The 18th Running of The Prioress-G2
September 4, 2021 16:10
SAR Race #10 $250.000 6 Furlongs Dirt
3YO Filles 122 Lbs
Track Record-1:07.92 (Magni-2004)
Stakes Record-1:08.95 (Dead Ant Dead Ant-2015)
Nine sophomore fillies have signed-on for the $250.000 G2 Prioress at SAR on Saturday. Along with the purse, a total of 12 points for the G1 BC Filly & Mare Sprint will be on the line in the six furlong contest. Team 7 Illusions (2007, 2018) is the only two-time winning trainer in the event’s history and R. A. Baze (2006, 2013) leads all jockeys with two winning mounts. Here is the field for the 2021 edition of The Prioress-G2:
#1 Power Walk (Mb Stables/J.R. Velazquez): Rail horse hails from the big barn (two stablemates occupy outer-third stalls) and cuts back in distance for her first sprint try since February. Last race was too bad to be believed so think it’s safe to just draw a line through it and move on. Has sprint form from back at the beginning of her career and, if the last is truly a throwout, she has talent aplenty to take advantage of this draw. Expect a different filly on Saturday than the one you saw in G1 CCA Oaks.
#2 Bronx Belle (Arindel/L. Saez): She won two of her first three starts to begin her career, but hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since August of 2020. Tries to end a 13-race losing streak while breaking from this advantageous post though she hasn’t really shown the early foot in the afternoons that would make her an obvious choice here. Best hope to factor appears to be a complete pace meltdown, but she’ll need a number of things to go just right for her to take these gals down.
#3 Smiling Lucy (Nakamura Stables/V.R. Carrasco): Bounced-out of her near miss in G3 Victory Ride with a tune-up allowance score at ELP last month. Gal has been in fine form since the spring and any sort of improvement on the July effort at BEL makes her a major player. From this post, we could see her anywhere early, but feel like she will be very prominent late regardless of where she does her early work. Definite exotics possibility at the least.
#4 Ms Joyce (RNP Stables/F. Pennington): Gets the same post she had last month in G1 Test. Battled on the front-end throughout that contest before settling for third. Was able to defeat G2 foes over this course last year, but hasn’t defeated graded foes since. Biggest win came from well back when breaking from the 11-hole, so not sure the tactics translate; however, is capable of showing improvement and should be able to get her desired trip from the four hole.
#5 Brooklyn Bride (Big Jd Racing/T. Gaffalione): Last four efforts have been over the lawn sporting a 4-1-2-1 record in those races. In those turf races, she was much closer to the pace than what she showed in her dirt races, so it will be interesting to see what kind of trip she gets from this middle of the field draw. Can’t argue with the grass results and if the running style transfers, she can at least contend for a piece on Saturday.
#6 Wow (D J C Racing Stables/F. Geroux): Star Shoots victress at WO tried consecutive G3 routes in her two latest tries. Was close to the pace in both of those 8.5 furlongs races; however, results seemed to justify the turn-back to 6 panels. They went three lengths slower in the G3 IND Oaks and she capitalized on her stalking trip to be 2nd. Different pace scenario resulted in different finish in G3 MTH Oaks. Will need to run hard throughout to factor in this one.
#7 Mycrazyexgirlfriend (Mb Stables/S.X. Bridgmohan): Barn’s second entrant gets the orange saddle cloth. Won her first four starts before finding G3 foes a bit too tough; however, she just missed the bob in latest effort at BEL. Lot of speed drawn inside of her and not inconceivable for her to get a dream trip if multiple horses want the lead. That scenario hasn’t happened often with this iteration of the race engine though. If she gets her trip, she can win this; however, think we’ll know very early if she will be a factor.
#8 Actualize (Fractious/A. Cedillo): Conditioner had a Saturday for the ages last week so barn-momentum is on this girl’s side. The bad news is she has had terrible gate-breaks both times she has tested the graded waters, so she will have to overcome that issue from this penultimate slot. Mixed signals on this one as she has shown enough in her non-graded races, as well as in the mornings, to belong in here, but she needs to prove it against these types to keep getting these opportunities.
#9 Not A Big Deal (Mb Stables/E. Jaramillo): Outside-drawn filly had a dominant beginning to her career before failing to fire in G1 BC Juvenile Fillies. Had a slow winter to start her sophomore campaign before thawing-out with two graded victories in the Spring. Summer was not kind to her as she had three non-placed graded efforts; and now she begins her autumn campaign. Does the cycle continue evolving with the weather or are we still a race or two from seeing her “fastball”?
Final Analysis: 4-1-3; good luck to everyone involved in the 2021 edition of the $250.000 G2 Prioress!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
