Edgewood – Grade II
CD Race #6 1 1/16m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $600.00 For Fillies Three Years Old.
1 Valley Center Nakamura Stables Bejarano R 122
A consistent sort, she has yet to really make her mark in graded company but has been solid in ungraded races. A gutsy winner of the Suncoast she has been unable to match that since but interestingly switches surfaces today to run on the grass for only the second time in her career. Either this is a hail mary attempt, one that we have seen pay off in these circumstances before, or this is a planned move by the stable to return to what may be her best surface. Only time will tell us all the answer to that.
2 Jump Into Action Diablo Diablo Pennington F 122
A stakes winning juvenile she ran well enough in the BC Juvenile Turf to suggest her future was in this sort of grade. After a facile seasonal debut win, she then took the Hercomesthebride Stakes in good fashion, making all and winning pretty much unchallenged. Her last start was in the Appalachian where she beat a lot of her rivals today with the exception of Wild Water Dragon. Ridden just off the fast pace that day she was gaining all the way to the line and with a sharp turn round in draws today she may have the edge over her rival. On exposed form and with a great draw she could be the best hope in a tough field.
3 Whirlwind Spirit Acber Farms Fresu A 122
Made good progress in overnights before running close up in both the Santa Ynez and the Suncoast. She got too far back in the Bourbonette Oaks last time but made ground late so is one of those that with the right pace and race engine luck could be getting into things late. Like a couple of the others, she switches surfaces today for a first ever turf run. I have said many times that surface doesn’t seem to matter to a lot of good horses so she shouldn’t be inconvenienced but on her dirt form so far she would have to find improvement on the grass.
4 Rowena Williams9 Esquivel E 122
Went too fast off the front from a wide draw in the Appalachian after running as a closer in the Hercomesthebride but in both efforts she failed to impress. A big winner as a juvenile and third in the BC Juvenile Turf it may pay the trainer to stop playing with the gaming buttons and let this filly run her own race. A good draw today may see her return to her best.
5 Clement Royalty Stables Gaffalione T 122
A lightly raced filly with two wins from three starts she is thrown into the deep end today in her first attempt at black type. Nicely bred and solid enough she would have to be a lot better than her races so far to surprise some of these seasoned stakes horses. Having said that, typically her works are as good if not better than most so if she has the class gene, she could be a long odds hope.
6 State Of Hope Alydar Stables Espinoza V 122
Another lightly raced filly with no form to recommend her but some very fast works suggesting the only thing that may be missing is the class gene. A closing type she got well out of her ground in the Las Virgenes and was given no chance by the race engine but her overnight form around that suggests she is a good sort. The only thing really going for her is her works and it is tough to judge those these days. Could surprise.
7 Shot Of Summer Diablo Diablo Ortiz J L 122
Nearly won the Natalma as a juvenile so it was no surprise to see her win in the CAC Oaks on seasonal debut. Her next start saw a barnstorming finish in the FG Oaks but she came up a neck short in third but in her next start in the Appalachian she got the timing wrong and had to settle for a closing fifth. She has a ton of ability but a running style that doesn’t suit this race engine, so it is very much up to the Gods as to whether it all comes together today. A win would not surprise but then neither would a late finishing fourth.
8 Influence Seeker Mb Stables Lopez P 122
Brave from a wide gate when running the stalk off a fast pace and then battling gamely for a head win in the FG Oaks, that form in itself gives her a huge chance. She ran a strange race in the Appalachian running a similar pace but fading at the end in a run very similar to her SUN Oaks disappointment in the start prior to the FG Oaks. Consistency seems to be an issue with her but at her best she has a big chance.
9 Savvy Instinct Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario 122
Just the three starts and another without the graded stakes form that is working better than the graded stakes winners. Works seem to tell about 10% of the story these days but she has an advantage over some of the other lightly raced sorts in that she is proven in stakes company. Running in only her third start she took the Providencia Stakes in good style. The one thing against her today is her first bad draw but if she can overcome that could be yet another big race winning three-year-old for the stable.
10 Wild Water Wagon La Canada Racehorses Velazquez J R 122
Nearly made all from a horrible draw in the FL Oaks but was just nabbed in the shadows of the post. As if we didn’t know already the draw in the Appalachian gave her a better chance and sure enough running from the perfect gate she managed to turn that form around after running mid-pack and getting home strongly for the win. The BC Juvenile Turf winner she is probably the best filly in the race today but once again the handicap of the draw may be her worst enemy. Drawn out she will have to rely on the race engine to give her a chance of winning, a gamble that we won’t know pays until after the race is over.
11 State Title Mb Stables Dettori L 122
Beaten just a half length into second in the BC Juvenile Turf for Team 7 Illusions she was bought by MB Stables for $350.00 after running a close fourth in the FL Oaks just behind a few rivals today but running on well enough to suggest she could turn the form around. She tried to make all in the Ashland last time on the dirt and though weakening late ran a fine race to be third. Back to what may be her best surface today the only thing she needs to overcome is the draw although as she may well go forward the advantage of the wide gate speed push may actually be in her favour. Another chance in a race full of chances.
12 Missing Dress Our Athletes Curtis B 122
Third in the Appalachian in her first attempt at black type, the odds monkeys made her favourite that day, so her class gene had clearly been noted by them in their assessment. Clearly a filly with more ability than she had shown in her first outings she would be right in the mix on that last effort but does have a poor barrier to work with. Another on pace type and drawn wide there could be a rush to the first corner and it will be down to the race engine where she ends up. Has ability and with the right run could run well.
13 I Am The Storm TwinTowersRacing Sanchez M J 122
A deep closer from the car park draw there really only seems to be one scenario here for her and that is relying on a suicidal pace and a clear run home wide. Of course, the trainer may try the gaming buttons and that could make things interesting, but I do think her best hope is with that first scenario. She made up ground in the Appalachian but didn’t get close enough your guess is as good as mine as to whether she will get the timing right today.
SUMMARY A very tough race to win, there seems to be three categories in this race. Proven stakes quality with early speed, proven stakes quality with late speed and unproven stakes quality with the fastest works. It is a story we see in pretty much every stakes race here at HRP and it is hard to guess which category will be favoured today. I think I am settling on Jump Into Action as my pick here, she has great form and a great draw with a turf proven jockey.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
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