The Inside Information – Grade II
GP Race #10 7f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Spring Street High Voltage Gutierrez Mario 124 —

This is a competitive field so a low draw can certainly help, and this mare has shown she can hold a nice position from an inside gate and run a big race at this level. Last time out she dug deep to gamely hold onto to a dead heat win in a close finish for the Bessarabian Stakes over this trip. A specialist seven-furlong horse she has only won four from twenty but had a good year last year and looks the type that is a late maturer so may be at the right age now to really take a run at the top.

2 Aghast Mb Stables Ferrer J C 124 —

Another favored by a good draw, she won the Selene last year in game fashion and looks to be suited by seven furlongs even though that win was over a bit further. She raced in good company as a three-year-old but with all these four-year-olds I like to see how they do in a new season before jumping on them as a winning chance. Having said that she is a winning chance regardless of age, so I expect to see her in the finish.

3 Penal Partido Rene Martyparty Corrales G 124 —

She had a super year last year culminating in a brilliant third in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint and with a great draw she does look like a big hope as she reaches an age which can see a peak in ability. I guess my one fear for her is the gap between runs and she may need this race to be at her best but if you are looking at bare form against draw advantage then she has ticked two major boxes. Her running style should see her in the stalk or at least not far from the lead so expect to see her right in the firing line down the stretch.

4 Dream Chaser Allinthegate Gaffalione T 124 —

A four-year-old with plenty of upside she ran from Fractious as a three-year-old winning The Hendrie and placing in the CT Oaks and the Dogwood so has certainly proved herself capable of being competitive at this level. Bought for $250.000, the new stable has run her a couple of times in open allowances to get to know her and now sets her target higher as they look to take up where the old stable left off. She will be one of the fitter horses in the race as she ran in late December and that could see her run well.

5 Devil In High Heels The Sidley Stud Davis D 124 —

Yet another from the Fractious fire sale, she was picked up for $300.000 by the BC Classic winning trainer. She won the Princess Rooney on the way to the BC but was handed a terrible draw in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint and ended up going too far back and running in too late, a common sight from a wide draw in a big field. The new owner has had one go and that was in the grade one La Brea where she only failed by a quarter length to make a winning start for her new stable. A four-year-old, so as I have said before, I always like to see how they have come through the process from three to four but for me she is the most likely of the four-year-olds to take out this prize.

6 Smokin Cara Alydar Stables Zayas E J 124 —

This stable has become a master of bringing home the closers, but as you will see with a look at this one’s form that tactic can be reliant on the race engine and is a little hit and miss. Closing hard in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint last time she was only two lengths behind as they crossed the line which was an eye-catching effort. She won the Derby City on an off track, getting the timing right that day and closed hard in all her races getting the timing right again in the Bernardo Handicap where she lumped a big weight to a super win. There is no doubt in my mind that with the right race scenario she wins but I am not seeing a breakneck pace here so it does have me worried that she will arrive too late.

7 Yeah Noha D J C Racing Stables Elliott S 124 —

Another that seems best in coming from further back, she won the ONT Fashion last year and also ran well in a few others. She was flying home with all the closers in the BC after getting too far back and at her best is certainly good enough to be a factor in this finish. The two things that have me wary are her running style from a mid-pack draw and the fact that she is four. For those two reasons I would leave her alone today, but that doesn’t mean she can’t win.

8 Plenty Of Profit Riggins Racing Curtis B 124 —

Won the Rampart in her last start which was a nice end to the year after some good efforts as a three-year-old. Her best race came in the Hirsch when a closing fourth just a length off the winner, but I am a little unconvinced by her sprinting efforts so don’t see her as a winning chance. She is fit though with that late December win and this trainer knows how to win big races.

9 New Albany Our Athletes Saez L 124 —

A nine-race winner, she has been pretty consistent and now at five may be reaching her peak. Beaten a neck in the Dream Supreme she has proven that she is up to this level, but this difficult gate won’t make it easy for her. This is a very competitive field so she will have to up her game to win, but I do like the fact that there isn’t too much speed in this race, and she is happy up on the pace so if she crosses them early and gets a decent run she could run well.

10 Racing Tipster Williams9 Lezcano J 124 —

Yet another from the Fractious fire sale she was taken for $355.000 and looked good value after a brilliant second from a wide draw in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint. In her only start for the new owner she again had a wide draw in the La Brea and again went to the front only going down by a half-length after tiring in the last half furlong. She should be able to use the wide gate to get her to the lead with ease and then it will be a matter of whether her stamina holds out down the stretch. Pace will be key here, go too fast and she places behind a couple of closers, on an average pace she wins.

11 Remember This Day Pan Farms Van Dyke D 124 —

A decent enough sort but the winner of just one and an outside draw seems to suggest this won’t be her day.

12 Groovy TwinTowersRacing Pennington F 124 —

I guess between this one and Racing Tipster are the keys to this race. If they fight each other for the lead from the wide gates it will set it up nicely for the closers, if they run a sensible pace then one of those two could snatch it. This one showed in the Chilukki how easy that could happen leading from the off and holding on for a neck win, any faster and that wouldn’t have happened so as usual the race engine and the AI hold the key to this one’s chances.

SUMMARY

So, I can see Racing Tipster and Groovy going for the lead from the outside gates, if they fight each other, we could see a crazy pace and that will negate the stalkers and hand it to the closers. If that scenario plays out, then Smokin Cara wins from Spring Street in my books. If the AI manages some sense and they don’t fight each other there isn’t much else in this race that wants to lead so Racing Tipster may be the best of those two to run the speed and hold on, that also brings in the stalkers with Devil In High Heals, Aghast and Penal Partido Rene the likely beneficiaries. Take your pick as to which AI we will see.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES