Glen Cove
AQU Race #3 6f Turf Stake
Purse $150.000 (plus up to $22.50 for NY-breds) For Fillies Three Years Old.

1 Etf Asgar Ortiz J L 122 —

Claimed from a cheap maiden claimer this filly was upped in grade by the new owner and has certainly managed to be competitive at a much higher level. She failed at this level at MTH but that could be put down to the off track and she was much more willing last time on a dry track in taking a decent Allowance at the same track. The trainer certainly has confidence in this filly and her works suggest that that confidence is not misplaced but she still has something to prove at this level. A good draw, an in form trainer and if she can run to her works a real chance.

2 Tufani D J C Racing Stables Castellano J J 122 —

Another one claimed fairly cheaply she went from dirt to turf for the new owner and took an allowance at GG in fine style showing bags of pace. After that easy win she was upped in class and went to the KD Preview Ladies Turf Sprint where she finished fourth of five but was only a length off the winner. Much like the runner inside her she certainly has the work times and the trainer seems confident she is better than the grade they claimed her from but she still has something to prove at this level. Again, much like the filly drawn next to her she has a great draw, an in form stable and if she runs to those work times has every chance.

3 Eye Catching Mb Stables Alvarado J 122 —

The main thing that is eye catching about her is the stable she comes from but she has done enough to suggest she will be a big chance with or without the substantial help the champion trainer can provide. She was on a roll before her last race taking out 3 from 5 and winning the Coronation Cup at SAR but then she stepped up in trip and grade last time in the Music City and could only finish 13th of 14 runners. In fairness to her that was a big jump and a much better race than this and running from a poor draw she showed plenty of speed before being swamped. Back in class today I expect her to get busy early and she is certainly good enough to get back to winning ways.

4 Fox Off Asgar Luzzi L J 122 —

Already proven at this level she has been hugely consistent and has only once in a twelve race career been out of the first three. She tends to race a little off the pace so will need them to go hard up front and come back to her but will certainly be running on and has a lot of positives about her attitude and form. For me she is a definite for top three and there is no reason she can’t win if the race pattern suits her.

5 Sinisoul Alydar Stables Santana R Jr 122 —

Flip flopped form with Eye Catching from the Coronation Cup to the Music City Stakes but that sort of thing is not unusual here at HRP and I suspect there are very few runners than can confirm running with any horse they meet more than twice. She got well back in the Music City but was running on well at the end which was a little bit against her normal stalking style but that was a much better race than this one so it may have just been a matter of class. She had been racing well on the dirt but the trainer switched her to the turf for her last two and I am not sure she is any better on the surface. The ability is certainly there and she is in with a chance in a very even looking field.

6 Awesome Angel TwinTowersRacing Carmouche K 122 —

Had her first ever start on turf to beat a few of her rivals here in the Music City with a solid run to be sixth beaten just a length. The winner of the SUN Oaks over the mile she had been struggling in good races on the dirt after that so the switch in surfaces certainly seemed to re-energize her. She is difficult to weigh up in this even field as there isn’t much comparative form to go on but a good run certainly wouldn’t surprise.

7 Dressed In Pink Mb Stables Ortiz I Jr 122 —

After 14 races on the dirt she is suddenly working as well as any of the more turf bias fillies in this race and sometimes that first run on turf can produce a big effort so I am very wary of her. She was a solid enough type on the dirt but seemed to lack the X factor we associate with this stable but just maybe she has been waiting for this opportunity to shine on the grass.

8 Warlocks Shadow D J C Racing Stables Dettori L 122 —

An on pace runner over longer trips in her last two she will get help from the wide gate speed push here and has raced well enough in sprints before to think she will go well enough back in distance today. She has been consistent over her career and was claimed for $25.000 a couple of races ago and is well on her way to paying that investment back in just two starts for the new owner. If she can get away quickly and find a spot she will have every chance.

9 When Doves Cry Big Jd Racing Prat F 122 —

In the car park we find a filly who has raced between five and a half furlongs and a mile and 5/16ths in her last three races so isn’t easy to place in this line up. Her works of course are just the same as everything else and we can ignore her last start where Pegasus couldn’t have won from where her jockey put her. The big plus for her will be rain, not that she isn’t competitive on a dry track but she is two from two on an off track and they were both in turf sprint Stakes races. As usual from the wide gate her chances are more to do with the race engine than her ability.

SUMMARY

A tough race as the work times are all similar and the form is muddy at the least. When you get a race like this I like to look for something that sets a horse apart and for that reason I am going for Dressed In Pink having her first start on the turf. There are plenty of chances though and I really cannot write off the chances of any of the nine runners.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded