Breeders Futurity – Grade I [BC] [KYD]
KEE Race #9 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $400.000 For Two Year Olds.

1 Marine One Smokey Stover Bejarano

This one hasn’t had too many favors from the draw monster but today gets his chance to go one length better than he did in his last two. On the go since the first week of April he won the Tremont in June from a bad draw and then went on to run a good third in the Sanford. Being by Sate Police you would always imagine he would be better over a longer trip and that was confirmed in his last and best run in the DMR Futurity last time. It seems funny to say a tenth place finish was his best career run but he was only beaten a length and made up a ton of ground at the end.

2 Di Home Run Hitter Patterson Stables Stein J

Had the perfect draw in the Bashford Manor and ran a stinker and then had a terrible draw in the Iroquois and ran home strongly for third…..go figure. Maybe it was the step up in trip, maybe it was just one of those things but he gets another perfect draw today so we will be able to see which of those two runs are his true self.

3 Full Body Cast Mb Stables Davis D

Finished right upsides Marine One when ninth beaten a length in the DMR Futurity. It is impossible to read form in the two year old races this year but he gets a great draw today and is one of the proven commodities in the race. Previously third in both the Best Pal and the Bashford Manor there is no reason he can’t win and no reason he couldn’t be a one length tenth. The trainer and jockey combination along with fast works and a proven class gene will make him a popular choice.

4 Sports Page Aer Stables Saez G

Finished a HRP mile in front of Full Body Cast and Marine One in the DMR Futurity, of course a HRP mile is about a quarter length so don’t get too excited. A front runner who is working strongly he got a soft lead to easily win his maiden but had to work much harder in the Futurity giving way in the final furlong to end up third. He gets a decent draw to go to the front again and if there isn’t too much speed he will be hard to pull back.

5 Glorious And Free Estero Farms Hernandez R M

Went from a poor tenth in the Best Pal to a bullish second in the Iroquois with the only difference being the draw. Wide draws don’t tend to suit horses that like to run the stalk and he was never able to find a spot in the Best Pal. From a better draw in the Iroquois he ran much better stalking the lead and ending up second. The draw is OK for him and if Sports Page goes to the lead he may be able to slot into the stalk, a place chance again.

6 Into Pieces Mb Stables Gaffalione T

He was looking pretty good when taking the Hoover Stakes and then ran a terrific race from a wide draw in the SAR Special when flying late to be beaten a length into seventh. That set him up nicely for the Hopeful but he ran pretty terribly in that ending up last but in true HRP style was only four lengths off the winner. He has since been gelded which may be the key and he worked a very nice 1.37 and 1 which seems to be a bench mark work at the moment.

7 Bespoke First Class Stable Desormeaux K J

Unbeaten in his first two starts he flew home in the AP Washington Futurity to be second beaten just a quarter length and outside the ‘big’ stables he may be the one to upset the apple cart.

8 Grande Geek Mb Stables Beschizza A

Won a good maiden and then the grade three Sanford and was then made favorite for the Hopeful last time. Drawn wide a tactical error was made and he went back to last place and left his move far too late getting a chequered run and ending up seventh. He was only beaten two lengths in the end and i think it was a better effort than it looked. All three of the Mb Stables runners have chances but all three have been recently beaten at this level so it is by no means a case of just picking one to win.

9 Turfway Patterson Stables Ryan S

After two maiden defeats he was gelded and then cleared out to win a competitive maiden at SAR. He has one of the fastest works for the dirt six in the field so if he can cope with the wide draw would have to be a decent chance.

10 Heffalump Hanny Jive Inc. Velazquez J R

If nothing else i want this horse to win just to hear his name out loud and to be honest there is no reason why he can’t win. He was huge in winning the Rio Grande Senor Futurity by four lengths last time and even though all of his 4 runs have been over sprint trips he looks the sort who will get this trip. I would be very keen if he was drawn inside but this draw will be a real test for him in a race where i have no doubt just a few lengths will cover them all.

11 Breath Of The Wild Smokey Stover Bridgmohan S X

The second stable runner he may struggle from this draw too as he is an on pace type and that is difficult from the car park. Another by State Police so he should get the trip but it is more down to what the race engine does with him. A little one paced in the Funny Cide last time when second this will be a big step for him.

12 Brave Companion Nakamura Stables Franco G

The Nak factor has worked many miracles this year and whilst this horse has the form to win this he will need all the help from his trainer to get him home. Beaten two lengths when ninth when drawn wide in the SAR Special he went on to win the AP Washington Futurity last time seeing out the mile strongly and beating Bespoke by a quarter length. He had the perfect draw that day and is drawn way out again today so he will need plenty of favors from the race engine to get a run at them late.

SUMMARY

These two year olds races get closer every year with it being unheard of to have more than four lengths covering all the runners at the end. That means the result can be largely down to luck in running so it can pay to pick a stable with three tickets in the lottery. Mb Stables has chances with all their runners but in an effort to seek some value i am going for Turfway to surprise them all.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES