The Wild Applause ($150.000 Purse)
AQU- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Inner Turf
June 22, 2024

This weekend is another quiet one across virtual racing, but there are still some good races going on that we can talk about. The Wild Applause is a race for three-year-old fillies on the turf, and as we look at the field, it could really be comparable to a high-level allowance. But it is an ungraded stake, and a chance for one of these fillies to push forward into bigger things are their career goes on. 2023 winner Breath Of The Bride used the win to lead into the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes that she also won, but the Smokey Stover filly would not win again and has now been retired. Also, a part of that field was Poetic Panther, who won the Eatontown Stakes at MTH last week. 2022 winner Tellcharlieitsforyou also did not do much after her win. Maybe one of our eight can do a lot more. Here they are:

1- Dime Queen (Asgar, ridden by G Kocakaya)- With one win in eight races, Dime Queen has still been able to put herself just a few bucks shy of $100.000 with consistent in the money finishes in overnights. Two starts ago, she had a big chance in the Grade 2 Edgewood at CD, but the weather did not cooperate, and she was a non-factor, which is rare for her. This is a good spot for her after her recent runner up, but there is a 46% chance of rain here on Saturday.

2- Z Bandit (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by D Davis)- Makes her stake debut after winning two of her last three. In February, she won an allowance at FG, and in her last start the rain was not an issue at CD with a wire-to-wire victory in an optional claimer. The race between them was good as well, where she did everything but win. She’s hit the board in all but one start and has certainly earned this opportunity.

3- Swife Pinnacle Party (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by J Lezcano)- A little more experienced at the stake level than most in here, and in fact she tried the Grade 3 Surfer Girl before even breaking her maiden. To this point, her best result is a third in the Herecomesthebride Stakes at SA in March. Last seen two months ago and had a start that may or may not have been shaky in the Giants Causeway. She was only seventh but did earn a 98 SRF from it.

4- Cacciadiavola (Smokey Stover, ridden by M Franco)- Looks to get the trainer back in the winner circle, and if so it would be the second straight win in the race for sire Breath Of The Wild as well. Cacciadiavola has only raced three times but has looked good every time out there, winning her first two by two lengths, which sent her into the Grade 3 Edgewood. There, she handled the soft turf well to come from behind and finish third. That’s the way she likes to run, so don’t forget about her if she is at the back early here.

5- Apricot Pit (Nakamura Stables, ridden by L J Luzzi)- The trainer enjoyed victory here two years ago, and his filly has been better since being moved to the grass. Early in her career, she showed promise on the main track, but after a dud in the $250.000 SUN Oaks, she was moved to the turf, and it has gone well. She’s 1-for-2 on this surface, with the win coming at GG last month in an optional claimer. Her actual run there doesn’t really jump out at me with a 92 SRF, though.

6- Bottomless Mimosas (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- While several in here are making their stake debuts or are generally lightly raced at this level, Bottomless Mimosas has been a regular participant. The results have not been there for her, with two wins in ten starts and both of the wins were in overnights. At times, she has looked good at this level, such as in the Herecomesthebride Stakes, where she was second, but that has not happened enough, and she has a couple of recent duds as well.

7- Outrageous Nevada (Paradise Stable, ridden by R A Vazquez)- Last month, this Time Warrior filly placed fourth against CA-Breds in the $100.000 Valentine Stakes at SA. More than anything else, she was probably thrilled to be back on the grass after a couple of KYO prep attempts did not go well for her even though she was not necessarily terrible in them. Before those races, she had back-to-back wins on the turf and this is a good field for her to try and build on and improve off the Valentine Stakes.

8- Slip And Dip (Fractious, ridden by J Alvarado)- Although she always ran well in them, Slip And Dip needed six races to break her maiden, and did so empathically with a five-length victory at FG. She liked it there and won an allowance a month later to earn her spot in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at SA. While she ran near the front early, she lacked stretch response and was passed by a couple to finish sixth. This is probably not as strong of a field as that was, but I still feel she is capable to running better than she did there.

Prediction: 3-4-8-6

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded