11/20/22
5 DMR Hope Stakes (GIII)
$100.000 2yo 7f Dirt 120lbs +penalties
We head down to San Diego and look at the field for the Hope Stakes (GIII), a seven furlong dash for the freshmen. I’m headed to the outside post for my do-or-die in this one as I just can’t get past Ifrits Cavern in this one. He broke maiden at MTH and just missed in his first swing at stakes company, at KEE. Looking at this group, I think he is the beginning and the end of the conversation, so I’ll put the farm on him and hope we keep the deed.
Here’s The Field –
|
Proud Pick | South Shore Stables | Gutierrez Mario | 120 | 12/1 |
Broke maiden at first asking, getting it done in Phoenix, but it’s been tough sleddin’ since, running next to last and last in his next two starts. But the farm isn’t giving up just yet, so it’s another swing at the graded types… but I’ve gotta go elsewhere with my picks
|
Charming Man | Fractious | Maldonado E | 120 | 10/1 |
Broke maiden on the bull-ring at CT, was sold for a pretty penny, and he’s been looking at the back end of a lot of horses since that race. He was last of five at MTH and beat one at AQU, so they have to hope that he turns it around in a big, bad way.
|
Noble Faerie | Williams9 | Van Dyke D | 120 | 8/1 |
All or nothing type that has won half of his races, including two stakes in his last three starts since being tagged out of a $3.200 claimer. Heck of a halter job by the barn, but I wonder if he’s a graded type.
|
Sioux Tribe | Arindel | Cedillo A | 120 | 9/2 |
Purchased for $145.000 and got the unkindest of cuts, but he’s been a runner since, breaking maiden then winning a stakes, both in SoFla vs state-bred types. He’s a front runner, so look for him to be called early.
|
Two Million | Asgar | Espinoza V | 120 | 7/2 |
Always close as he’s been a LA-bred tough guy, never missing a check, down on the bayou. He’s always around when they hand out checks, and even though this isn’t his state, I think he can be around for part of the action.
|
Pinnacle Impact | Martyparty | Vazquez R A | 120 | 4/1 |
Probably didn’t want to leave NY as he broke maiden and won an Alw race at FL, forwardly placed in both, before getting to the front to scores some decent money. This should be tougher than those, so we see what he’s made of today.
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Ifrits Cavern | Fractious | Gonzalez Ru | 120 | 8/5 |
Other that catching the outside post, I don’t have much bad to say about this one. Broke maiden at MTH then ran a big race to be second in the Bowman Mills at KEE in his most recent. If he does any of that work, he wins this.
COZMAN 7 Willie’s Green Card 7 / 6
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
