Hooper – Grade III

GP         Race #8             1m        Dirt                      Graded Stake

Purse $150.000  For Four Year Olds And Upward.

1 Themefrom Antarctica         Ajm Stables                   Perez Edg                       126

Gets a two-pound penalty for his grade three handicap win last season but to a degree that is negated by getting the ace draw. The five-year-old has won eleven races and is proven in this grade but weight can be a huge leveler at HRP and that two pounds is what I am finding hard to get past.                     

2 Inoue                              Royalty Stables                           Curtis B                   124      

In true HRP style he went from a head second in the BC Turf Sprint over five furlongs to a closing and close fourth in the nine-furlong Clark on the dirt in his last two races of last year. Whilst that doesn’t help us work out his favoured trip or surface it does tell us that he has a lot of ability and very often that tends to be the key in this horse racing SIM. Drawn perfectly he looks a big winning chance.

3 No More Rattle                         Bigchief Stables                          Bejarano R      124      

A classy sort he can mix it at any level but has struggled to find the winners circle recently. At seven you have to be wary of decline, but his works are still strong, and he could be a top four hope from this handy gate.

4 Mr Cockypants                         La Canada Racehorses          Bravo J              124      

Ran some great races last year but finished his season with a string of near miss’s. As a four-year-old he does have some catching up to do on the development front but there is no reason he can’t be a contender here if he stays the trip.

5 Cherokee Revolution             Royalty Stables            Ortiz I Jr                           124      

He had been drifting along as a decent sort that was just below the top level when he appeared in his last start of the year and was only a half-length off the winner in the grade one Malibu, so it was clear he was a force at this level. His best efforts have come over sprint trips but as we know that doesn’t always matter here at HRP and the extra furlong may not be a problem.

6 Keto                                Family Racing                              Lopez P                 124      

A lightly raced four-year-old he managed to win the WV Derby in his third start but failed to build on that in subsequent starts. His works this year have been super good, so I do wonder whether the new owner has found that old form. He could be a surprise winner if he is ridden in a tactically astute way,      

7 Honour The Lord                      Hunterman Stable      Hernandez R M           124

Went well enough in the Mr Prospector in his last start when a hard closing and very close third to suggest he is up to winning at this level. His mile work in December was very impressive, so he is another that falls into that category of possible surprise winner,                    

8 American Nightmare             D J C Racing Stables    Rodriguez Jam          124      

Like a lot of the form lines at HRP it is tough to work out his best trip and surface so we just have to assume he is a good horse that can perform anywhere at any time. I feel there is more to come from this five-year-old and this could be the season he breaks through.   

9 Adrenaline                   Nakamura Stables                    Castillo I                         124                     

As just a four-year-old he has the scope to improve, and his form certainly speaks volumes about his ability. Ran better than his finishing position in the Preakness and ended the season on a high he may be a bit of a wait and see but he could certainly get into the finish if he is tuned up.

10 Malediction                             Nakamura Stables     Salles L                           124                     

This four-year-old has never been worse than second in his career and that is a great record. I certainly feel that he is up to this grade and his close second in the Native Diver suggests that but like a few of the others in his age group it is tough to weigh him up for his seasonal debut.

11 Power Grid                               The Sidley Stud            Velazquez J R             124      

His win in the Durham Cup showed his worth at this level but he will need the race engine to work with him to win this race from gate eleven. A closer by nature he will probably go back so he will need a strong pace to catch them up at the end,    

12 Louisiana Asset                     Big Jd Racing                 Centeno D E                 124      

A thirteen-race winning seven-year-old who is a snippet off the $1,000.000 in prize money mark he certainly isn’t out of this despite the car park draw. Horse and jockey will have to rely on others to have a winning chance but if the luck in running goes his way there is no reason he can’t run very well.

SUMMARY

I literally have zero idea who can win this. Actually, scratch this I know any of them could win this which doesn’t help much when trying to come up with a tip. If you could put a Disney Dollar on every horse, you probably won’t lose much more than you would if you picked one so for the first time ever, I am going to say enjoy the spectacle, but I cannot find a winner for you in this race.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES