Read Stakes – Grade II
DMR Race #6 1 1/8m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $250.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.

1 Green Flag Spankys Barn Berrios Hector 124 —

A solid type that rarely runs a bad race, he gets into the same draw in which he won the Schiller and will probably look to track the leaders again and pounce down the stretch. His last two races over the mile in the American and the Poker Stakes were both excellent, and I really like him here.

2 Day Of The Dragon Mb Stables Corrales G 124 —

Claimed from Onlineracingclub, the seven-year-old has been racking up the wins in overnights and clearly our GOAT felt that the gelding still had a stakes race in him. His works are great, so on those he certainly is ready to add to his great record and racing from the coveted two gate, I can see him running a huge race.

3 Life Is Beautiful Riggins Racing Velazquez J R 124 —

The winner of the grade one Sword Dancer before a commendable fifth in the BC Turf last year, he is certainly one that comes here with the ability and class to win. Three placings in graded company this year are a little frustrating, but he tends to peak later in the year, so he could be ready to get back to the winner’s circle today.

4 State Cavier Diablo Diablo Bejarano R 124 —

This admirably consistent six-year-old has only been outside the money in three of his thirty starts which is a remarkable record. Bought in the Smokey Stover giveaway for a $1.000, he has been kept to lower grades but showed with a big effort in the Texas Turf last time that he is certainly up to this level.

5 Devil One Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A 124 —

A sprinter with zero starts over longer trips, this one will be watched with interest. Of course, you would imagine he is easy to be written off and in real life he probably would be, but here at HRP the trip can mean nothing to some horses and if this is one of them, we could see some big odds in the winner’s circle.

6 Extravagant Bigchief Stables Lopez P 119 —

The three-year-olds have certainly started, very recently, to get competitive with the older horses, so I am now ready to take their chances more seriously. Lightly raced and the winner of the Pennine Ridge last time the 5Lbs could be significant and if he confirms that the emerging dominance of the younger generation has begun, it will be far easier to work these races out in the future.

7 Manticore High Voltage Van Dyke D 124 —

After some consistent form, he got his reward with a game win in the Texas Turf last time and that effort certainly puts him right in the mix. The jockey did the job on him last time but will have to work with a wider draw today which certainly makes this tougher.

8 Sly Asgar Wilson E J 124 —

Took the Muniz Memorial Handicap off bottom weight but that handicap form is often skewed by the weights, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when he was well beaten in the Forrester Turf Classic last time. I am not ready to write him off though as the track was wet in the Forrester but with his barn storming late finish and the wide gate, he will have to be on it today.

SUMMARY

A very difficult race to call, I think I just favor Green Flag and the three-year-old Extravagant here but for very different reasons. Everything has a right to win as we so often see with HRP, so do not let me put you off if you like another one.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES