SUN Oaks [KYO]
SUN Race #7 1m Dirt Stake
Purse $250.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.

1 Gingtree The Sidley Stud Rodriguez A R 120 —

Well, this stable has been in fine form recently and they look to continue their great run with this daughter of Ginger Haggis. A consistent sort, she started low taking her maiden at FP and was largely kept to sprints but arguably her best run came in her only distance race when running fourth in the Starlet. She may indeed be a sprinter, but sprinting types tend to run well in routes at HRP when held up for a late run, and I can see her weaving through late and just maybe picking up some KYO points.

2 The Lady Of Sod Nakamura Stables Gallardo A A 120 —

With a name like hers it is not surprising that she has won all of her four victories on the turf. But we all know that many horses can race well on both surfaces and as the winner of the CAC Oaks and some nice works on the dirt track I wouldn’t be surprised to see her become the Lady Of The Dirt.

3 Escapist Williams9 Hernandez R M 120 —

Like a few of the stable juveniles she seems to have gone off the boil a little but if she can recapture the form that saw her win the Pocahontas and finish a close third in the Alcibiades then she could be a live contender from a decent draw. If she can sit just behind the speed, she may be good late, but she has shown that she can sometimes go a little too hard early in her races and that will be a worry for her trainer.

4 Striking N Night Mare Racing Juarez A J Jr 120 —

Only lightly raced with the four starts, but she has shown enough to give her a chance today. Won the Borderplex stakes on this track but over a shorter trip so the biggest question mark may be her ability to see out the distance rather than any lack in actual ability. Good SRF figures and a running style that seems to be adjustable they are both ticks in other boxes that give her a chance.

5 Divided Destiny Mb Stables Prat F 120 —

It took her five goes to win her maiden, but she did it very impressively albeit over a sprint trip. Working well enough she looked improved for turning three but like a few of the others has to answer questions about her ability to see out these 8 furlongs today. Just on the trainer’s ability to pull off the big wins you have to give her a chance and there is no doubt she fits in this race so if you like her there isn’t much to put you off.

6 Underlined Asgar Lezcano J 120 —

Took her maiden in a decent PRX maiden race but then went to lowly BTP for an allowance win on the turf. That may have been more of a warmup race as she went on to run a fine second in the Muskoka and then took the Sadie before a third in the Shady Well. Like a few the question is the trip as she has run all her races over sprint trips, but she certainly has the ability if she sees the 8 out.

7 Shericka Winning Link Stables Velazquez J R 120 —

Yet another that tackles eight furlongs for the first time she won the Myrtlewood over six furlongs but as an on-speed runner she has looked more like that trip is her best. This being HRP, it tends to turn sprinters into closing routers so it could work out for this one although a tough draw will limit her options. Something tells me she will run well so I will be watching her closely.

8 Houseofidentity Noblepark Lopez P 120 —

She hasn’t been getting too many favors from the draw monster getting the visitors draw on more than one occasion, but she has run like a horse that could be a threat in the filly’s races and it could pay to follow her here. She ran well on the turf gaining an entry to the Turf BC race but showed last time that she can run on the main track too when storming home to take The Cash Run over this trip. Her works haven’t been too inspiring, but I think this one has a tank full of potential if she can get a favor or two from the race engine.

9 Eighteen Ninety Two Mo Mentum Farm Conner T 120 —

Third behind Houseofidentity in The Cash Run she has been a consistent sort on all surfaces and any trip so she comes here as the sort of honest trier that can be worth following. Likely to go on speed there won’t be too much pressure up front so it may be a good tactic especially if she can get there easily.

10 Chantilly Road D J C Racing Stables Smith M E 120 —

Took a while to break her maiden and only managed it at lowly TUP but after that looked far more confident when taking the Gasparilla Stakes and could be improving at the right time. I like the way she won her last race, and she looks to have a good attitude and a relaxed running style so despite a tricky draw if things go her way, she could be a danger as they run for home.

11 Stefania TwinTowersRacing Davis D 120 —

A closing type so the draw won’t affect her running style as long as the race engine doesn’t take her too far back. After a poor effort in the Demoiselle, she ran much better last time in the Silverbulletday Stakes flying home late to grab second. Things will have to fall into place for her to get the run at the right time but that last run says she can.

12 Vernon Royalty Stables Franco M 120 —

Both her wins have come on the turf but that seems to mean little in these races, and I will take her good win in an allowance last time as just that without worrying that it was on the grass. I have no idea how she will run on this track and as a closer from the wide gate I guess we won’t know until very late unless the trainer tinkers with the gaming buttons.

SUMMARY

This is an interesting race with a mixture of sprinters having a go at the trip, turf runners having a go at the dirt and a few that are here just to “see”. As it is impossible to weigh up a lot of the form, I am going for a few that are proven over the trip and surface as the safer bets. Gingtree is from an inform stable and that can mean a lot and her run in the Starlet suggests she may run well here. Houseofidentity will get every yard of the trip and has won on the dirt so she may be my first choice, but I do worry about pace in this race as there doesn’t look to be a whole lot. The wide gates are closers so if they go back, we could end up with a fairly sedate pace and if that happens, we could see something go to the lead and stay there. As I said, it’s an interesting race and one that I won’t be putting any big bets on.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded