the trainers of the top horses wanted to risk running in the mud. Not a single starter from the 06 Ute made the Derby.<\/P>

2005: Winner ANTICOSTI went on to win the Bluegrass Derby. Then, according to legend, he was injured in a Nerf basketball game. Runnerup SCOTIAN KID failed to make the Derby, but still was a decent horse and ran second in the Grade 2 Mountainous Derby.<\/P>

So, out of the last four years, the Fountain of Ute has played a role in the Derby in two of three years in which the condition of the track did not prevent serious contenders from running. Anticosti won in 05, and Henianlauch ran third in 07. It is well within the realm of possibility that this year’s running could serve as an important prep again.<\/P>

On the other side of the coin, there have been quite a few class horses who have not been at their best in the Fountain of Ute, as they return after long layoffs over the winer for their first race back. That’s the stigma Metallinut<\/EM> will be trying to erase with TIZ SMOKIN NOW<\/STRONG>, or will he? With all those stakes points Tiz Smokin Now accumulated in winning the Grade I Breeders Bowl last fall, he’ll make the Derby if he wants to no matter what this spring, won’t he? Now, maybe I am thinking wrong here, but really, my guess is Metallinut may not have to be in such a hurry here with the Juvenile champ. He can make the Derby, and has the luxury of bringing his horse along the way he would like. Other trainers who still have to qualify for the Derby are going to be in a lot bigger hurry than Metallinut. In the Black and Gold camp, the pressure is off. (Love those silks!) Who knows what the riding options are going to be on Saturday? Maybe this race is just a light prep. Would it make sense that it should be? We’ll see. Metallinut already has crossed up the venerable Trot and Irish, who had the horse going in the Sleepy Fan Stakes in their Bluegrass Derby notes. Those two big-city fellows normally do not get much wrong, and Mr. Irish says the horse wasn’t ready for his last race in December, when he bombed off that Juvenile win to be eighth in the Grade I Eruption. Trotter says the horse does not have the right dosage for a Derby contender. If Tiz Smoking Now runs another unimpressive race in the Ute, racing fans might find themselves saying, “what’s wrong with the Juvenile champ?” In fact, there may be nothing wrong at all. There’s no pressure on Tiz Smoking Now to do anything at all in this race. Adding another note here after the entries were drawn, it’s hard to believe Tiz Smokin Now’s price. 13-1! I mean, I guess I made it plain that I don’t like the horse in the race, but for him to be dismissed at that price is insane.<\/P>

Pointblank’s<\/EM> DESTINY’S GONE<\/STRONG> is No. 6 in the divisional rankings, but has been looking like anything but a Derby contender while backing up in his last two. Even with those two misses, Destiny’s Gone remains highly ranked, what with that Grade I win in the slop three back in the Sparkling Wine Stakes. This speedy horse is beginning to resemble something of a wet-track specialist, and ideally, the Simulated Florida skies would open on Saturday and make a mess of the track. Not going to happen. The weatherman claims a zero percent chance of an off track, and as such, Destiny’s Gone will have to prove he can keep going at a mile and an eigth in a Grade 2 race. Irish’s comment on this horse appears to be in jest: “Speed-Speed-Speed, always works on Derby Day!” On the other hand, Trotter opines that the horse might get better with added ground, and we “could find out in the Ute.” As uninspiring as his last two appear, this horse could move forward in the 3yo rankings with a good race here Saturday. He’ll enhance his chances of making the Derby with stakes points here. A creative handicapper might put Derby aspirations aside and see a horse coming back second off a layoff and potentially sitting on a big race. He’s not going to stop three in a row, is he?<\/P>

Imagine the surprise at the Ejdstables.<\/EM> XTRA TALES<\/STRONG> had been a deep, deep closer for all of his brief racing career. He came from 10th to break his maiden, and closed from ninth to be second in the best race of his life so far, the Grade I Sparkling Wine Stakes, which Destiny’s Gone won. Then, in his last two, Xtra Tales has changed his running style, setting the pace and pressing before fading in the lane. Come to think of it, maybe Ejd was not so surprised after all. Were this horse’s riding instructions changed for his last two? The evidence suggests they might have been. Should the current strategy remain the same, we have an early indication that the pace of the Ute may be quite honest. Off his most recent form, Xtra Tales appears likely to get involved in a pace battle with Destiny’s Gone, who he meets again on the track. This horse was a nice closer in sprint races, but has been a fading speed horse when stretched out to routes. What’s going to happen at nine furlongs? Like Destiny’s Gone, he’s going to have to reverse his current fortunes if he’s going to start looking like a candidate for the Bluegrass Derby.<\/P>

Topicount <\/EM>repaired to the allowance ranks last out to restore the form of NEVER QUIT<\/STRONG>, who had been off the board in consecutive Grade I starts. This chestnut son of Refuse to Bend, a son of the great Sadler’s Wells, already is money in the bank for the ultra-proficient Topicount. Even with Storm Cat as the DDS, this horse cost very little to breed, compared to the big-money shots which would be fired at a graded 3yo race in the spring. Kudos to Topicount for having created this animal in the first place, and may we say? This horse looks to be sitting on a good race here Saturday. Let’s note that facile allowance score was at the exact distance of nine furlongs, and let us expect that Topicount planned it just that way. It’s evident she used that allowance as a perfect prep for the Fountain of Ute. This is a nice colt that showed himself last fall as he relished his first chance at graded competition. There’s just something about this colt I like. I like the name, it seems classic. The horse likes to run on, and he just might have the cards fall perfect for him in this race. I would not be surprised at all if this colt rings the bell here and goes into the Florida Derby with promise.<\/P>

They’ll take back and make one run with CORINTHIAN WAR<\/STRONG>, Seacadet’s <\/EM>promising from-the-clouds colt. It’s hit or miss with this galloper. In eight career races, he’s won three, including a Grade 3 and a non-graded score. So, this is a multiple stakes winner already. However, of those eight career races, Corinthian War has followed a long-established pattern set by horses with his racing style. Sometimes, he just does not fire. Will the fuse be lit on Saturday? Will the extra half-furlong help? That is a question a lot of these colts are facing in this race, whether or not they can extend their class earned at shorter distances to the more classic distance of nine furlongs. A long-held maxim of handicapping states that distance preference is not dependent on running style. All the same, we cannot blame Seacadet for hoping the extra half furlong might somehow help this colt on Saturday. One troubling stat from his past performances is that, the last four times this horse faced a full field, he missed the board three and managed only a third in the other. At least it looks like he’ll have a pace to aim at.<\/P>

Waremblem<\/EM> has been winning a lot of races with DUKE OF NORMANDY<\/STRONG>, a son of Bluegrass Cat who is an impressive five for eight lifetime. The horse has been in the exacta seven of eight races, and his only miss was in the Juvenile last fall. He was a badly beaten 11th in the Juvenile, and despite his proclivity for winning, that race will leave some questions to be answered on Saturday. Duke of Normandy lost to a lot of his opponents in the Ute in the Juvenile, and he’ll be trying to turn the tables here. Can he do it? What would inspire confidence? For one, we take heart that that colt has earned his two top lifetime speed figures, 99 and 97, while racing 8.5 furlongs. Like several others, he gets a distance test stretched out to nine here, but suggests he’ll be able to handle it with those speed figures. Also, it’s easy to like this horse’s tactical speed. He’s not hell-bent on the lead like some others above him, but he does have the speed to be close. He’s shown he can lay close and finish to win, like he did two back in a short field. One troubling aspect of Duke of Normandy’s past performances is the fact he’s so rarely faced a full field. Breeders Bowl day was the only time he faced a full field of 14, so he’ll have to prove he can do it in traffic on Saturday.<\/P>

Something tells me the morning line oddsmaker in Florida might be a woman. Why? Because she’s in love with Fernando.<\/EM> The oddsmaker makes his VALDESTALE<\/STRONG> the co-favorite with Corinthian War and Xtra Tales at 7-1, this despite the fact that the chestnut daughter of Tale of the Cat qualifies all the way down here in seventh place. As we know, the Sim oddsmaking machines relies heavily on speed figures, so our expectation is met when we see Valdestale has been consistently good in the speed figure department in her last three. Her figures of 97, 94 and 96 are impressive and do match up perfectly with the field. However, in a 3yo stake like this, you would have to expect that the computer would have a hard time generating an accurate morning line because everybody’s speed figures are similar. Everyone is in the 90s. I can see moving a horse’s price based on the difference from 110 to 100, but parimutuel permutations on the difference between 97 and 95 are pointless. The heart of the story here, of course, is whether a filly can handle herself against the boys in the Ute. Perhaps working in her favor is her running style. Like Corinthian War, you’ll see her take back and make one run. So, that means that she’s not going to have to lock horns in a protracted battle with any colts. She’ll either be passing them or not catching them, however the case may be.<\/P>

Like Fernando, Fetti <\/EM>waited until Wednesday afternoon to pull the trigger with DRUNKEN FISH<\/STRONG>, who draws the rail and goes to post at 9-1. Fetti took his time in deciding whether the Ute was the right spot for his chestnut son of Awesome Again. The preparation of Drunken Fish for the Ute reminds us clearly of the path which Topicount has taken with Never Quit. Both had preps at the exact distance last out in allowance company. And, both won. Fetti found a very likely spot indeed for a nice purse in Kentucky. Only four went to post in that N3x allowance, and Drunken Fish was in control the whole way. It’s worth noting that the colt earned his best lifetime speed figure at 95 in the race, the first time he was stretched to nine furlongs. That has to be encouraging as it suggests ability at the distance. It’s a very nice speed figure to have been earned both at the distance and against the short field of only four. Normally, a short field means a reduced speed figure, as there is reduced competition and horses don’t have to run so fast to beat so few. What it may mean is that Drunken Fish can run a lot faster than a 95 at the nine furlong distance if pressed. And, he’ll get pressed for sure on Saturday. It’s a long jump from a short field of four in an n3x allowance to a full field of 14 in a Grade 2. Drunken Fish will have to be at his best to contend, but there’s something to like in the way the horse is coming up to the race.<\/P>

KING OF DARKNESS<\/STRONG>, a chestnut son of Kingmambo, was pretty good on the grass. Considering his lineage, it’s no wonder that Kingfaust <\/EM>started this colt out on the turf. In his first four starts, all on the lawn, King of Darkness was a respectable 4:1-1-1, having broken his maiden and been second in an N1X. However, when King of Darkness was a disappointing fourth in a turf stake, the decision was made to try him on the main track. He responded beautifully with a string of fast races that has landed him in the Grade 2 Fountain of Ute. If Triple Crown glory is to await this turf-to-dirt story, King of Darkness will have to prove he can handle the class and distance challenges which are presented to him here Saturday. The horse never has raced in graded company before, and he’s never raced this far before. True, King of Darkness has raced nicely in non-graded company at a mile and a sixteenth. But, his stakes win was against a short field of four. The speed figures fit, but that third-place finish last out against only seven in a non-graded race does not exactly inspire a ton of confidence. It could be that the horse is going to be more effective at nine furlongs than eight, however.<\/P>

Hollandia2<\/EM> thought long and hard before finally deciding to enter ADRASTOS,<\/STRONG> who will be asked a severe distance question here on the stretchout from six furlongs all the way to a mile and an eighth. Adrastos was the last horse entered in the Ute. Hollandia2 did not hit the button until 3:33 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, bumping Lordpye’s OIL PRODUCER from the race. We can be sure this thrilled the Pye Man to no end, as Oil Producer is a hot filly who may have had a chance coming in with a big speed fig in a route. Adrastos has a big speed figure coming in as well, but it was in a sprint. The brown son of the little-known Australian sire Zeditave popped a 101 last out while closing to be second in a short field of six in a non-graded sprint race. Before that, Adrastos established his class by finishing second in a Grade I sprint. The horse has shown the ability to close strongly in classy sprint races, but it remains to be seen if he can do it going nine furlongs. This colt tries a new ballgame in the Ute.<\/P>

The classiest outfit in all of Sim racing shows up down here in the 11th qualifying position. The Evil Empire’<\/EM>s SAMSTA<\/STRONG>G has only started four times, and thus has not had much time on the track to earn stakes points. His only try in stakes company came last out in a non-graded stake, and he did not disappoint, closing to win while going a flat mile. That made it three in a row for this late-running son of Smart Strike. At 11-1, Samstag has to rate the status of live longshot. First and foremost, you have to consider the colors this colt carries. A guy does not win five races on Breeders Bowl day for nothing, and any stakes horse which Lenny sends out has to be given extra consideration. A Lenny horse with a three-race winning streak being pointed toward the Triple Crown? Let’s just say Samstag may deserve a second glance. I know it was only his first-level allowance condition, but that win two back was really an eye-catcher. This horse was seven and three-quarter lengths behind at the second call, and won the race by four and a half. He moved more than 12 lengths on that field. Like several others in here, Samstag is challenged by the distance and class of the Ute. Somehow, the others don’t give off the same smell of TNT that this one does.<\/P>

Marcol’s <\/EM>SAVA FRIEND<\/STRONG> is another colt for whom it’s not hard to make a case, even though he’s qualified all the way down here in 12th. But for another length, this son of the Australian sire Savabeel (noticing that the horse is listed as a New Zealand bred but yet, on the horse’s page, the sire is listed as Australian) would be much farther up the qualifying list. He came charging in the Grade 3 Giant Slayer Classic to be third, beaten only a length for all the money. Dismissed at 12-1 in the Giant Slayer, Sava Friend surprised with the best race of his career. He earned his best-ever speed figure, a 97, and finished even closer than he had in previous tries at the non-graded stake level. The fact that he ran so much better with the added distance of the Grade 3 race is especially encouraging for the Ute and its nine furlongs. What effect will the added half-furlong have on this late-runner’s kick? If he runs back to the Giant Slayer, this colt could have an impact here.<\/P>

DERBY HAACK<\/STRONG> is a speedy allowance graduate who’s shooting for the moon here a bit, jumping all the way from N4L to Grade 2. Haack<\/EM> has been keeping this fast son of Ghostzapper away from stakes competition, but no more. He’s taking his shot here in the Ute, and we’ll know right away whether he’s got a chance at the upset. This horse should break quickly from the gate and go to the front, if he’s going to run a winning race. It would be a bit of a surprise if this horse had the ability to sit off the pace and pass Grade 2 horses to win. (Although he did the trick in allowance company when a pressing second). More likely, he’s going to need the lead on this kind of class jump. There are some classy speed horses in here, including top-level qualifiers Destiny’s Gone and Xtra Tales, but they might get a test from Derby Haack. You have to fear this horse a little bit even with the precipitous class jump. He’s by Ghostzapper and could be any kind. He’s got plenty of speed.<\/P>

Finally, we have SCAT BRUSH<\/STRONG> for good, old graywolf.<\/EM> When he’s not busy jetting off to Vegas for another try in the handicapping championships, graywolf recreates by playing the Sim in his own unique way. He takes shots that maybe some other players would not take, both in terms of placement and breeding. It is this spirit of individualism that one might expect to see in an expert handicapper. Graywolf is an independent thinker, which is reflected somewhat again in the placement of Scat Brush here in another graded race. Many Sim trainers would have had enough when they watched their horse soundly trounced in three consecutive graded races, but there is something that tells graywolf he’s worth another chance. This colt is a deep closer who has not been effective yet in graded races, but he’s taking another shot here and will go to post as the longest shot in the Ute.<\/P>

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY!!!!!<\/STRONG><\/P><\/FONT><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Early Derby prep loaded with promise<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":225,"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-7308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7308","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\/225"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7308\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}