The Shawnee – Grade III
CD Race #6 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $225.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Starship Twister TwinTowersRacing Garcia Mar 124 —

Despite the 2Lb penalty you have to like what this one has achieved recently. Third in a grade one last time and the winner of a grade three she is certainly a mare at the top of her game and despite being able, as usual, to tell nothing from her works she is the outstanding chance in the race. Though her last two runs have been over seven furlongs we can see good efforts over marathon trips in the Maple Leaf and the Rodeo Drive and five of her seven wins have come in routes so I don’t think the trip will be an issue.

2 Jinxed Artist Smokey Stover Saez L 122 —

Another fine example of trip meaning very little to most horses this one won a five-furlong sprint and a mile and sixteenth route back-to-back. They were both at overnight level but she was very close to winning the grade one Cotillion last year and was a close fourth in the La Brea at the same level, so it is clear she is much better than a straight allowance horse. The trainer, the draw, the form and the works all point towards this four-year-old being in at the finish.

3 Feliz Cumpleanos Maxmillion Farm Gaffalione T 122 —

An honest type, her form has gone off the boil a little this year and that may be down to the plateau in improvement that four-year-olds can sometimes hit. At her best this is a grade one runner up who has collected at graded level so you would have to give her a big chance if she is back on the up.

4 Toothless Night Rider Stables Beschizza A 122 —

As honest as they come, she has been super consistent and seems to do well in short fields. Her works are as good as any and she is certainly good enough, but she can find one too good at this level and it will take all of the trainers Midas touch to get her home.

5 Lady Sammyantha The Sidley Stud Geroux F 122 —

This filly has been super consistent for a long time now and must be a big chance here on that alone. She cracked a 100-speed figure when just going down in the Santa Maria Stakes last time and a repeat of that form should almost see her winning. I guess a strongly run mile and sixteenth would be the only fear as her best runs have come over shorter and she just got run down last time but she will not be giving it away in the final furlong and looks the safest bet.

6 American Sky Iolaus Racing Talamo J 122 —

Last but by no means least, we see a filly that could and maybe should be getting a huge penalty for a grade one win after she failed by a whisker in the Apple Blossom Handicap last time out. Sandwiched between two wins before that was a good third in the Santa Monica so this is a four-year-old that is definitely on the up.

SUMMARY

Well, this is a race where a good case can be made for just about all of them. For me it comes down to three, American Sky, Lady Sammyantha and Jinxed Artist and I am willing to box them up for the trifecta.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES