King Edward BC Stakes – Grade II
WO Race #4 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.

1 Billy Joel Fractious Husbands P 123 —

The BC Turf winner of 2020 has been sparingly raced in recent years but still has an amazing record and nearly $4,000.000 in prize money. Now a six-year-old he had run his entire career with La Canada Racehorses but in June after a win in the grade two Whittingham he was finally let go and found himself in Fractious Stable for $274.000. In his only start for the new stable, he weakened out of the United Nations after running in the stalk from a wide gate and strangely he ran a similar race in the United Nations in 2021 so I am willing to write that off as an anomaly. He is certainly capable of distancing these on his best form.

2 Bronze Bomber Threshold Contreras L 123 —

Taken out of a claimer for $15.000, he seems to have clicked under the new engine and is having his best season ever as a six-year-old. Second to Billy Joel in the Whittingham he has subsequently won the Arlington Stakes and is right at the top of his development curve, He gets a decent draw today and should again be competitive.

3 Panther Pie Black N Gold Stable Slevinsky R 123 —

This is one of those blooming five-year-olds that seem to find their form as they turn to middle age. He has won four of his last six and the two times he was beaten were narrowly in stakes races including a strong third in the Connaught Cup last time, certainly a horse on the up he would excel if the ground was off but he is pretty good on the dry too, so his chances are there for all to see.

4 Moonlight Special Allinthegate Crawford J 123 —

Won the River City Handicap at the end of last year and has been given an easy year so far this year with just three runs. After two efforts down the field, he ran his best race this year last time when a close third in a driving finish in the Crystal Water Stakes carrying no less than 130 lbs!! At his very best he would be good enough to get into this and scoring a 101-speed figure last time with 130 lbs suggests he is near his very best.

5 Grand Opening Riggins Racing Stein J 123 —

The stable has been in tremendous form recently and brings this winner of 8 from 14 into this race in top condition. An easy winner of the Danger Point he then ran well in the MTH Stakes from a wide draw when a close fifth so whilst he doesn’t have the body of work of some of these he is clearly in the right grade. His works have been lightening and he may just be the one to upset a few of the more established ones here.

6 Show Me How To Live Mo Mentum Farm Moran D 123 —

After improving as a three-year-old he has hit a four-year-old flat spot this year struggling just a little to get back in contention at stakes level. His works are good enough and the four-year-olds usually get a little lift on the development curves at this time of year so he may show some of his old sparkle today.

7 Danube Wood Duck Stables Wilson E J 123 —

Really found his feet when set to sprinting last year and has continued that form into this year. Whilst he is very quick, he also managed a 1.34 flat mile work on the turf to go with a five-furlong 57 and 2 dirt work recently and they tell me that whilst the surface may not seem to affect his works, he is both quick and can run a mile which may be essential in a decent field. The wide draw won’t make it easy so the trainer will have to keep the race engine in check, but I rather think this could be the winner if things go his way.

8 Riley Royalty Stables Carroll D 123 —

Working well enough and ran a great race to be second in the Kelso last time which was won in an almost ridiculous time of 1.32 flat. Before that effort he has been running at a high level in overnights so whilst his form doesn’t jump off the page he certainly won’t be left wanting for ability. The wide gate means the engine must work for him but if it does, he would be a top three chance.

SUMMARY

Danube looks the top choice here because as the best sprinter in the field he has proven in his works that a mile will be no problem. To be fair to the rest they all could win in any given situation and if you ran this race eight times there could well be a different winner each time but if you had to go with one that would be a danger to Danube it must be Billy Joel who on his best form would stroll in.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES