Wilton ($135.000 Purse)
SAR- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
July 14, 2023
The Wilton is a small, ungraded stakes by SAR standards that takes place on the main track for three-year-old fillies. It is just the second year that the race has been in existence here at the Spa, with last year’s running also having a $135.000 purse. On that day in 2022, Mb Stables got a convincing win with his filly, Verve. She would not race long after that victory, starting just two more times, and winning neither of them before ultimately being retired. The Commanding filly has already produced four foals with well-known sires, but none of hit the track as of yet. We’ll have a field of ten, and for the most part these are horses that are still looking to make a name for themselves. This is a great opportunity to start doing that! Here they are!
#1- Macaneau (Lazy Eye, ridden by K Carmouche)- This filly has only made three career starts, and broke her maiden back in April at HOU. The trainer was excited by what he saw in that one and would start her in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks for her next start, and she fared quite well. Despite being at the back early, she made positive gains in the stretch to get up for fourth. Still beaten by two lengths, but this field is not as deep as that one was.
#2- Chariots Of Angels (Hunterman Stable, ridden by J J Castellano)- She’s been productive throughout her career, hitting the board in seven times in nine starts while making four trips to the winner’s circle. Predominantly a horse that has raced in overnights, she has made one stake attempt, and it could not have gone any better as she took home the $100.000 Allaire Distaff Stakes at PIM. She’s certainly earned another chance at this level, making it good to see her here.
#3- Turning Red (Crocker Ggs, ridden by M Franco)- Here is another lightly raced horse with just three career starts up to this point. She would break her maiden out at GG in February, but then took four months off before she reappeared at WO for an allowance last month. Turning Red did not let the sloppy track get to her that day either, winning that race as well. Now, she will make her first stake start, and you sense that we are going to start seeing her regularly at this level just as long as the Wilton, at minimum, goes decently for her.
#4- Deadly Silhouette (Night Mare Racing, ridden by E Cancel)- It would take this filly four starts to win for the first time, coming in a maiden claimer at HOU where she came on late to get the victory. Went to RIL after that and bullied the field in a three-length win, giving the trainer confidence to enter her in the $75.000 CA Oaks at GG. Placed second there after making a wire-to-wire bid but has been idle since then. This will be a good test for her.
#5- Dolly P (Arindel, ridden by J R Velazquez)- While there are many up and comers in the field, Dolly P has had plenty of stake experience. However, what she has not done a lot of, is win, doing so just twice in 13 starts. She’s had her moments, like when she ran second in the Grade 1 Ashland in April, an effort that if she can duplicate here, this race will be hers. Whether or not she will three-length another story, because Dolly P has been inconsistent at times.
#6- Black Book (Mb Stables, ridden by D Davis)- In her third career start, Black Book broke her maiden with a three-length victory at six furlongs against NY-Breds at BEL. Otherwise, the past performances are not going to excite you as much as her works might, so if she races to them, she will have a better chance. Was a non-factor in the Monomoy Girl in her last start, and while you can count on Mb Stables to make any necessary adjustments, I would have liked to have seen her be in the mix for that race.
#7- Chopsticks (Nj Vets, ridden by F Prat)- This filly is no stranger to running in ungraded stakes, but it seems like she either wins or is nowhere to be found at the end. In her last start, she won the six-furlong Memorial Day Sprint ($100.000 Purse) at LS but there is nothing in her past performances to suggest that she can do that twice in a row. That win broke a string of fifth or worse finishes and there was nothing impressive about her lone race at a mile. Did the trainer figure something out last race? Hopefully so, but I can’t pick her.
#8- His Imaginary Lover (Night Rider Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Claimed for $25.000 after running third at PRX, this filly has made three starts for Night Rider Stables, and there was nothing positive to be said about the first two of them. She would then be entered in a $50.000 claimer at CD that she won at May, so the trainer has renewed confidence after that and probably two months of working closely with her since that race. Has never raced at a mile or longer.
#9- Silver Kailua (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J L Ortiz)- Broke her maiden at LS in June last year, but was never able to get that second win until her last start, which was an N1X allowance at GG in May. In between, her races are about as lacking in excitement as the string of races that we saw from Chopsticks. But like Chopsticks, she is here off a win, so maybe the trainer has found something in their filly and clearly if she is entered here, they are optimistic. But also, like Chopsticks, I’m not picking her either.
#10- Librarian (Jerry Garcia Racing, ridden by J Lezcano)- Whether or not you want to classify her as an up and comer would determine on your criteria for that label. She’s made $180.000, so thanks to consistent efforts in NY-Bred races every time she hits the track, including a win in the $100.000 May at AQU. At the same time, she is still lightly raced, having made just five starts. Three are wins with a runner up mixed in, so once she got her debut out of the way, she has shown plenty of promise. Either way, I find her intriguing and am going to give her my nod here.
Prediction: 10-4-5-3
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
