Pucker Up Stakes – Grade III
AP Race #1 1 1/8m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $100.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.

Another disappointing field due to the talent draw from the big meets but small fields are a great opportunity to get some BC points and once again though this field is small it is good enough to give us an interesting contest. Here is how they line up:

1      Phun On Acid         Nakamura Stables      Loveberry J

Her best win in the FL Oaks came on an off track and that can always be a tough read when it comes to assessing form. Her next up effort on a faster track saw her a good fourth in the Appalachian so it is safe to assume she has the ability on both surfaces but one has to feel she may be better with some moisture in the track. She has certainly proved to be tempting in her short career having been bought and sold twice for three figure sums so she has a bit to prove today as she tries to find a win for her third owner. She had a long break before a fourth last time out and she may have needed that run so i am willing to overlook it so going on her best form she must have a solid chance from the ace draw. Her works are very good and she sits high on the medal table.

2     Point Of Honor        High Voltage        Franco M

Fairly consistent at this level on both surfaces she ran well enough in the San Clemente stakes to give her a shout from this perfect draw. Her works are solid without being the best and whilst i am not sure she can beat one or two of these a pay check is a distinct possibility.

3     Build Battle        Mb Stables         Saez L

When the likes of Mb Stables spends $250 on a horse you have to sit up and take notice especially when that same horse was sold for just $40 a few races before and had been running in claimers. After being bought from Night Rider her new trainer managed to squeak her into the BEL Oaks with a wide draw and it was the resulting fourth place that seems to have got the notice of Mb Stables. Her works are good enough and if that BEL Oaks race was the start of some upward motion on her improvement curve she would be a winning chance in this race.

4       Youcantcatchme       Fractious       Cedillo A

She didn’t run as a two year old but won her debut on the first of January as a three year old which is the signal of a useful horse. She went on to run a close second in the Sweetest Chant in only her second start making her one of the best prospects around at the time. Since then however she has been pretty disappointing and in her last tow she has been beaten in optional claimers. It is hard to see where it has gone wrong for this filly and whilst we know she has talent it may pay to wait while she recaptures her start of the year form.

5    Rosehunt         Arindel         Jaramillo E

The outside gate goes to a filly who is already a grade two winner which is normally a good sign when she is running in a grade three. However the form she was in to win The Appalachian and then run a close second in the Edgewood has left her in her last two starts and she has something to prove today. She won the Appalachian from a wide draw so that may be the key to a return to form but her last two starts have not been encouraging and you would need some caution if picking her as the winner.

SUMMARY

Not the best field and interesting in that there are a couple of fillies here that showed loads of promise but have run out of form recently. Build Battle may be the best on her BEL Oaks run but i rather like Phun On Acid to use the draw after a recent run will have sharpened her up.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES