The Dangers Hour
AQU Race #3 1m InTurf Stake
Purse $100.000 (plus up to $15.00 for NY-breds) For Four Year Olds And Upward.

1 Broomstick Dancer             Arq Racingfarms            Morales P

Gets handicapped with a 2Lb penalty here but that doesn’t seem to be the defeat guarantee this year as it has been in previous years so i wouldn’t be writing this colt off for that reason. Drawn the ace is certainly a welcome change from his last start when he had an impossible draw over a trip too short and i would expect an effort much more like his excellent close third in the FG Stakes in his penultimate start. The only sticking point is his jockey who isn’t all that happy on the turf track but all in all i think this one could be competitive enough to nearly win.

2 Brain Power             Nakamura Stables          McCarthy T

46 runs for 14 wins this one was second in the SUN Derby back in 2016 but though he has been with his current owner for 5 years now he has never really been campaigned at that level consistently. Now eight he probably ran his best race for a while when coming off 4 claiming runs in a row to run third in the Canadian Turf. he gets the perfect draw for a trainer and jockey in form so i would put this one on the list of possibles.

3 Red Arrow            Estero Farms            Fukumoto D

This one has been pretty consistent since being bought in 2020 but has yet to win for the new trainer. A good second in the TAM Stakes on seasonal debut he ran through traffic that day and i thought it was a very good effort. I like five year olds for races like this and he has shown enough that he should be considered in winning calculations.

4 Rhythm Priest          Paradise Stable            Cancel E

Well this would be a sting if the owner could pull off a stakes win with a 13 race maiden but with the differences in race class being almost non existent i can see why they have just decided to have a go here rather than another high end maiden. It would be quite something to write about if this one got home and if you want to throw a dollar or two on this one then i wouldn’t call you a fool.

5 Manifestation Arindel Carmouche K

Behind Brain Power in the Canadian Turf and Red Arrow in the TAM Stakes it is hard to see this five year old turning the tables but he is good enough to go close to those two again and will be involved in this race for a long way.
6 Long Term Investment          TwinTowersRacing          Ortiz J L

This horse has had his moments over the years winning the Hooper and running fourth in the GP Mile but both of those efforts were on the dirt and he has yet to win in 7 runs on turf. The trainer knows more about the niches in this game than most though and often throws in what looks like a no hoper and comes up with prize money so i wouldn’t be writing this one off.

7 Blameitonthewhisky            Fractious           Vargas J A Jr

Drawn the wide gate and a claiming winner last time this looks tough for the five year old but he has been in a good vein of form recently and i think his improvement curve certainly brings him into this. His claiming win last time was his first win out of sprints and he did it in a sub 1.33 time which is good enough to win a grade one let alone an ungraded stakes race.

SUMMARY

A tight little race with some good form. With a little luck from the race engine Blameitonthewhisky could surprise and i think Brain Power may be the biggest danger.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded