The Suncoast Stakes (KYO) ($150.000 Purse)
TAM- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and Seventy Yards on the Dirt
February 11, 2023

The Suncoast Stakes may only be an ungraded race, but it has plenty of importance for the KYO, as 20 valuable points are on the line for its winner. It started out much smaller, only being a $60.000 race in 2005, but its purse has gradually increased to the level we see today. As we look at our field of eleven for this race, the thing that catches your eye immediately is that this is not an experienced field on the KYO trail. Nine of the fillies here have less than $100.000 in earnings, and no one has more than $120.000. It is interesting to see who gets the 20 points here, and how that sets them up over the next couple months. The 2022 edition of the race saw Karloffs Monster get the win for TwinTowersRacing. She also had under $100.000 in earnings in what was also a light field in terms of its experience. Karloffs Monster would go on to race the boys after the win, and hit the board in the TAM Derby and AR Derby, before coming back to this division for the KYO. Her biggest win was the BC Distaff later in the year, so she leaves big shoes to fill. Here’s a look at the field!

#1- Neon Red (Big Guns Stables, ridden by L Dettori)- We start with a very inexperienced filly, as Neon Red has only a maiden win at TUP to be excited about. That came about three weeks ago and was a four-length victory. It did earn her an 88 SRF, and hopefully she can build on that. She can take comfort in knowing this is not a loaded field, but even with that, she has a lot to prove here.

#2- Rekindle (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- She may have only made $84.700 in her career, but that is enough to make her the third highest earner in this field. Rekindle has been placed in several stakes thus far, with most of them coming on the turf. That includes a solid fourth place effort in the Grade 3 Durante Stakes before being moved back to the dirt where she was third in the $100.000 Busanda.

#3- Lindt (Hippyheart, ridden by A Bocachica)- Now, we get a look at the highest earner in the field, as Lindt has made just a dime shy of $120.000. She’d break her maiden at DMR in August, and off of that she jumped into the Grade 1 Frizette and placed in the middle of the field. That showed promise, and with that, she won an optional claimer down at GP before heading north to place second in the Busanda by a nose. If we’re basing our picks on past history, then Lindt is the one to beat here.

#4- Ruby Ridge (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Cedillo)- Last year, two races after Karloffs Monster broke her maiden, TwinTowersRacing sent her to the Untapable where she was third before running in the Suncoast, beaten by half a length. The trainer now hopes to follow a similar script with Ruby Ridge. She broke her maiden and then it was off to the Untapable, where she second, and beaten by half a length. We’ll see here if he has another monster.

#5- Partial Order (Alydar Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- In November, she won on debut by five lengths, giving the field at MNR no chance. That was bittersweet for the trainer, more than likely, and on New Years Day, Partial Order not only shows she can handle a pay track, but also a stakes crowd, placing second in the Cash Run at GP. With some cash now to her name in earnings, she looks to have a very strong run here.

#6- War Of The Roses (Jokerjoes, ridden by D E Centeno)- Makes her debut for Jokerjoes here in the Suncoast after the trainer purchased her for $21.000 in private sales a couple weeks ago. She’s won her last two, breaking her maiden at PRX before winning an allowance at FP in September. Then, she sat on the shelf before being sold. This will be first time running long as well. This is a big leap of faith with a long layoff to boot.

#7- Stay In Order (Nakamura Stables, ridden by F T Alvarado)- Broke her maiden at FP and stayed at lower levels for a couple of races before put placed in the $200.000 Rags To Riches in late October at CD. She was fourth of five there and had nothing for the winner. That sent her back to TUP, where she won. Work times are improving, so look for her to be more of a threat in this field than she was in the Rags To Riches.

#8- Laughing Witch (Hunterman Stable, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Here’s the other horse in the field that has won over $100.000 for her career thus far. It helped that she hit the board a couple times in high level maidens before eventually winning one of them. When she did, the victory sent her to the $75.000 What A While at GP, where she was fifth on the grass. Returning to the main track here for an optional claimer scored a win.

#9- Touch Of Love (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- On the same day that War Of The Roses changed hands, Touch Of Love was also sold, but for much more: $125.000. That price was justified, as she won two of her four starts for prior trainer LionKing Stables, highlighted by a N1X allowance at FG. After that, she ran in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez, and though she was fifth, was within a length of a win. That likely got Mb’s attention, and now we’ll see if he can take the next steps with her.

#10- So Blitz (Asgar, ridden by M Franco)- This one enters stake company after breaking her maiden against NY-breds at AQU in her last start. It took her a few tries to accomplish that, but perhaps finally being able to go long was what she needed. She earned an 87 SRF for that race and was working very well coming into it. Like most of the others here, she is looking to show she is ready to be a threat in the KYO chase.

#11- A Lot To Like (Riggins Racing, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Last week, she was sold in private sales from LionKing Stables to Riggins for $25.000. Prior to that, she had won two of four, including a win in the $60.000 AZ Juvenile Fillies Stakes at TUP. She’d be a non-factor in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes and was sold soon after the race. So here she is, after just two weeks from that race, appearing in the Suncoast.

Prediction: 3-7-2-5

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded