The MD Sprint Stakes – Grade III
6 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $150.000 Open 3 Year Olds And Up.
There were 8 stakes races leading up to the Preakness today and all with less than a full field and i guess they once again demonstrated the somewhat ‘samey’ nature of this race engine. To explain what i mean of the eight winners all were within 4 lengths of the leader from the first two furlongs but none were on the lead. All were between second and sixth with the vast majority coming from third or fourth through that first quarter regardless of the trip. All the leaders weakened but most kept on well enough to grab a minor prize and none of the back markers came with late runs to win. I guess that is what i have been trying to say as i have continued to write up these races not that the winners haven’t deserved their wins but the result can be safely guessed within two furlongs of them breaking the gate.
Anyway enough of me rambling lets see who won the MD Sprint Stakes!
1st Demon Wood Duck Stables Franco M
The three year old looked a good choice before the off having ran some very creditable races and now getting his chance back over a trip that may well turn out to be his best. Going fourth two lengths behind the leader through two furlongs he got the position that was needed to win and managed to get his nose in front just before they hit the furlong pole. He clung on gamely to win by a neck and rather interestingly for those breeders among you was a win for Crossing The Rubicon who supplied the runner up in the Preakness a few hours later.
2nd Electric Angelos Stable Centeno D E
There is no doubt the weight difference makes the difference in these three year old and up races but the older horses have been doing better in the last couple of years and this one fought hard for second. He looks to be coming back to his three year old form now he has been switched to sprinting but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him back over a mile plus before long.
3rd Hang Around Nakamura Stables Carrasco V R
Got to the front early but in these smaller fields winning off the front is becoming pretty rare and what happened to him has happened to 99.9% of the front runners in recent stakes races. This was a similar effort to his True North run last year suggesting the new race engine is more similar to the old one these days.
4th Cherokee Asset Rock Creek Elliott S
Stalked the lead but that isn’t the best position to be in these days and again the subsequent weakening was not a surprise. He didn’t show the grit that won him a stakes race last time where he was two lengths behind the pace early on and in what seems to be the best position to win from in such a race. Today despite a similar pace he couldn’t finish, maybe next time he breaks into position A and wins, who knows.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
