The Carter Handicap (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
AQU- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
April 9, 2016
This Saturday features a great day of racing all over our virtual world. Many eyes will be on the prep races for the KYD and KYO, but the older horses will have their chance to shine as well. One such race in the build up to the Wood Memorial at AQU is the Grade 1 Carter Handicap. This is a long sprint race on the dirt that will be run for the 12th time in its history. On the past winner list, one name, the great Alpha Ultimo, immediately stands out. As one of the best, if not the best, horse that our game has even seen, Alpha Ultimo won the race as an eight year old in 2008, in his third try. That’s right, even a great one like him has been beaten twice in a race, by a pair of Kings. In 2006, it was Atlantic King, and in 2007, LionKing. There are no Alpha Ultimo’s in this race, but there is a horse nearly old enough to have raced against him. Nine year old Rule The Roost was the king of the race here last year, and will try to win the Carter Handicap for the second consecutive year. In a field of six, he figures to have a pretty good shot to do so. Let’s look at him and his rivals here a little more.
#1- Five Star Five (Harrell Racing, ridden by M E Smith)- After running in the BC Sprint last year, Five Star Five has kicked off his five year old season with a win in an open allowance at GP and then a third place finish in the Grade 3 GP Sprint Handicap. I honestly have a hard time getting a real feel for him as he seems a little streaky, to me. When he’s hot, he seems especially dangerous, and if that is the case then he is a top threat here. Speaking of cycles, his trainer has had three separate go-arounds with him, but hopefully this time is the charm.
#2- Visa Vice (Mb Stables, ridden by J Talamo)- This one just keeps ticking, and is one of two nine year olds in this race. In his 61-race career, he has been in the winners circle thirteen times. Despite his age, he is not slowing down at all as he has already run in three graded events during 2016, with a pair of second place finishes. Most recently, he was second in the GP Handicap, and is one of three coming out of that race. Visa Vice was the top performer of the threesome. We should be expecting more of the same here today. There are likely more in the game that can make this claim, but he has won at least once every year of his racing career, and that’s an impressive streak to try to continue. Rule The Roost cannot quite make that claim.
#3- Rule The Roost (Sanny Village, ridden by C J Lanerie)- Last year, Rule The Roost defeated six others to win the 2014 edition of the race. Now, he returns in an effort to be the first to win the race twice in a row. He has not been on the track since racing in the BC Sprint on Halloween, and finishing 10th. So, certainly there will be concern to see how he handles what is now a five month layoff. He only has one public work since October 11th, and only three since April of 2014, so it’s hard to get a handle on how he might fare here today. If you believe in him, go with him.
#4- Gma Is My Hero (Aer Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- The Power Vest colt is five years younger then the two starting to his inside, but has been every bit as competitive. He is also coming out of the Grade 2 GP Handicap, and was third, though about two lengths behind Visa Vice. Other then that race, Gma Is My Hero has mostly been seen running in allowances after taking a shot at some KYD preps as a three year old. He’s shown himself to be a little bit of an inconsistent horse as well, especially when running less then a mile.
#5- Wild Spirits (Blushing Meadows, ridden by J Alvarado)- The jockey looks to return to the winners circle for the second year in a row and may do it while running against the one he did with last year. While running in the La Canada Racehorses silks, Wild Spirits competed in several KYD preps as a three year old, but did not get the results the trainer wanted. In August, he was sold in private sales to Blushing Meadows for $225.000, and the new connections haven’t placed him quite as highly right from the start. After some good performances, he did eventually move up and compete in the GP Handicap, but was a non factor.
#6- Royal Redeemer (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by E J Wilson)- It took a while for Royal Redeemer to finally break his maiden, needing ten starts to do so. Once he finally broke it, he was placed in graded company immediately, and with one exception, he has remained there. The result is now just one win in sixteen starts. He was still hitting the board for a brief period of time, but has been out of the money in his last two. Work times are good and you can certainly see why Maxmillion Farm places him this high, but Royal Redeemer, fittingly named, does have some redeeming now to do for that faith shown.
Prediction: 2-1-4-3
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
