San Diego Handicap – Grade II
DMR Race #6 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
As usual this is one of those handicaps with very little handicap at all. Just 1Lb separates all the runners bar one and even he only has 3Lbs more than anything else. So its called a handicap but in reality its just a race with allowances and penalties removed leaving an even field where as usual anything could win.
1 Eastern General Chili King Stables Desormeaux K J
This six year old has won 17 races and is on his seventh owner, a success story in itself. A winner of over $200.000 he has never been bought or sold for more than $20.000 and was claimed by their current owner for $15.000 from a claimer back in February. Such is the similarity of most of the horses at HRP he has gone from years of contesting claimers and low end allowances to running pretty much the same in high end allowances and stakes races. So where does all that put him for this race? Well he loves this trip and as a mature horse has a slight advantage over the younger horses on level weights and has always recorded good speed figures in his races. On the balance of form he shouldnt be a contestant but here at HRP he almost the same chance as everyone else if he gets a good trip from this box and a bit of luck.
2 Tragic Aer Stables Fuentes Ru
Bought for just ten dollars after running some good races from a trainer that has been inactive all year has in itself a twist of intrigue about it but mark my words this horse could just be the dark horse in the race. Given a pipe opener after a year off the track this horse was really on the up when his trainer stopped playing HRP having won the SUN Handicap with a speed rating of 100. His work outs suggest he has retained plenty of ability and if he is back to where he was last year then he could easily be a contender off the perfect draw.
3 Game Cent Mb Stables Prat F
Another interesting runner this time from the champion stable this four year old winner of seven races is moving up through the grades these days and could be a hope from a decent draw. After a successful 2018 where he wasnt really tested he has been stepped up this year running well and winning one at ungraded level and then finishing close up in the New Orleans Handicap and the CD. In both those races he has been steaming home late and i feel his trainer may try and put him closer to the front today to try and buck that losing trend. I still think this trip may prove a little sharp for him but with strong speed figures and competitive work times he certainly wouldnt look out of place in the winners circle.
4 Shootfromthehip Nakamura Stables Franco G
This grand horse and former winner of the KYD may be seen as a depreciating asset but for me whilst he isnt the horse he was as a three year old he still retains enough ability to give this race a serious shot. Lets not forget he was beaten less than a length in the BC Dirt Mile when fourth last year and has already won at grade three level this year when taking the Mineshaft Handicap off the same weight. His last three starts have been from difficult gates and he gets a much better box today a fact which i think brings him right into it. Whilst his results have slipped his work times havent so there is no reason why the former KYD winner cant get involved in this.
5 Nice Distorted Laff Night Rider Stables Maldonado E
Beaten by Shootfromthehip in the Mineshaft Handicap he looks to have improved since running close up in the Ali and then winning the Eclipse last time recording a speed figure of 100. Sadly that last win means he is 2Lbs worse off with his rival and carries top weight despite having won just one seventh of the purse that Shootfromthehip has. If he wins this under top weight then he will have to be a very good horse but whilst i expect him to be competitive i feel the task may be too much.
6 American Phuegoah The A Stable Espinoza A
A fairly successful sprinter his excellent fourth in the grade one Vanderbilt Handicap was a career best last year but whilst he won an allowance on debut over a sprint trip his trainer has persisted with the odd route race and he finally came up trumps when winning a statebred over this trip last time. There is no doubt he has bags of speed but this is a big ask for a horse that has yet to break the $100.000 purse bracket after 12 races. His works are solid though and in this game pretty much anything can happen so its impossible to write him off.
7 Charleys Agent Joshua Stables Blanc B
A consistent three year old he won the Coolmore Lexington and the PIM Special last year before being competitive in a good few more competitive three year old stakes races. After a failure in the Alysheba in the mud Joshua Stables bought from Mb Stables for $150.000 preferring his previous excellent second in the GP Mile on a faster track. An experimental run in an overnight over seven furlongs should have told the new trainer all they needed to know and i think this horse is primed for a big run. The draw could be better but this horse has good form on the board and his works are strong so goes firmly into the hat of possible winners.
8 Minutes Hand Mb Stables Espinoza V
The second runner from the stable he is a similar type to his stable companion with some good form but has the harder draw to deal with. He made the running from a similar draw in the OP Handicap and ran a really good race to end up third, form that puts him right in this. He tried teh front again in the Foster Handicap last time but went too fast and weakened badly into last. I wonder whether he will be used for his stable companion here because that other horse needs a test of stamina but if given a fair chance he wont be far off them.
9 Dogs Noah Maxmillion Farm Garcia Mar
This horse has always promised a little more than he has delivered but has some decent form behind him and rates a chance along with everything else. Third in the Eclipse in May he has a bit to find with Nice Distorted laff on that form and didnt frank the form when weakening off the lead from a wide draw in the Iselin Stakes when fifth. Could easily win but he’s not in my shortlist.
10 Stalwart Warrior Nakamura Stables Pereira T J
This trainer has had their fair share of wide draws recently but their experience has shone through and they have been in great form. This one has form that is typical of HRP, places in graded stakes and defeats in allowances but all of his success has been on turf and though he ran well last time in a dirt allowance i am not sure he is quite good enough on this surface to overcome the draw. Dont get me wrong he has the form to win this but he would need a good few things to go his way and that may be too much to ask.
SUMMARY
A trappy handicap where everything has a chance mainly thanks to the even weights i think i may end up supporting Shootfromthehip to recapture his glory days but i am very wary of Tragic and American Phuegoah.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
