SA Handicap – Grade I (P2)
SA Race #9 1 1/4m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $500.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward.

As usual this is a handicap by name only as only three pounds cover the field. However, we all know how that 3lbs can feel to a top weight at HRP so we have to carefully weigh up these horses looking at that length or so that 3lbs can make,
Here is how they line up in a compact field of eight.

1 Crack Dab Gdp Inc Loveberry J 119 —

First, we look at this seven-year-old who has netted nearly $2,000.000 in prize money and has been competing in stakes races since 2018. He had been such a consistent performer at the top-level finishing fourth in the BC Mile and 4th in the grade one Woodward just 5 months ago that his two recent efforts may be a signal that he is ready to hang up the horseshoes. Those last two efforts were pretty lack luster but his works including a 1.10 flat for the 6 furlongs just a few weeks ago suggest he is as good as ever. It is a conundrum; do you go with the theory that race performance drops off before works performance or do you think that the race engine is all a bit random at the moment and that the works show us his true form…..
Whichever it is, I hope this grand old warrior takes advantage of the rail draw and runs up to his best today.

2 Home Spirit Night Rider Stables Husbands P 121 —

The top weight, he far surpassed anything he had done before when taking the Pegasus World Cup at over 100/1, and on that effort, he could well find this 121Lbs easy to carry to victory and cement himself as one of the leading Classic hopes. His form before that run was pretty good having been a very close third in the Clark Handicap and winning the Seagram Cup last year. There will be plenty of questions answered today, was it a new race engine anomaly that caused his win in the Pegasus or has he progressed from 5 to 6 into horse of the year material. I for one will be watching very carefully.

3 Six Pillars TwinTowersRacing Jaramillo E 119 —

Bought for just $20.000 after being beaten 16 lengths in the Fort Macy last year he improved nicely on that effort for the new owner and is beginning to look like a potential graded stakes winner. I really liked his come from behind effort in the San Pasqual last time where he left it a bit too late and ended up a strong second. I feel the wide gate may have had a hand in putting him so far back early on in that race and a much better draw today should see him much closer when he launches his challenge.

4 Singing Strings TwinTowersRacing Gaffalione T 118 —

This Wiley old trainer has two entries here and they are both nicely drawn next to each other. This four-year-old took a long, long time to break his maiden and still only has a single win to his name so it’s hard on bare form to give him much hope here but there is more to this one that meets the eye. Firstly, he may only have bottom weight by a pound but weight in these handicaps can be pretty unrealistic and that in itself is a big plus. Add to that the fact that he has flitted around surfaces and distances, and it is no wonder his form looks a bit bitty. At his best last year in the Dandy, he was only two lengths behind Individuation so there is just a hint that he could be the surprise package.

5 Mr Pancake Arindel Saez L 120 —

A pound off the top weight this four-year-old was less than a length behind Home Spirit in the Pegasus World Cup so where these two finish today will be a big guide to the validity of this new race engine. With over $1,800.000 in prize money and only three wins to his name, some of his best races have been in defeat and he is not that easy to win with. At his best, I would put him as the winner of this race had the Pegasus not been run, as it is now, he is a class horse who is one of four that look outstanding in this field.

6 Smoking Makes You Il Night Rider Stables Castellano J J 119 —

I wonder whether this eight-year-old will be sacrificed to set a fast pace for his stable mate to finish off like he did in the Pegasus, although I do feel that even at the veteran stage, he has something to offer in this race if he not given as a rabbit to the slaughter. A long career has brought him ten wins and his recent mile work was pretty competitive. I can’t see him winning but if he allowed to run his race, he could be in the top four.

7 Gigabyte Smokey Stover Velazquez J R 119 —

The other outstanding form horse he of course is last year’s KYD winner who went on to be narrowly beaten in the Preakness. He has probably been a bit flat since those heady days of Classic victory, but that can happen with early three-year-olds and often they can bounce back at four and get back to winning ways. The works are good enough to suggest he still has plenty of talent. I guess it is just a matter of whether he still ‘has it’, and I guess we will find out today.

8 Quality Art Mb Stables Lopez P 120 —

Finally drawn the wide gate comes the Razorback Handicap Winner from just a few weeks ago. Drawn perfectly that day he carried a pound less to victory and was pretty impressive that day suggesting he too may have found some improvement between four and five. The wide gate and the weight will be a challenge, but he has the right man at the controls to get that right and must go into that top four status.

SUMMARY

The outstanding four here on known form would be Quality Art, Gigabyte, Mr Pancake and Home Spirit and any of those four can lay pre-race claims as the winner. I feel Quality Art and Mr Pancake may end up the two that fight it out, but Home Spirit could well have them if the race is set up right for him.
An intriguing race

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES