Summer Stakes (Grade 2) (BC)- $200.000 Purse
WO- For Two Year Olds
One Mile on the Turf
September 18, 2016

Let me start this off by apologizing in advance that this will not be up to my standards, which is unfortunate given the important nature of the race.  It’s tough sometimes to prepare for these when the field only draws two days before the race, and you don’t have a ton of time that day to write!

On Sunday, one of the top prep races for the BC Juvenile Turf takes place up north in the 11th running of the Summer Stakes, which is going to put those who are currently the best two year old turf stars to their biggest test yet.   The winner is heading, should the trainer choose of course, to the BC Juvenile Turf out at SA in about six weeks.   It is a fascinating race, because at this stage of the game, these horses are just beginning to show their potential on the track, and on the grass.   There’s even a couple in here making their turf debut!  Last year, the race was won by Arrowhead, from Spongebob.   Only until very recently, he hadn’t really done anything since then.  However that comes with the disclaimer, because he has won three in a row for new trainer Mb Stables, mostly in allowance company.   Mb Stables trained the 2014 winner, Deja Steel, and he would become a TC winner, taking the BEL.  2013 winner, Vesuzard, also had a very successful career. (Not necessarily past tense, as he is still active though hasn’t raced in ten months).  So here we are, in 2016, with the highest earner in the field having made $80.200 so far.  This race is about the future, so relax and enjoy.  It’s a full field of twelve going to the gate.

#1- Sir Plucky Monkey (Blushing Meadows, ridden by L Contreras)- Tries turf for the first time after being a non-factor in the Grade 2 SAR Special last month.  He’s won one of three so far, and if you look at his works going long on the grass, you can clearly see why this has been a long time coming.  He will just need to prove he can bring it on race day as well as in the morning, because if he does, Sir Plucky Monkey will be a force in this division for a long time.

#2- Finalist (Joshua Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- The PA-bred has won one of three starts as well, and the win came at PIM late in June.  His last start saw him try the grass for the first time, and he put together a valiant second place run at MTH.   Finalist has never gone longer then 5 ½ furlongs, so that’s where his biggest test will be.   I’m not really convinced that he is a turf horse, but we’ll see what he can do here.  It will be a good measuring stick.

#3- General Opus (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- One of two in this field who have won more then one race so far in their career, and both of them have the same last name.  The General’s career earning of $80.200 make him the most prolific earner, which goes to show how young all these horses really still are.  He broke his maiden at MTH, and followed that up at beautiful SAR against NY-breds in an allowance last month.  This is his grass debut, but just look at the work from the 6th and you be sure that it will the first of many.

#4- Spring Stormtrooper (Stald Gullis, ridden by E J Wilson)- Picked up a win in his second career start, coming at SAR in late July.  That is where the spring star stayed for the summer, and put together a very impressive second place finish at 5 ½ on the grass at the Spa about a month ago.  The horse that won that day?  That’s him down there in post #8, Plucky Opus.  The two of them are ready to run longer this time against a much deeper field!

#5- Meant To Be Alone (Kopites, ridden by S R Bahen)- The maiden will look to score his first career win on just sixteen days rest. He’s run three times thus far, and one thing to like about them is that he has already been running long on the grass.   This is going to be a tough assignment, in general, because even those work times hint that he needs to pick it up a little to run with a couple here.

#6- Gold Strike (Eastern Equine, ridden by J S McAleney)- Raced last month at SAR on yielding turf, going a little longer, and score a nice win in his maiden, in what was his second overall race.  There is a chance of rain in the forecast for Sunday, it’s about 50-50 right now, and we never know that the virtual world will bring.  If its wet, you have to absolutely love that experience.

#7- Tune Up (Australia Wide, ridden by D Moran)- After being acquired from regular business partner, Pan Farms, in private sales for $85.000, Tune Up won his debut on soft PRX turf at the beginning of August.  Off of that, the trainer looks for an immediate return on his investment and brings the well rested colt to what seems to be his favorite race track.   He’s been prepared well for the race, but not sure if he is capable of beating a few in here.  Then again, you never count out anything from this barn.

#8- Plucky Opus (Big Guns Stables, ridden by Alan Garcia)- Here’s the other of the two horses in this field who have won more then one race so far in their careers.  Plucky Opus has had four tries already, which ties him with Roombound in that category amongst this field.  His career earnings are probably a little lower then his talent shows given he won his debut at the free track.  Win number two came in impression fashion at SAR in an allowance, where Spring Stormtrooper was one of those he defeated.

#9- Ye Charley (Kopites, ridden by P Husbands)- The trainer made a huge investment in this colt, buying him in private sales from Barcelona Farms for $200.000 in June.  Up to that point, he only had one start, an early April free track victory.  Since then, Kopites has tried to advance his career, but he has not been back to the winner’s circle, although he has run well.  Most recently, he was third in the $150.000 Vandal Stakes for ON–breds right here at WO last month.  He’ll keep the same jockey he had then and hopes to get a big win here.

#10- Twisted Laff (Broken Spoke Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- After an April short sprint debut, Twisted Laff returned to the race track last month and broke his maiden on the grass out at DMR, in a five furlong event.   There are no public works on this gelding longer then six furlongs, and based on what I do see, it looks like it could go either way as to whether or not he is going to want to go this long.

#11- Roombound (Brave, ridden by J M Campbell)- The Ironbound colt has one win in four starts, and has never failed to be a part of an exacta thus far.   After a pair of seconds, he made his debut on the grass at SAR and defeated a full field of NY-breds.  He has never run this long, and there isn’t really a way to know how he’ll handle it as he has never worked publicly more then three furlongs except for his attempt at the DMR Trails in March.

#12- Flying Swift (M.b.o. Racing Stable, ridden by F Pennington)– On the outside, this Sir Speedy colt will be making his turf debut.  Overall, he has one win in three career starts, that coming against NY breds at BEL in May.  In July, he ran third in a SAR allowance to horses that in their next starts went to: the $200.000 Funny Cide or the Grade 1 DMR Futurity, and each of them picked up a check in those races.  We’ll see how this goes, as not only is it his first time on the grass, he’s never gone long either and has no public works past six furlongs.

Prediction: 3-1-8-4

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES