10/30/21
4 BEL The Mohawk
$200.000 3yo&Up Foaled In NY 1 1/16m Turf 3yo 121 lbs Older 124 lbs +penalties
It’s a big weekend for the NY-bred types and we look at The Mohawk for the gents going a mile and a sixteenth on the BEL turf. It’s a closely bunched group, in my opinion, but I’ve landed on Palace as my top choice today. The Mb Stables trained sophomore looked good winning at SAR back in July and has been rested since, but he’s a horse that looks to be on the improve and should fire big today. Stolen is another that seems to be in good form and I’ll look for him to be right in the middle of things. I’ll give Great Bonkers a chance in here as well… he just never seems to run a bad race and no reason to think otherwise.
Here’s The Field –
Won two back taking down Alw types at ELP on the soft soggy sod. Solid fourth vs graded foes then finished mid-pack going the marathon distance last out. Shortens back up to where he seems to run his best and would probably like to see some rain as he is solid on the wet grass.
Nice win over the main track here in his most recent taking down NY-bred Alw horses and they move him over to the grass for the first time. He was fifth vs same on the main track so the big question here is does he like the weeds… if so, he could be right in the middle of things.
The big barn brings in a sharp one as he took down similar last out win the NY Sire Series at SAR going a flat mile, and closed late to get the win so the extra sixteenth should fit right with the program. I’d give him a big chance to get the win today.
Very consistent type that just seems to bring home a check every time he goes to the starting gate. A perfect nine for nine on the board this year and four of those are wins, so he is certainly a horse to watch today. He was third vs similar at SAR in the summer so give him a big look today.
A pair of wins in the ’21 season from this one and he won four back taking down NY-bred Alw horses over this track. He was second in the Read Stakes (GII) and was close in both of his recent pair, both graded races, so this should be a bit softer and if he keeps doing what he’s been doing, he should be a major factor today.
Only a single win this year but it was vs. similar over this track as he took the Saginaw over the main track here back in June. He just missed on soggy sod at SAR two back and was third in the Lukas Classic (GIII) on the CD main track last out. Very consistent, has speed and must be feared with this group.
He’s changed hands a couple of times this season getting claimed twice in his last three races. His two seasonal wins came at the $20.000 claiming level and again at the $40.000 level, so he’s going to need to step it up a bit with this type of competition.
Another consistent one that has been on the board in nine of twelve starts and four of those have been for the win. He’s been running with state-bred Alw types of late and won over this track at a flat mile last out. His last five starts have been on the grass and he’s right there each and every time.
It’s been a tough year for this one as he’s missed the board in all six starts and his last win came about a year ago when he won the Let It Ride Stakes at DMR. His best would certainly compete but I’m just not sure he has his best any longer.
His only seasonal win came back in April when he took down OptAlw types at SA on the weeds there. That was his only on the board finish this year and he’s going to need to show a lot more to be part of this one.
Loves running with the NY-bred types and has been on the board in five of six starts, all in state. Still, he was last of six facing NY stakes company and this looks like another tough spot to be a factor.
Scratch
Draws in off of the AE list and shows a pair of wins on the season, both at the Alw level. He was fourth in the Cole Stakes over this track last out and looks to turn that around today. He’s been on the board in four of seven turf tries so he should be in the middle of this one.
COZMAN 3 / 6 / 4 Willie’s Green Card 11 / 8 / 4
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
