The Canadian Turf – Grade III
GP Race #5 1 1/16m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $150.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward.
1 Charley Buzz Nakamura Stables Corbett G W 124 —
Though he was good enough to contest in the SUN Derby and The Queens Plate as a three-year-old, he looks the type that improves with age and after a solid four-year-old season looked improved again on seasonal debut. In that race he was stalking the leader and kept going all the way to the line to be beaten just a head on the line recording a lifetime best SRF figure. His works are saying he is on the upgrade and i expect a big run from him today.
2 Aerialist Mb Stables Dettori L 124 —
The effects of the draw were never more evident than this one’s last two starts. Two back and drawn one he was a close third in the BC Turf, last time drawn 13 he was beaten a mile when last in the Pegasus World Cup Turf. Back to a better draw today I expect we will see the real Aerialist, and if he comfortably beats Jakarta this time from this draw it may add some fuel to the wide draw discussions. One of the class horses of the race he will be the first choice for many.
3 Proud Bo TwinTowersRacing Cedillo A 124 —
He was tested at this level at three and didn’t really make the mark, but this is a much better horse in the wet and also may be one that is developing a little later. So, if it rains, he comes into calculations, but his dry works are pretty fast, so I wouldn’t write him off a place if the sun stays out.
4 Banshee Star Calia Stable Ortiz I Jr 124 —
He may be a nine-year-old now but there is no mistaking his class and ability, although a win here as a nine-year-old would be some feat. As always, I will be cheering home the older generation, but this is no forlorn hope despite his advanced years. Let’s not forget he was fourth in the BC Turf last year and also won this very race. The stable has done really well with him after picking him up for $16.000 as a bit of a has been and really brought him back to his best. The big question mark will come after his last run in the Fort Lauderdale as form tends to turn off before the works when their time is up, but this horse has been written off before and proved everyone wrong so just maybe he can do it again today.
5 Ronaldo Chop Night Rider Stables Zayas E J 124 —
This horse improved a lot as a five-year-old taking his first graded race when winning the International Turf Cup but will have to improve a bit more to get into the finish today. He ran well enough in his season opener to convince the trainer to have another go here but this is a good field. The key here for me is the potential of one of those HRP specials. He is working like he is a dirt horse getting near to 1.10 flat for his 6 furlong works and has only raced three time on the turf before including of course that graded win. I have seen horses switch codes before and run a blinder so i will be wary of this one’s chances.
6 Jakarta Nakamura Stables Gonzalez Al 124 —
It is hard to imagine this one has only won twice in a career that has seen him in some of the biggest route races in the game finishing ahead of the best but always it seems for minor prizes. His two wins came in a maiden and The Mathis Brothers Mile at grade two, but he has also run into the money in four grade ones and but for a few lengths could be a multiple stakes winner. His works are as always very good and once more he has a great chance of winning, but you just feel that he may find one too good yet again. Having said that, I have seen plenty of horses improve a few lengths at five, so he is impossible to write off as a possible winner.
7 By The Night O Bay Oval Express Farms Ruiz Jo 124 —
The seven-year-old may be hard pressed against a few here but is not out of it by any means. His two recent runs have been a bit lack luster, but he was OK before that so if he can bounce back there is no reason, he cannot be competitive.
8 Ziggy Stardust RNP Stables Ferrer J C 124 —
If you look at the works and the race form this one just leaves you all a bit confused. A winner of longer races on dirt and turf for Mb Stables his best run for the new stable came in a very fast run GP Turf Sprint last time out when third but here we are back in a route. I really cannot weigh him up at all so cannot include him but he no doubt has ability and who knows he may go and win by six.
9 Upon Impact Riggins Racing Centeno D E 124 —
He has won 50% of his races and you cannot fault his record so it will be interesting to see how he fits into this good field of established stakes horses. I am not sure he is quite up to the best especially with a difficult draw, but he ran very well in the TAM Stakes last time and he may just be on the up and looking for this level now.
10 House Command The Sidley Stud Moran D 124 —
Lightly raced and looked pretty good in the Thunder Road last time in his first ever turf race so there is definitely a chance he could be a nice price to run into a place. The works are solid and have improved as have the SRF figures. He could be a bit of a dark horse to spice up the trifectas.
11 Haha Hole Tockyocky Vazquez R A 124 —
Now in the car park after the defector he is six from eleven and had won five in a row before his recent defeat in the TAM Stakes. Claimed for just $3.500 5 races ago he has been a huge success story for the trainer and would be a great story to tell should he win this. The drawbacks are obvious but there is real ability here and if the wide draw is hot today, he could do some damage.
12 Phar Lap Threshold – Scratch – 124 —
The trainer reports this one was scratched because of a wide draw and none of the top three jockey choices being available so, it was assigned an inappropriate rider.
SUMMARY
This is a tough race in many ways because the real class in the race all has question marks around it. Aerialist, Banshee Star and Jakarta are the benchmarks but with Aerialist and Banshee Star having questionable runs last time and Jakarta’s win ratio it does make you look outside the obvious. The trouble is outside of those three there are plenty of chances all dependent on improvement and we just don’t know which one will improve today. I think if there is one to break that trio it may be Proud Bo, especially if it rains.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
