Six closely matched older fillies and mares take to the dirt course at SAR for the 1 1/8 mile Shuvee Handicap for a purse of $200.000 Sunday. These lasses are so tight the overall weight difference is one pound and the latest SRF numbers are one point apart. In this reporter’s opinion, narrow favouritism goes to Nakamura Stables’ Eviction off an impressive third in the grade 1 Phipps Stakes at BEL last month. She is the only horse in this race to have recent grade 1 experience and certainly the only horse in the race to recently grab a check in a grade 1. The distance might be a little challenging, but she’s handled it before.

Team 7 Illusions’ Jesse The Stewardess woke up smartly last out with a third-place finish in the 1 ¼ mile grade 2 DEL Handicap at DEL earlier this month after having problems in her two previous runs. Her SRF 95 is second best in the race just behind the favourite’s 96. The lightly-raced filly seems to be finding her niche, and this race is right in the groove for her. I really like her at 1 1/8 miles and think she could be just as likely first across the finish as her other competitors. Also just as likely to win is Had Some Drinks from Mb Stables which finished a game third in the grade 2 Fleur De Lis Handicap at CD last month. This lass has had but seven starts and been in the money six, the last two being thirds in graded stakes.

Another lightly-raced lass is Sanny Village’s Triple P which won her first stakes last out in the Ladys Secret Stakes at MTH. That race was her first try at a distance over a mile seventy, and she held on well enough to win at long odds. Add another 1/8 mile and she should be a factor. TwinTowersRacing Ineffable has had a little trouble working her way into graded racing, but managed a closing fourth in the grade 3 Chicago Handicap last month at AP. She seems to be developing into a graded stakes runner, and the added distance could help a lot. D J C Racing Stables’ Long December has disappointed in back to back graded stakes efforts after winning the Sis City at AQU back in March. She may need a little seasoning before she is a factor at the wire.

It looks to me that there could be a log jamb at the wire, and any of the first three on my handicap could take the whole thing. I look for an exacta of Eviction, Jesse The Stewardess and Had Some Drinks.

SAR Race 7
1 1/8 mile 3 yo up The Shuvee Handicap Purse: $200.000
Horse                                 Owner                                     Odds           SRF
Eviction                              Nakamura Stables                   *3-1            96
Jesse The Stewardess        Team 7 Illusions                       7-2             95
Had Some Drinks              Mb Stables                               4-1             94
Triple P                              Sanny Village                           9-2              94
Ineffable                            TwinTowersRacing                   5-1              94
Long December                 D J C Racing Stables                8-1              94

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES