KD Turf Cup – Grade II [BC]
KD Race #6 1 1/2m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $2,000.00 For Three Year Olds And Upward.

1 Master Of Disguise Mb Stables Franco M 122 —

These huge purses keep coming as do the great horses from this barn. This lightly raced five-year-old has been handled beautifully by the trainer missing out on his juvenile season and being brought along gently through his three-year-old year to finally emerge as a stakes winning four-year-old. Since then, he has never stopped improving and is having his best year this year winning both the Man O War and The Bowling Green at grade two. He gets the ace draw here and should use that to sit a bit closer to the pace than he has recently and will love every yard of these 12 furlongs.

2 Wayward Prince Angelos Stable Alvarado F T 122 —

Another five-year-old who has been brought along with a professional and skilled hand he hasn’t had the success of Master Of Disguise this year but has been close enough in some good races to rate a good chance. Just two lengths behind in the AP Million when fourth last time he was making ground that day and the run had the look of a horse that would love the 12 furlongs. His works are solid, and he will settle nicely from this draw behind the speed, a live winning chance.

3 Bigmikesbluedress TwinTowersRacing Cedillo A 122 —

May have only won three races, but he has run some cracking races in defeat including last time out when beaten just a nose in the Fourstardave Handicap. He hasn’t been so good over this sort of trip recently so this may not be his day but at his best he could run into a place.

4 Chagrin Falls Mo Mentum Farm Gutierrez Mario 122 —

Another that is looking for the biggest win of his career, he is far from a regular on the turf and only has one win from nine efforts on the surface. He hasn’t been too bad on the dirt though and has been working some times that suggest that he may have got a sprinkling of something, you don’t work 1.34 and 1 for the turf mile and be an average horse. It will be interesting to see how he goes in this race and whilst his chances on form aren’t too obvious, those works have me thinking.

5 Commerce D J C Racing Stables Centeno D E 122 —

All eight of this one’s wins have come in sprints, and I have it in good authority from his previous owner than they couldn’t get this horse past six furlongs, but since he has arrived in DJC Racing Stables he seems to have found a new lease of life as a router. Beaten a head by Master Of disguise in the Man O War and a good fourth in the BEL Gold Cup, it is clear the new owner has found something extra, and he has every right with his effort in the Man O War to be a strong chance in this race.

6 Penal Hockey Party Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A 122 —

Last summer when this one took the Forrester Turf Classic, The Wise Dan and the AP Million in a row he was looking like a horse that may never be beaten again but since the AP Million, now a year ago he has not won in 8 more attempts. Such is racing at HRP, one minute looking unbeatable and the next unable to win, but within those 8 defeats he ran some great races most notably being beaten a nose in the BC Mile. Even this year, although he hasn’t made the top three in four races, he hasn’t been beaten far and has been racing in the highest company. So where does he fall in this race? Well, it’s his first go at 12 furlongs for a start and with his speed over a mile he should be able to find himself a decent spot in transit. He was running on late in the Manhattan so there is no reason to think he won’t see the trip out and we all know just how good he can be, so despite the out of form look about his figures I would give him a major chance.

7 Grand Opening Riggins Racing Velazquez J R 122 —

You know what’s strange…. last year Penal Hockey Party won the Forrester Turf Classic, The Wise Dan and the AP Million after two second place finishes and this horse has an almost identical record. I mean, what are the odds of that?! Especially when they are racing side by side. Riggins Racing will be hoping that that is where the similarity stops and this one can keep winning and there is certainly no reason why not, although I am sure I said the same about Penal Hockey Party. The trainer is riding the crest of a wave at the moment and on recent form at least they look to have another big chance at a huge purse.

8 Killer Instinct Mb Stables Ortiz I Jr 122 —

Beat Grand Opening in the Pan American in March over this trip and has done nothing wrong since suggesting that if Grand Opening is your choice, then this one has at the very least an equal chance of winning. He rarely runs a bad race although the engine spat the dummy in the Pegasus World Turf Cup and saw him an uncharacteristic eleventh you would have to say that at this level, he is by far the most consistent long-distance router in the race. Only two of his nine wins have come on the turf so he is a true jack of all trades and with Mb Stables holding a couple of high cards here there’s a good chance one of them will win.

9 Ziccio Night Rider Stables Saez L 122 —

He has been a bit all over the place with his draws but always runs better than I think he will. He was a great third in the AP Million last time but does have a bit to find with the first two in that race if he isn’t going to fill a minor berth in this race too. It’s hard to knock his form and he certainly deserves to be given every chance here. He beat the MTH Stakes winner and the DMR Handicap winner in his great win in the Whittingham in May so he is right up there this season and if he can find somewhere to sit just around mid-pack and not too wide, he may once again grind out a result.

10 Martinez Royalty Stables Buick W T 122 —

The car park goes to the BEL Gold Cup winner, although it has to be said that his best ever win came on a soft track and he may need some moisture to play its part with the race engine to have a chance of winning this. His last two races are as good as most of this field though and just sometimes when these races become tactical affairs the outside gate can find a slim advantage, The SAR Derby winner last year and third in the first running of this race there is no reason he can’t win if given a crack at it by the race engine.

SUMMARY

Well, this is a good mix of consistent routers, rising stars and past stars and it will be a very interesting race to sit down and watch. It looks to me on form to be between Killer Instinct and Grand Opening, but I rather like the idea of a play on Chagrin Falls as they explore the change of surface thing after a huge turf work, The chances don’t end there and all of these have rights to the huge prize, good luck to all.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES