Natalma Stakes, Purse $200, Grade 2, One Mile, Turf for 2 Year Old Fillies
Today at there is a nice set of stakes races that include 2 Breeders Cup win and you’re in stakes and continues on through the weekend tomorrow with 2 more Breeders Cup win and you’re in races as well as some other very nice graded stakes. Here we have a full field of 12 2 year old fillies who are lining up to take their shot at becoming one of the best young turf fillies in the game right now. Let’s take a look at the field and see if we can separate some of these runners :
1-Different Dogma (Stald Gullis)- She has started 3 times in her career and has won 1 race in those starts. Stald Gullis had to think very highly of this horse from the very get go as she started her career in a stakes race but ran 12th of 12 in that race. She bounced back well and won a nice turf MSW race at WO after that stakes race, but failed in her next attempt finishing last of 6 in an allowance race at DMR. She does appear to have come out of that race well and posted a nice mile turf work in her last public work. She has drawn well so we will see what she can do in this race.
2-Smart Babe (Axeman)- She has started 4 times so far with 1 win but has hit the board in 3 out of 4 starts. Her lone turf start was her last start was her last race in an allowance race sprinting at Monmouth Park her she managed to finish 2nd. She also appears to have come out of her last race well as she posted a solid one mile turf work out of that race which helps show me she may be improving at the right time. We will see if the stretch out will help her improve.
3-Childe Of Nature (Night Rider Stables)- She has raced 3 times in her career with 2 of those 3 races being wins with the other being a 2nd place finish. Both of those wins came in the claiming ranks and her last race was a nice win on turf, where new owner Night Rider Stables dipped into the claim box and plucked her out. She posted a nice solid 6 furlong turf work off the claim and she is being stretched out and stepped way up in this race. Will the stretch out to a mile be enough for this one to make a big class jump?
4-Irish Lass (Halo Thoroughbreds)- She comes into the race having run 5 times so far with 3 wins including a 2 race win streak, which also includes a stakes win in her last race sprinting on the turf. This will be her first attempt at stretching out as the furthest she has gone so far is 5 furlongs. Her 7 furlong work last time out shows that she should be able to get the mile and also shows that she came out of the stakes win well and may be one that could be there at the end.
5-Forgive (Spongebob) She comes into this race having run 3 times so far with one of those races a win. The win came 2 races back going 5 furlongs on the turf in a MSW race. She stepped up to a turf sprint stakes off that win and ran 7th of 9 horses in that race. She did come out of that last race well though and posted a nice turf mile work which makes me think that she may like going longer. Will the stretch out be enough to have her step up off her last effort?
6-Last Train To Tulsa (Red Square Stables)- She comes into the race having run just 2 times with one of those runs being a win which came in her last start. That win came in dominating fashion by 4 lengths over the field and it was going a mile on the turf so you know this one can get the distance well. Her mile works have gotten faster out of that win, which makes me think that she could be sitting on a huge race here, and is one that I feel will be battling it out at the end.
7-Laffin Babe (Wild Aces Stables)- She comes into the race winning 1 of her 2 lifetime starts and just like the horse to her inside that win came going a mile on the turf in her last start. She won the race by a nose in that mile turf MSW race and is being run back fairly quickly off that win. She has yet to post a public work off that win so I can’t tell how well she came out of the race or if running back fairly quickly will affect the horse in this race. The fact that she has one at a mile is a positive for sure though.
8- Unintentional (D J C Racing Stable)- She is 1 for 4 in her racing career and that win came 2 races back sprinting on the turf in the first start for current owner D J C Racing Stable. Off that win she was stepped up into a turf stakes sprint where she dead heated for 3rd in that race. She appears to have come out of that stakes race very well and has posted 2 very nice track breezes that give me an indication that she is ready for another step up. She has no mile turf works public so it is hard to tell how much she will step up going long, but she does seem like it may help her out.
9- Stump The Skeleton (Chili King Stables)- She has won 1 out of 4 lifetime starts with 2 second place finishes. Her win came in her first lifetime race, and since then she has tried Stakes Company twice and an OC once. Her lone turf start was last race where she sprinted and finished 2nd. She appears to have come out of that last race well and posted 2 solid works in the morning. She has yet to have a public mile work on turf so it’s hard for me to know for sure if she will enjoy the more ground but I would guess she does.
10- Royal Phooey (Lion King Stables)- She has raced 3 times in her career which includes 1 win. She decided that maiden company was too easy for her so she decided to break her maiden in start #3 in an OC race. That win was very impressive and it was going today’s distance at today’s track in a very nice time. She appears to have come out of that race well and posted some solid public works in the morning which makes me think that she could at least duplicate that race she ran, which may be enough to beat this field today.
11- What A Bargain (Double J Stable) She has run 2 times in her career and is still a maiden but lost by a head last out going 7 furlongs here at Woodbine in a MSW. She has come out of that race well and has been working extremely well in the mornings which I’m sure is why he shows up in this spot while still a maiden. It seems like a nice strategic entry but will have to step up to beat this group but I feel is worth a shot.
12- Narly Kruz (Brave)- She comes into the race a 2 race win streak and has won 2 of her 3 lifetime starts. She is 2 for 2 on the turf and is also a stakes winner on the turf, however that was sprinting but she did go gate to wire to score that win. She only has 2 public works and none after that win so I can not be sure if she came out of the race well or how she will handle the extra distance. Her conformation suggests she may like it but she appears to have a lot of early speed she would need to harness to get there. With that said you still can’t look past the fact she is a proven stakes winner.
This a great 2 year old race with 12 horses who are full of hopes and dreams and owners who have Breeders Cup dreams. There are a lot of horses in this race that look like they can win this race as many of them are working very closely together. With that said I will do my best to try and separate them. Here is my prediction. 10-6-12-9
Warbucks
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
