San Luis Rey Stakes – Grade II
SA   Race #5   1 1/2m   Turf   Stake
Purse $200.000  For Four Year Olds And Upward. 

1st Dogs Dragon, trained by Maxmillion Farm
Maxmillion Farm gave his rival trainers a lesson today filling the first two places with two horribly drawn horses. Whether it was an ‘on pace’ day at HRP, inspired instructions, random or whatever, we will never know but the fact remains these two looked head and shoulders above the rest. This winner was shot forward as expected from the wide draw but took up a nice stalk and in the end had just too much gas for his stable mate. His form figures are looking pretty good at the moment and i suspect he may be right there at BC time.

2nd Big Daddy Z, trained by Maxmillion Farm
Pushed into the stalk from the wide draw he put in a gutsy effort to be out battled by his stable mate down the stretch.

3rd Sunny Gabe, trained by Mb Stables
Pretty much anything outside the first two never looked like getting to them. I kept expecting one to come out of the pack but nothing did although this one kept on well enough to grab third.

4th I Have Arrived, trained by Mb Stables
Like all the others that stay behind the leaders he didn’t quicken and just whacked away in the end for fourth.

SUMMARY
This was an odd race to watch and the only conclusion I can come to apart from two horses were set on stalk and everything else on restrain is that the one and a half mile track had a leaders bias today. As usual it is difficult to weigh up performances especially when you look at the awful run of the BC winner but the first two dominated this race today and if they can hold that form will be right there come BC time.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES