NM Thoroughbred Futurity
6 furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $160.000 Three-Year-Old And Upward. At ALB
This is only the tenth running of NM Thoroughbred Futurity, and it is an intriguing indicator of financial potential. I mean, since it’s an ungraded State restricted stakes, you wouldn’t really expect the results would produce an indication of a horse that will do very well financially, but in looking at the winners from the nine years the race has been run, every winner has gone on the earn money, not massive bank accounts, but decent earners. There are no millionaires on the list, but half that is not unusual. For instance, the winner of the first edition then called NM Classic Juvenile was Miata Farm’s Grey Massine which earned $324.020 in his long career. That sort of thing, some earned over $600.000, so that’s what the winner of this edition has to look forward to. This year the field is only six, but they are a closely matched bunch with a lot of promise. In running through the entries, J found that just about any horse you looked at could make a case for the win. Eventually, I settled with the filly Neon Damascus from Mb Stables as the dominant choice off her overpowering win last out. Also, I think that at this time of year, fillies still have a bit of a developing edge. Still, it’s anyone’s race. Here’s the field:
Horse Owner Odds SRF
Neon Damascus Mb Stables *2-1 90
Main Man Bears Stable 3-1 88
Two Blitzed Asgar 4-1 90
Rattler King T Boy Racing 9-2 89
El Jefe Night Rider Stables 5-1 89
1 Neon Damascus Mb Stables 90
The most experienced horse in the race, Neon Damascus comes to this race off her second win, an open margin romp in a local allowance race for State Breds. Purchased from Night Mare Racing for $21.000, Mb Stables immediately proved it a wise buy by winning at first asking in a SUN State Bred maiden. She had rough go of it in the bigs until some sharp mile works led her to a promising third in a DMR router. Pedigree, works and that sharp win last makes me think the King gets another stakes win. At this time of year, I have no problem with a filly taking on the lads since they frequently display more maturity.
2 Rattler King T Boy Racing 89
In the money both of his races, Rattler King’s victory locally puts us on notice that he will be a force to be reckoned with coming to the wire. His public works are good enough for this field, but I wonder if this horse is so young as a March born, that he may be at a disadvantage against all these older horses.
3 Brentwood Bears Stable 90
Brentwood has a bit less experience than his stablemate but was very close in a competitive race at FL which makes me think he will appreciate the added distance and manage to be involved down the lane. Overall, his works could be better, but the five-furlong blow out for the FL race was a corker and adds to his promise here.
4 Main Man Bears Stable 88
Main Man has had four starts and been in the money in each, including two close places in the money at LAD. That is enough to expect a strong showing in this race. His most recent work shows him coming into competitive shape at this level.
5 El Jefe Night Rider Stables 89
Night Rider Stables picked up El Jefe from Arkansas Elite for $16.000 as he was winning the maiden claimer he was taken from. That fact gives the trainer the opportunity to risk the horse for $25.000, and he got his second win in an AQU claimer in the fastest six-furlong win of this crowd. The fact that his last race was a win at a high-level track indicates he has as much chance to win here as any other.
6 Two Blitzed Asgar 90
At a glance Two Blitzed may look a little inexperienced, but that short distance win at RUI was impressive. But what sways me to place this horse forward in the handicap are the works which are consistently the best of this field. If this race was determined on works alone, this would be the winner.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded