It’s a big weekend at ELP with the KD Preview races featuring small fields and big purses.
It kicks off with the KD Preview Turf Mile for three’s and up and features a field of five for the $250.000 prize fund. All the top stables are represented in these races so it will be fierce competition even though the fields are small, which is surprising considering both the prize money and the number of horses out there. Team 7 has a progressive looking gelding in this with Feared who has only had the four starts but can boast 2 wins and a third in the American Derby last time. He is not the only winning chance however, Barcelona Farms brings Mosquito, a four-year-old which has won his last four and only has to give the three-year-olds four pounds.
At the top of the field, we find Mb Stables runner in Crack The Code, another three-year-old who is working sub-1.35-mile times and has stakes form in the shape of a fourth in the Oceanside Stakes last time. The chances don’t stop there with DJC Racing bringing Lifeline, a five-year-old who is working 1.34 and 2 and Riggins Racing with American Generals also with a 1.34 and 2 work and the winner of seven races. In an intriguing start to the proceedings, we see five very different horses all with a winning chance but for me it may be Feared that will be feared the most.
Next on the card is the KD Preview Ladies Turf Sprint where we again find a small field. We see a mix of three-year-olds and older once again but with the older horses only giving the 4Lbs away they may win more than they lose today. Again, it’s an even looking group with the standout on achievement at least being Lady Of The Lord, the winner of over $1,500.000 and 15 races. She showed her well-being last time when being narrowly beaten in the Intercontinental and though she is seven now we mustn’t forget it was only last year that she won the KD ladies Sprint. Her form looks to have dipped a little this year, but she may still be good enough. Maleto brings Chrystal Cave to the race on a hat trick and a stakes win last time and this ten-race winner should not be underestimated. The other older filly is Miss Fury from Mb Stables who has won eight herself and four of her last five, that record looks ominous for her rivals. The three-year-olds are well represented although they probably have a bit to find with their older rivals. Fox Off is a highly consistent filly from Asgar who is a stakes winner this year and certainly should sprint well from the inside draw, she looks a good hope for the younger generation, but we mustn’t forget Tufani because although she hasn’t got anywhere near the form of these, in true HRP style is working just as well.
It’s another tough race for the punters but I will just give lady Of The Lord the nod.
Next up is the Nashville Derby, again just the five runners but once again a tough race to call. Mb Stables brings Influence to the table who is working well but has been a little disappointing since his good efforts in the AR Derby and the San Felipe. I do wonder whether he is a shade better on the dirt, but his works say he can run the turf, and I would give him a live chance in this race. Winned looks the one to beat here, however. The BG Stakes winner was a big disappointment in the KYD but has been given plenty of time to get over that and has been showing a liking for the grass at home, if he is fit enough, he wins. The other big stable runner here is the Fractious owned Sorcerer. He was bought for $350.000 from Barcelona Farms back in March but hasn’t managed a top four in three runs since so needs to step up today. Working strongly if the trainer has found the right combinations, he could be a big danger. Rounding out the field is the maiden winner Knob and Key who of course is working just about as well as the rest but will need to step up on just his fourth race and Dime Fall from Asgar. Dime Fall looks to have found some good form recently and is working well so could be a dark horse from the inside draw. For me this race looks like Winned all the way.
The Ladies Turf Mile finds a minimum field as well but as we have seen so far these races are really competitive despite the lack of numbers. Mb Stables brings the probable favorite in Not A Big Deal, the winner of 12 races and over $1,300.000. With only the one race on the turf resulting in a defeat the trainer gives her another go here in the hope that she can pick up this nice prize. Her turf works are good but then works don’t often translate directly to races so it is a bit of a gamble as to how she will handle the surface. Appreciate is another filly with a great record scoring over $1,400.000 in prize money but she too is rarely seen on the turf. The difference here is that she has won twice on the surface, so she may be the better chance out of the two big money winners. High Voltage brings Omnibus to the race and whilst she isn’t as prolific as some, she is highly consistent and has won all her races on the grass and that record may just be the difference. Louisiana Woo has been running well this year and is much improved and with a very strong work last time she may just provide Invicta Group Llc with a great chance of a big win. Rounding out the field is Power Royale which may be overlooked here as she too is a decent turf runner with plenty of experience and is a grade one runner up over this trip.
I hate to say it again but this is yet another open race, but I may go outside the norm here and go for Power Royale and Louisiana Woo to provide a value Exacta.
In the final race of the series, we see the KD Preview Turf Sprint with the biggest field of seven runners. There is plenty of interest here as we have some progressive looking horses in particular the Riggins Racing trained Born For This who has a record of two wins from three starts and is working very well indeed. Improvement on his last start is needed but there is something there with this one, and I will be watching him carefully. The other three-year-old worthy of a mention is He Gone who is three from three and also working fast times. I like the fact that he has beaten older horses in his last two and though he doesn’t get as much weight relief today he is an exciting prospect. The rest of the field are more established sprinters with some promise there too with a couple of progressive looking older runners in Imminent Trouble and Flip The Plan, either of those two could win as they look like horses that are ready to improve. The final three are the more likely on form at least. Lantern Yard is working very strongly and may be the best of them but Insist on Perfection from the Turf King has plenty of experience and is ready to strike too. Rounding out the field is Sleepy Sunday and he too has a winning chance.
Well, if you can pick all the winners of these races you are a better tipster than me, rarely do we see five short fields with every single horse with a winning chance. I feel the weights favor the older horses today so the threes may struggle but there are some really promising types on show, and it is sure to be great racing, good luck to all!!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
