The Hurricane Bertie – Grade III
GP Race #2 7f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $150.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.
1 Moment To Remember Nakamura Stables Kimura K
A lightly raced five year old she moved gradually through the grades before taking on stakes racing and has had 5 black type races now with varying success. On the plus side she won the Dream of Summer Stakes and ran well on seasonal debut in The Bayakoa when a strong if one paced third. But on the other side she ran a couple of poor races in grade three’s at the end of the year including a pretty weak ninth in the Seaway over this trip. Her works continue to be pretty good and she has a decent draw and the Nak factor on her side but there are a few here that are better form chances than her.
2 Ginger Nightshade The Sidley Stud Ortiz J L
This four year old has certainly got some of the ability of her sire and yet strangely none of his or the dams stamina. Sprinting for her entire career she has done pretty well picking up six races but this is a step up after her nice win in the Broadway last time out. She has the draw on her side but will need things to go wrong for one or two of the others to find the winners circle.
3 You Just Have 2 Wait Estero Farms Lopez P
The winner of the grade one Test over this trip would normally be enough to convince me this would be the winner of a race like this. Add to that a very good draw and a decent seasonal debut and you would have to put this one onto the top of most lists.
4 Truly Deeply Madly Jive Inc. Landeros C
This five year old has been a competitive mare for most of her career albeit at a lower level than this. The winner of 8 races her best result ina race of this level was when a distant third in the Rampart at the end of last year. That wouldnt be good enough form to win this but she looked pretty strong when making all to win the La Coneja Stakes on seasonal debut so she wouldnt be without a chance.
5 Eros Smokey Stover Bravo J
If You Just Have 2 Wait has a winning chance then this one should be a certainty based on her impressive win in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint last year. She has proved a little inconsistent which is a small worry and whilst her third in the Fritchie Stakes on seasonal debut was OK it wasnt the sort of run i would expect from a BC Champion. Its hard yo trust she will bring her A game but if she does she could win by a couple of lengths.
6 Puerto Princesa Paradise Stable Prado E S
The winner of the MTH Oaks last year after making all the running she has been brought back in trip recently as she wasnt seeing out the longer trips so well but it hasnt seemed to improve her taste for a fight at the end of her races. An on pace sort i wonder whether her trainer will try a more restraining tactic today in an effort to help that but there is also the hope that she will get a soft lead and slip the field so a lot will ride on how the race pans out for this four year old.
7 Snakie Hippie Girl First Street Stables Juarez N
The winner of four she has shown snippets of ability including a good win in the Seaway last year but her seasonal debut run and recent works has me a bit concerned that she may struggle as a four year old. Having said that if she brings her best race she will go close and sometimes its hard to tell at HRP whether a horse is declining or just having a bad day.
8 Four Left Feet Mb Stables Wilson E J
She came from relative obscurity last year to take the very competitive KD Ladies Sprint and she comes from Mb Stables which normally means the horses get a length head start so comes here with a very good chance despite a difficult draw.She looked like she was in tip top form on seasonal debut taking an open allowance by an impressive length in a fast time so she looks to have trained on well enough too. If Mb can work their magic with this draw she may well start favorite for this race.
9 Steady Sneaks John Henry Zayas E J
A decent sort but she doesnt win too often and this draw will make it very hard for her to beat a fairly strong field. Her works have been strong this year and she is capable so with some favors from the race engine she could get involved in the finish.
SUMMARY
Its hard to get away from the BC Champ but she is a bit of a hit and miss sort and i couldnt be that confident that she will run her best race. You Just Have 2 Wait has a good enough draw to win and may be attractive odds so is my number one choice but i am wary of Four Left Feet who may just prove to be the best filly in the race.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
