8/1/2020
7 SAR Bowling Green (GII)
$250.000 4yo&Up 1 3/8m InTurf 123lbs
We catch a nice field of ten routing turf gents, and there’s a big purse on the line here in the Bowling Green (GII) to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the SAR inner turf course this Saturday. The marathon has drawn a great group of horses with some big credentials and a ton of money in the bank, so it should be fireworks all around. I took Thanks For Nothing on the slightest of edges as my top choice. He won two back in the Man O War (GI) and was closing in the mile and a quarter Manhattan (GI). The distance seems to fit him and that pushed me to his camp. I’ll take Face Your Fears in the second spot, only on the idea that this is a firm course. He really seemed to hate the yielding grass at BEL last out, and that’s enough for me to want him to be on firm footing.
This is going to be a fun one so grab a cold snack and tune in for the festivities.
Here’s The Field –
Nice win in the SJC (GIII) at SA last out and he certainly enjoys the marathon races. This is a bit shorter, but he looks to be in good form right now and could use his speed and rail post position to his advantage. That was his only win this season, but he may be ready to add on to that.
Second part of the three- headed Mb Monster group and probably the outside of the three. He has struggled this season, still looking for his first win of 2020, but he was second last out while facing softer over the WO grass. He’s going to need to tighten up to get any part of this one.
Mb Stables draws the three inside posts for this one and I’m guessing this one will skip out if it rains after that eleventh place bomb in the BEL Gold Cup (GII) which came after a win in the Ft Marcy (GII) just prior to that. Now he will throw a bad race, but he has also put some serious cash in the bank winning big races. He must be given a look.
Another that bounced a bit last out running sixth in the Manhattan (GI) after winning the Man O War (GI) prior to that. Again, he will throw a bad race from time to time but winning at today’s distance two back certainly adds a bit a hope to the overall chances here.
Back-to-back wins to kick-off the 2020 season for the seven year-old but it’s been tougher since then, although he was third in that Man O War (GI) race in May. Seventh last out while facing many of these so he will need to show improvement or it could be a long day on the turf course.
He’s still looking for his first win of the 2020 season but does show a pair of runner-up finishes along with a third, all vs. graded foes, so he certainly could be sitting on a big race and perhaps his first win of the season. He closed well to be third in that BEL Gold Cup (GII) race in his most recent.
Another looking for his first seasonal win and his last pair have been less that competitive as he finished fifth and seventh vs GI foes. He was second in the Kilroe Mile (GI) and has four wins from only fourteen starts, but this is a tough lot and he’s going to need his best to get in the mix here.
This class ol’ boy said don’t ship me off to the breeding shed just yet as he got his first win of the season in the BEL Gold Cup (GII) drawing off to win by two on a yielding turf course. He was also second in the Pan Am (GII) at GP back in Mar, so he’s been tough in two of his last three starts. Don’t ignore him… he can run…
0-for-4 this year so the previous connections decided to part ways with him, so it’s the first start under this trainer. He was tenth in the Manhattan (GI) facing some of these, and drew a less-than-perfect post position although he won at this distance in the Smith Hcp (GIII) to close out last season. He will need to improve.
Another that just didn’t get going in the Manhattan (GI) but did have two wins and a runner-up effort, all against graded horses, prior to that last out bomb. I’d look for him to overcome the post and bounce back in a big way here today.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
