FG Stakes – Grade III
FG Race #7 1 1/8m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $150.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward.
1 Roscoe P Coltrane Harvey Acres Geroux F 123 —
Gave the new trainer their first winner at the end of last year and looks to provide the second one in this competitive race. He certainly looked a nice buy in taking the Woodchooper Stakes in a sub 1.33 time so, the trainer’s inexperience certainly wouldn’t put me off a decent sort who will be favored by the draw.
2 Dark Arts TwinTowersRacing Jaramillo E 123 —
May have improved after a seasonal debut in a fast race on this track, and I would certainly expect him to be competitive from this gate today. He maybe hasn’t lived up to his initial promise and with only two wins in his career it is easy to be skeptical, but I like five-year-olds at this time of year and i like the fact that this trainer knows how to win races like this.
3 Grayte Trois Gdp Inc Dettori L 123 —
A very game winner of the Knickerbocker last year he can be a bit up and down with his form but is another that comes here fit from a seasonal debut and aged five which certainly can be a plus. he seemed to enjoy the fast pace in the Knickerbocker so if they go hard up front, he may be the one that can produce the most at the end.
4 Neds Influence The Sidley Stud Velazquez J R 123 —
Ended the year with a good front running display to take the Let It Ride and had run pretty well through his three-year-old season suggesting he would make a nice four-year-old. It is pretty tough for a four-year-old at this time of year though and he comes here without a recent start so it may be worth just watching him this time. At his best competitive here but maybe next time.
5 Droopy Jokerjoes Hernandez B J Jr 123 —
He was looking pretty promising when winning the Danger Point and then running third in the BEL Derby but then went off the boil fairly badly ending up as $32.000 sale in the end of year auction. I didn’t mind his run-on seasonal debut over a sprint trip and if the new owner has found a way to find that early ability then he certainly has the class to run well. Maybe today but not for me until he can prove he is back.
6 Hey Bud Rampage Stable Saez L 123 —
He has won his last three including a gutsy win in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic last time and i think he may be one of those that really flies at five as the form and the works are certainly showing a move up the improvement curve. He would be one of my top choices.
7 Broad Brush Czech Out Farms Graham J 123 —
He was beaten just a nose by Hey Bud in the Unusual Heat so must come here with a nice chance if he can go a few inches better. His work back after that race was indeed a shade quicker than Hey Bud’s, so it is very possible that they could be fighting out the finish again with this one coming out on top.
8 Broadway Bay Angelos Stable Alvarado F T 123 —
A decent sort he was offered in claimers at the end of the year and taken by the current owner for $25.000. As often happens when they change hands, he went on to perform at a much higher level next out taking the Robb Stakes and then running well in the Hooper. The interesting thing today is that he takes on turf again for the first time in over a year and his recent works say he can run a bit on it. Certainly, a chance if he goes on the grass.
9 Wimbledon Night Rider Stables Murrill M 123 —
A decent enough sort in lower grade this trainer has had plenty of success in claiming horses cheaply and then winning stakes races with them, so it is impossible to write him off if the trainer has waved their magic wand.
10 Elite Fire High Voltage Franco M 123 —
A decent three-year-old who carried his for well through the season ending up with a strong second in the HOL Derby and a decent third in the San Gabriel. The draw may see him sitting back as he has before and coming through late but, who knows with this new race engine, he could make all and win in a course record time! A definite chance on his three-year-old form if he has trained on.
11 Speightstown Nakamura Stables Loveberry J 123 —
Another decent three-year-old he took out the DMR Derby and Breeders Stakes before running third in the HOL Derby just a neck behind Elite Fire. It is a shame these two very good three-year-olds have wide draws but with the new engine that isn’t such a nail in their coffins and this one’s works have been like lightening this year despite a disappointing effort on an off track first time out this year. I think we will see a big run from him today.
SUMMARY
I would be keen on Elite Fire and Speightstown in this, but the wide draw makes it likely that one will go forward, and one will go back which may set it up for one of the others. Of the others i like Hey Bud and Broad Brush who both have the advantage of being five and it may be one of them that takes advantage of the gate arrangements.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
