The Marshuas River Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
January 12, 2019

Happy New Year to HRP ! It’s time to get back to racing, and to see what this year will hold! There are a few graded stakes to talk about this weekend, and here we will look at the Marshuas River Stakes, a grade 3 for older females. It is the 14th running of the race, which did debut in 2004, but took a couple years off early in the games history. It first became a graded stake in 2011. T S Light won this race in 2010 and 2011 for Triple K, making him the most successful trainer in the stake. Here’s a look at it!

#1- Sinuous Beauty (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- The trainer picked her up last summer in a $30.000 claiming race from Williams9, and it has proven to be a wise claim. She has fared well in her previous silks, but maybe the trainer just wanted to move away from her. With Mb, Sinuous Beauty closed out 2018 with two wins in three starts. She is 3-for-4 in her career at this distance, and won the $125.000 CC Tiara right here last month.

#2- Cmon Yall (Gdp Inc, ridden by B J Hernandez Jr)- This five year old mare is relatively new to the turf, with only two starts on the grass over the course of her 26-race career. That second turf race was also her last start, and she took a quick liking to it in winning a smaller $30.000 stake out at TUP. She has hit the board a few times in graded stakes as well, but none of those races stand out more then the others. Perhaps it would be fitting for a mare out of a horse named Back From Beyond, to win this race.

#3- Windian (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Talks of this trainer hanging it up at the end of the year have proven to be false, and Team 7 Illusions is running well to begin his 2019. Windian is a nicely bred filly by Cherokee Sunset, and out Gray Wind, and is just a bit shy of $300.000 in earnings in her career. That number should only continue to grow, as here she looks to build on a wire to wire win at the $150.000 Forever Together at AQU six weeks ago.

#4- My Lady (Sheffler Stables, ridden by J J Castellano)- The six year old mare returns to running long as her last outing at six furlongs did not see her beat a single horse. That was in the $125.000 Autumn Days at AQU in late November. The trainer would prefer to see her do what she did at this time last year, and win the Grade 3 Megahertz. Historically, she is a better bet in exotics then she is to put on top.

#5- Nice Laff Phooey (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by D Cabrera)- While My Lady failed to beat any horses in her last start, Nice Laff Phooey was at least able to beat one. That being My Lady in the Autumn Days. Therefore, Nice Laff Phooey is giving up the sprints for now as well. She usually does go longer, however. Her 2018 saw a heavy dose of graded races, but the only win of the year came in January in a CA-bred stake. While a win would be nice and preferred, she needs a confidence reboot, too.

#6- Distinctive Lady (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by Jef Sanchez)- She had a strong season last year, scoring four wins in her nine starts. She seemed to find a good niche for herself in ungraded stakes over the course of the year, finishing well even where she was not winning. Lately, she has been running this distance, and is two-for-three at it. Most recently, she won the $150.000 Winter Memories against three others at AQU. This has earned her the chance to move up to this level. She’s raced graded once before, but her form will be better this time.

#7- Wbf No Regrets (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- This one will make her graded stake debut after finishing out 2018 with four wins in five starts. None of those wins were at the stake level, but the one she didn’t win would be. Most of those wins were in sprints, but she looked pretty good going a mile at FG in an open allowance. She will like going a little longer here, and will be a threat in this race.

Prediction: 1-3-6-7

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES