Foster- Grade I
1 1/8 Miles Dirt Graded Stake Purse $1,000.00 Four-Year-Olds And Upward. At CD

1st     Eight West Party         TwinTowersRacing               25-1 (HRP) 20-1 (SRF)

Oh, my, Tommy, you did it again. Ignore the deep closer. Ignore the eight-year-old. Ignore the BC Dirt Mile winner Eight West Party at your own risk. I did and I missed anytime you see a TwinTowersRacing horse in a stakes race at long odds, bet him to place. I mean, look at that payout: 25-1 to win and 171-1 to place. I mentioned in the preview that Eight West Party suffered from deep closer inconsistencies, so he avoided that completely by becoming a stalker and never getting farther back than third three lengths. He took up the challenge at the top of the lane and prevailed by a neck.

2nd      Diametric                        Mb Stables             7-2 (HRP) 2-1 (SRF)

In my preview, I went on and on about Diametric‘s speed and versatility and what a threat his recent form represented, and, wow, was he ever the threat! He leapt out the gate with a vengeance and a two-length lead, continued to dictate the pace until the winner applied pressure around the far turn, whereupon a battle for the lead carried the two to the wire and Eight West Party prevailed by a neck. I love opening his form page. It is simply a beautiful sight of recent in the money finishes.

3rd      Special Event                Nakamura Stables             6-1 (HRP) 6-1 (SRF)

Special Event seems to have recovered nicely from his Ali misfire, and his savvy stable master is willing to continue to support deep closer proclivities, and he was rewarded with a run that saw him six lengths back in ninth on the backstretch that wound up a sharp third a half-length off after a strong rally down the stretch.                                                                                            

4th         Extreme Jet                  Mb Stables             9-2 (HRP) *7-5 (SRF)

Extreme Jet , my choice as favourite to win turned out to be neither. I can understand the odds, though. Fawkes beat him in the classic, and Diametric is so hot right now. Very sad what happened to Fawkes. Hope he’s OK. As for Extreme Jet, he seemed a bit off. I mean, fourth beaten only three-quarter lengths in a Grade I stakes race is a pretty nice race for an ordinary horse, but Extreme Jet is no ordinary horse and when you see him not hit the board, you worry.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES