Cotillion Stakes – Grade I (P4) [BC]
PRX Race #15 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.

With both of the Mb Stables runners drawn inside and Maxmillion only having the one runner added to the fact that Aer Stables has come out of early retirement with a less disruptive agenda i dont think we will see a rabbit in this race. What does that mean? Well there wont be more than a length or two between most of them so trip will be vital.Lets take a close look at which one might get into the right place at the right time.

1 Totally Baroque Aer Stables Hernandez J J

This stable was buying this one for $425 just moments after signing their resignation letter but with that now in the bin if ever it was meant to be posted, they are in the best form of their season and you have to take a close look at this ones chances. Bought from Fractious after the bogus ‘sell out’ gave the stable some funds she has some impressive form. Second in the KY Oaks after winning the Gazelle she then ran well from a wide draw in the Acorn to be second again. She stumbled in the Mother Goose but was closer in the Alabama last time suggesting she hasnt hit a road block in her season. The form with these fillies is a tangled web and not one has total dominance over the other so draw and trip will be key and this one is drawn well enough to get some favors.

2 Elegant Mb Stables Velazquez J R

The perfect draws are filled with two Mb Stables runners so it would stand to reason that one of them should be right in there at the finish. On paper this looks the stronger of the two and once again faces Cannolo and a host of other fillies that she has been swapping places with all season. Her win from on the pace in the CCA Oaks was really strong and was certainly earned after a close second in the SA Oaks and the Santa Ysabel stakes earlier in the season. They went a bit faster in the Personal Ensign last time and she struggled to finish on after again going near the speed so if there is a weakness in her armor it may be if she tries to stalk a fast pace.

3 Deliberate Miss Mb Stables Franco M

Not as accomplished as her stable mate she does have stakes winning form but has failed so far when trying above grade three. I have a feeling she will be committed to the lead but if she goes too fast she may hurt her stable mates chances so i would imagine her trainer will be hoping for a soft lead with Elegant stalking her giving them a good chance if things go their way.

4 Crush Space High Voltage Ortiz I Jr

She was looking a fair sort through her juvenile campaign and although she won at ungraded level first up this year she still only looked fair heading into the grade one Ballerina. In true HRP style she flew home from nearly last to win that grade one at 27/1 after failing in a grade three the race before. Clearly she has ability but that win came from left field and it was one of those races that will have to be repeated before we can really say this filly is in the top echelon. Her draw in nice today and the jockey goes again so she has every chance of backing up that great win.

5 Z Command Smokey Stover Alvarado J

Whilst Aer Stables said they were leaving and putting all their horses up for sale for that reason Joshua Stables actually did what they said and this was one of the fillies that was high on a few peoples shopping list. Apart from a disappointing effort in the KYO she has been consistently at the top of her generation and her last two wins make her a strong choice in this type of race. Drawn out in the Alabama last time she was put into the stalk and even though she had to do a lot of work she ran hard to the line and won by a half length. Again the form lines are muddied by different draws and trips but with a great mile work of 1.36 and 1 just a week ago you would have to say she looks like a first choice today.

6 High On Haggis Winning Link Stables Pennington F

Some horses seem to flip flop between liking and disliking an off track but we can definitely say this one does NOT like the rain. If it stays dry then her fairly easy win in the Mother Goose certainly gives her a winning chance but if someone spills a cup of water on the track we may see a repeat of her poor effort in the Alabama when she ended up 9 lengths back in 11th. A 9 length turnaround in form is pretty easy here at HRP but with her works nearly a second off Z Command you cant be confident she can turn the tables.

7 Cannolo D J C Racing Stables Gaffalione T

This filly just doesnt know how to run a bad race and just doesnt care about the trip, the draw or the going which is a great trait to have in a game that can rely so much on those three things. Fourth in the KYO beaten just a length, she won the Acorn from a terrible draw and then ran a close second in the CCA Oaks and third in the Alabama. She is a filly with plenty of ticks in plenty of boxes and is a safe bet if this race looks too confusing.

8 Cardi B Gdp Inc Wilson E J

Either side of a couple of very average efforts are impressive wins in the Fantasy and the DEL Oaks showing us once again how hard it is to get a line on form at HRP. This trip certainly looks her best trip but it is hard to see her beating this very good field from this difficult draw. If things go her way then she could be a chance but i would be passing her over today.

9 The Qualify One Williams9 Bahen S R

The trainer has been known to throw some mud against the wall and that is certainly the case here as he tosses this filly into the deep end in her first stakes race. The draw wont help her stick and even for HRP this seems to much of a long shot.

10 Spicy Poke Estero Farms Bejarano R

The trainer gets the in form jockey here and he will need all of that AI advantage from this wide gate. Bought for $100 in March she won first up for the new trainer when taking the grade three Selene but looked a little out of her depth in the CCA Oaks ending up a creditable fifth. The draw makes it very tough for a filly that only had an outside chance anyway.

11 Chais Princess Maxmillion Farm Maragh Ro

Maxmillion Farms will be praying for rain as this filly is pretty good on dry ground but exceptional in the wet. The surprise winner of the SA Oaks back in April she was sold first to LionKing Stable who shuffled her on after an average display in the Black Eyed Susan to the current owner. The turf king quickly put her to the grass and took the Lake Placid in the wet by a hugely impressive 5 lengths. Back to the dirt today we will just have to see what the trainer can conjure from this wide gate.

12 Puerto Princesa Paradise Stable Prado E S

This filly has been consistency itself and capped off some good performances with a tough front running display to win the MTH Oaks last time. Being an on pace sort she wont be inconvenienced by the wide gate speed push and if she gets a soft lead with no obvious rabbit then she may just be hard to get pass. The SRF team send their support to the editor in chief.

13 Pennies Arindel Zayas E J

This new trainer is certainly having plenty of early success but will need all sorts of magic powder to get this filly home from the 13 gate. A decent sort, she was tough in winning the Pine Stakes last time but had the one hole to run from and things will be very different from out here. This isnt a forlorn hope but i think a place would be the best she can hope for.

SUMMARY

A real good field as the three year olds try and sort themselves out for the assault on the BC. Old rivals Cannolo and Elegant will be fighting it out again but i think Z Command is the one who has improved the most over the season and if things go her way she may be the one to beat them.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES