The Alabama – Grade I
 1 1/4m   Dirt   Graded Stake
Purse $600.000  For Fillies Three Years Old.

1 Dirty Deeds, trained by Aer Stables
Has really hit her straps since an excellent fifth in the KYO. She ran the stalk from this gate to take the Summertime Oaks by a comfortable length. That was a deserved win after a string of strong runs in top company, but she stepped up again last time out in the Grade I CCA Oaks beating a small field in a fast time. This gate really suits her running style, and I am sure she will run a big race again today.

2 Way Up, trained by Team 7 Illusions
Broke her maiden in a strong Allowance on the turf. It is difficult to weigh her up on racecourse efforts. She is the random in the field, and if you look at her last mile work, she must have a good chance at long odds.

3 Track Queen, trained by Heavens Own
Looked set for a big season after winning the Gazelle and then running third in the KYO, but things have gone a little south since those big efforts. Well beaten in The Acorn, she had the excuse of a horrible wide gate, and when dealt that card again last time out, she ran better to be second in the IND Oaks. There is no doubt she is a very good filly who hasn’t had things her own way, so with a better draw today, I expect a return to the sort of form that saw her third in the KYO.

4 Tropics, trained by Australia Wide
A very nice two year old, she was bought by Australia Wide in the New Year and had a  go at immortality in The Wood Memorial. She didn’t run badly to be only four lengths off the winner, but was nevertheless eleventh, and the big plans were shelved in favor of a rest. She came back from that layoff with an impressive win in the Bison City Stakes, and she will be entitled to improve again from that run after a 3 month break. Her recent mile work is similar to the filly with 3 runs and one win, which is typical of these races, so it is hard to place her, but she definitely has a touch of class, and given a decent run, she should be thereabouts.

5 Minda, trained by John Henry
This new trainer has put himself on a steep learning curve after investing heavily, and so far this hasn’t been one of his successes. She won the SA Oaks before a good run in the KYO saw her running on strongly to be seventh. Her two runs for her new trainer have resulted in similar efforts finishing strongly, but too late in both the Acorn and the Mother Goose. Her works are in the ball park, so she is another who could run well if all the puzzle pieces fall into the right place.

6 Proud Bird, trained by Mb Stables
She bypassed the KYO trail by taking some soft wins in lesser company before running two nice races in the SUN Oaks and the Fantasy. She burst onto the scene in her last two starts dead heating for the win in the Selene Stakes and then winning the IND oaks on her own. That IND Oaks win was very good form for this, but on the evidence of her works she may still have something to find on her best rivals.

7 Check My Scene, trained by Mb Stables
Failed in the SA Oaks after taking her maiden impressively and then took advantage of the three year dominance of the older generation by easily winning a couple of threes and up overnights. She was brought back to her age group last time to take a very game win in the AP Oaks and has shown steadily improving speed figures in all her races. She may be the best from her stable in this race, but I am not sure she is good enough to win.

8 Notarized Kate, trained by Pristine Stables
Dead heated for a win in the Grade I Ashland before a huge late run in the KYO saw her finish a close second. She then tried to overcome a horror draw in the Acorn, but could only finish third before once again finding some black type with a win in the DEL Oaks last time out. The wide draw will make it tough for her again, but the wide draw has been faring better recently, so she may not find it too much of an inconvenience. Certainly in the top three on her form as with plenty of others she may have to rely on the luck of the trip.

9 Wicked Heat, trained by EasyMoney Stables
The impressive winner of the KYO after taking the FG oaks, she looked like she was going to take the fillies division by storm. However, as has been proved so many times before, it is hard enough to win two big races in a season, let alone three, and she has failed in both her attempts since. Fired to the front from a wide gate in the Acorn, she weakened late to be sixth and then made a brave attempt at the Queens Plate, but could only finish ninth. Her works are still up with the best, and she is undoubtedly a very classy filly, but the wide gate smacks her in the face again, and she would have to be better than her brilliant best to win today.

SUMMARY.

As is typical of all three year old races this year, most of these have beaten each other and pretty much all of them are working with a few tenths of each other. So, as usual, it will come down to the luck of the trip. Bearing that in mind, I am going far out of the box and picking Way Up to win simply for the reason that she has as good a chance as any and will be very long odds.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES