The Test – Grade I
SAR Race #9 7f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $500.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.
1 Genghis Happened Arindel Velazquez J R
The three year old fillies get a good run through these sprints in the run up to the BC and this has always been a very good stepping stone to the big dance. This filly is certainly moving that way after taking the Miss PS last time and extending her unbeaten run for the season to four. She stayed on the state bred circuit at two and showed ability but after starting off at claiming level this year she has gone from strength to strength taking black type in her last two. A good worker she gets the perfect draw here to sit behind the speed and as long as she gets the splits when needed is sure to run a race.
2 Ginger Latte Nakamura Stables Wilson E J
A consistent filly she hasn’t really looked up to this grade so far but gets in a great gate and did run a terrific race to be a close third in the Santa Ynez at the beginning of the year over this trip. The trainer has kept her away from graded stakes apart from that effort so she may just be the one sneaking under the form radar here.
3 Spearmint Rhino Arindel Ferrer J C
The trainer must be over the moon with their two gates in this race and this filly is proven at the trip and grade so must be in with a great chance. The winner of the Santa Ynez she was a close fourth in the Acorn last time and has proven a few times that she may be a trip specialist. The one fear for her is that she has run as a deep closer for most of her races and this gate may make that tough but if the race engine is on her side she may be the one to run over them late.
4 Ifyerwokeyerajoke TwinTowersRacing Gaffalione T
I sighed when i saw this runner because this is just the sort of horse that is really hard to evaluate for a race like this. A shock winner of the Iowa Oaks last time over a mile and sixteenth she had sprinted well as a younger horse so i am not sure she is a one trick pony and her works suggest she can run a fast seven furlongs. The trainer knows how to win races like this against the odds so i will be looking carefully at this one odds come race day.
5 Angelic D J C Racing Stables Carmouche K
A consistent sort i worry that she has been third in almost 70% of her races because that suggests to me that she may lack the turn of foot to win at this level. To be fair to her she never runs a bad race and there is no reason that she couldn’t win or at least place but she may be more of an each way bet. The trainer will need to get her out of the gate and take up a position a few lengths behind the lead and if she can do that she will make her presence felt in the finish.
6 Sorority Girls Rbest Wood Duck Stables Cedillo A
An interesting competitor here as she has only ran 5 races and was a recent acquisition for the trainer. She has got plenty to find on her 5 races so far but i rather like the 1.10 and 3 work she did back in May and think there may be more to her than meets the eye. One to keep an eye on.
7 Main Flirt Mb Stables Franco M
This one looks made up for this race after running some huge races in route races like the FG and KY Oaks and more recently just getting touched off in the Acorn and then sprinting well to win the Victory Road. On paper this is the one to beat although she will have to work early because she can lack a bit of early pace and wont want to get too far back from this awkward draw.
8 League Of Legends Smokey Stover Saez L
Another successful router she has actually never won a sprint so is an unknown quantity when it comes to the shorter course. A stakes winner and has won five from nine she may well start favorite on the evidence of that route form but i feel she is far from the finished article at this trip. Invariably drawn well in her recent races she gets handed the wider gate here so will be in unknown territory there too so whilst she may well win there are just too many question marks for me to put her on top.
9 Bronze Freak Asgar Hernandez R M
Her best career races have both been over route trips when winning the Santa Ysabel and finishing third in the KYO but whilst she was OK when running in sprints she hasn’t been as effective. I think the trainer may try and use the wide gate speed push here and make use of her stamina off the front and if that works out and she doesn’t go too fast she may well be a chance down the stretch.
SUMMARY
I feel Main Flirt has the form to win this with Ifyerwokeyerajoke maybe providing some value to the Excata’s. There are plenty of chances though so a lot may depend on the pace of the race and who gets the best trip.
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
