The Just A Game (Grade 1)- $700.000 Purse
BEL- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
June 8, 2019

The Just A Game is an excellent race for female turf horses, with a generous purse of $700.000 on the line to be won. This Grade 1 race has seen some true stars of the game get the win, including A Little Oblivion in back to back years, and Attraction more recently. Last year, the race was won by Mandy Mo, for Angelos Stable, who unfortunately would never win again. She was recently claimed for $40.000, and sent to the breeding shed. Night Mare Racing is the most successful trainer in the race, having been the proud trainer of A Little Oblivion in 2011 and 2012. Interestingly, none of the trainers in the field this year have ever won the race. So, let’s see who will change that as we look through the field!

#1- La Terrifiant (Our Athletes, ridden by F Geroux)- Starting on the rail, this Pinkman filly will now make her fifth start on the grass. The one time BC Juvenile Fillies champion succeeded as a three year old, but the trainer wanted a little more, so she was moved to the grass late last season. All she has done since then is win a pair of Grade 1’s, including the American Oaks, her grass debut, and then more recently, the Wiley. She didn’t care for the soft turf in her last start, although in the past she has been decent on off tracks. Certainly one of the top contenders here.

#2- Alligator (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- This is certainly a trophy the king of the grass wants to win, and Alligator comes into the race on good form. Her last race saw her run second to stablemate Chai Mission last month at the CD Distaff Turf Mile. She is one of three horses in this field that come out of that race, and those three will be in the three inside starting positions. Prior to that, she won the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at SA and has shown a particular high level of success when running at exactly a mile.

#3- I Justwantthe Purple (Gdp Inc, ridden by Alan Garcia)- She took on both La Terrifiant and Alligator in the CD Distaff Turf Mile last month, and ran third on the soft turf. Now, she will be looking to make her 26th career start, and while she has been consistent in being able to hit the board or otherwise pick up checks for the trainer, she could use some more trips to the winners circle. She was one win in 12 graded starts over the course of her career, coming in late June last year in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes. Maybe she is due for a true signature win, which this would be.

#4- Not Charleigh Now (Gdp Inc, ridden by F Pennington)- While her stablemate has one win in 12 graded starts, Not Charleigh Now is a perfect one-for-one. Her last start, the Grade 3 Beaugay right here at BEL saw her run exceptionally well in the stretch and earn a 98 SRF. Prior to that, she won the ungraded Sand Springs at GP, and one thing each of those races have in common is that the great F Pennington has been her jockey. That is not going to change here, so I would be expecting her to run a good race here. She’s never faced a field quite like this though, but she has been stepping up when the trainer has asked her too.

#5- Track Star (John Henry, ridden by R Bejarano)- The six year old mare will be making her 40th career start, and she is showing no signs of slowing down. As I look at her, what impresses me the most is a recent string of finishes where she has hit the board in 12 out of 13 races, or pushing it out more, 20 of 22 races. There’s a lot of seconds in that stretch, but she’s been winning as well, taking the $100.000 Valentine Stakes for CA-breds in her last start. If there’s a concern, it’s that she really hasn’t taken on graded company much lately.

#6- Cry Out (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by M J Sanchez)- Still relatively lightly raced, when comparing her to her rivals, and is just beginning to find herself now. The trainer claimed her in a $75.000 maiden claimer last fall, and became productive in allowances and optional claimers. This elevated her into a couple of Grade 3 events, where she performed well. This is a jump in class for her, but that’s not the only thing. It’s also her turf debut. Tough way to do it!

#7- Sinuous Beauty (Mb Stables, ridden by C J Lanerie)- This filly looks to pick up the trainer’s first win in this stake, and she may be a bit of an underdog to do so. She has only attempted a graded stake twice, and her most recent is a rather ugly looking race line, but in looking at her full picture, she’s clearly a horse that should be scratched as soon as a raindrop hits the track. The other time was a better third place effort, coming in the Athenia here last October. Otherwise, she really does a great job at being able to win, but this is her toughest competition yet.

#8- Broken Chat (Estero Farms, ridden by L H Colon)- The Chit Chat filly had a successful three year old season that she is looking to duplicate this year. She has not raced all that much in 2019, making only two starts. They were a couple starts at SA, and the best result was in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes, her most recent start in late March, where she was third and within a length. As a three year old, she made a name for herself by winning the Grade 1 Diana at SAR, and ended up with a decent fifth place showing in the BC Fillies and Mares Turf.

#9- Wbf No Regrets (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- After a couple of races on the main track, one of which produced a win in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap in April at the Big A, it’s back to the turf for this one. She has been very successful on the grass, winning half the races she has tried, five out of ten, but none of the wins were in a graded race. Her last two graded attempts on the turf were disappointing, and likely led to the decision to try her out on the dirt. If this doesn’t go well, don’t be surprised if her next start is on the main track.

Prediction: 2-1-8-5

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES