5/20/2022

  12  PIM     The PIM Special (GIII)

$300.000    3yo&Up    1 1/4m   Dirt      3yo 119lbs  Older 124lbs 

More Friday race action and we look at the field for The PIM Special (GIII).  This mile and a quarter stakes brings together a field of nine and there seem to be more questions than answers, from where I sit.  I’m going to go with Grayte Cruise to keep his come-back story going today.  He ran a couple of bad races towards the end of ’21 and really didn’t fetch much when sold at auction; however he won on the first race back for the new owner and I like that he won going a mile and a half.  He may come with some odds as well.  I’ll go one spot over and take Hollywood Eclipse with my second pick.  He hasn’t won this year, but may be sitting on a big race… if it rains, I’m not sure that I’d stick with him, as the soup didn’t sit will with him last out and he’s 0-0-1 from four wet track races.  If it does rain, Casper Point could be a horse to watch.   

Here’s The Field –  

He’s a 7yo now but the old feller has put some serious in the cash over his career.  He won an Alw race at TAM back in Feb, then was fourth int he California Stakes (GII) at SA last out, so it’s a spot where he could make some noise.

Was tagged for $15.000 last out and jumps into the deep end of the pool with this group.  His only graded race was a last place finish in the OK Derby (GIII) a couple of years ago, and I think he’s going to need a perfect trip to part of the festivities. 

He’s won half of his eighteen starts, but it looks like his best stride may be in the rearview mirror.  Purchase from the March Auction for $41.340, he came back to be last of twelve in the NO Hcp (GII) at FG where he slammed on the brakes about half way through. 

’22 was all roses, winning the Hooper (GIII) at GP then the Mineshaft (GIII) at FG, but the NO Hcp (GII) was a bit of a mess, lagging far behind then just never really getting underway and finishing eighth.  If he bounces back, put him right in the thick of it. 

Claimed out of a $10.500 race at GP at the end of last season and he’s paid dividends running third in a couple of Cal-bred Alw races, then winning the Caps at AQY before running third in the Elusive Quality at BEL.  Comes back on short rest and steps up in class, but he’s been running hard. 

Only two starts for this one in the ’22 season, and he won the Stoneside Sprint at HOU to get things started, then was sixth in an Alw race at TAM in his most recent.  He’s been on the board in ten of nineteen starts and has six wins, so he certainly knows how. 

Sold at the Mar Auction for $67.890, and won right out of the gate taking a marathon OptAlw race at SA, closing to get the victory.  He has some back class, running in last years PRK (GI), and won the Travers (GI) and has run in a slew of top-end races.  Has he woke up?

Closed out ’21 with a win, and has a second and a third from three starts this season.  He hit the board in the Hooper (GIII) and GP Mile (GII) and was off the board in an Alw race, but that may be due to the wet surface.  I think he bounces back big today. 

He’s run big in some big races and I was a big surprised by that last out seventh in the Fleet Sprint (GIII) and I think the OP oval is a similar route the tighter turns here at PIM.  Still he was only two lengths back and ran a bang-up race in the San Carlos, so I’d give him a look today.

COZMAN    7 / 8         Willie’s Green Card       9 / 1

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES