The Kent Stakes, Purse $300.000, Grade 3, 1 Mile and 1/8th , Turf for 3 Year Olds
In a week that see’s the opening of Del Mar the largest race of the weekend is still at Delaware. On the undercard is this nice turf route in which 4 three year olds will line up to do battle. At the end of this race there will be a new first time stakes winner as each of these 4 horses that have signed on have yet to complete this task. Let’s take a look at the field:
1-Full Of Trinity (D J C Racing Stable)- He has won 3 out of 10 career races and has won 2 out of 5 starts in 2015. He has never stepped foot on the turf course in the afternoons but has been on the turf in the morning and by the work times that he has put up he has at least shown that there is a possibility he make really take to the turf. His most recent try was in a Grade 3 race routing on the dirt where he finished 7th by 3 lengths. Prior to that race he ran back to back good races finishing 2nd by a head then winning by ¾ of a length in N1x races. Will the switch of surfaces really wake this horse up and take him to the graded stakes level? We will find out.
2-Twisted Flyer (MB Stables)- He was gelded prior to his race 5 back and then switched to the turf and has not looked back since then. In those 5 starts since the switch he has hit the board 4 times with a win, 2 seconds, and a third. The most recent race he ran in was a Grade 2 race going a mile on the turf where he had the lead after ¾ of the race but just got run down late. Did being drawn furthest outside in that race for him to run up earlier then he wanted? It looks like that may be a possibility as his best races have come from a stalking trip. Based upon that last race against graded company and the public turf works this has to be one you look at in this race.
3-Mucho Black (Downwind Stables)- Comes into the race on a nice roll since being purchased by Downwind Stables. He has raced 6 times this year and has won half of those races, and finished second in the other half. All of these races have been on the turf and have come at distances between 6 an ½ furlongs to a mile and 1/16th. He has run well in two different overnight stakes this year finishing second in both of them. I am sure that after this horse ran in the BC Juv Turf last year there was higher hopes for winning bigger races early on. This race could be the turning point for him and can get him going down that path. His public turf works are nice and fast and makes him one to watch in this race.
4-Hidden Ranch (Nakamura Stables)- Is taking the biggest step up in class in any horse in the race. He has won 3 races out of 10 career starts, however none of these wins have come on the turf. And more importantly none of these wins have come at a pay track. He has tried turf 3 times with his best finish a 3rd place effort 3 races back at TUP. He does come into the race in nice form having won his last 2 races and finished 3rd 3 back. His most recent mile public turf work is also very nice and appears to be why he was placed here in such a short field. Can he step up and get his first win at a pay track in a graded stakes race? We will find out on Saturday.
This has to be an exciting race for all of the owners in the race as one of them will have a brand new first time stakes winner in there barn. It may be a small field but the stakes win counts the same. Here is my prediction. 2-3-1-4
Warbucks
Categories: Grade III
