BC Mile – Grade I
KEE Race #13 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $2,000.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.

Of the 19 BC Miles that have been contested so far at HRP 10 winners that’s over 50% have been three year olds which is a huge push towards the younger generation. However last season saw a shift, either HRP induced or some sort of racing phenomenon, that saw the three year olds less competitive but nevertheless a three year old in the shape of Nevada Silver still managed to win bringing them to a five year winning streak. Four year olds are the next most successful with 5 wins leaving just four wins for five year olds and zero wins for horses older than that. Well the shift we saw last year seems to have continued this year and it is reflected in a field that see’s three eight year olds among the main contenders for this race. Nakamura looks to win his third BC Mile in a row, a truly remarkable achievement should they manage it. The race record for this race was a scorching 1:31.91 recorded by Plucky Mach in 2012 but as the race engine and horse development have changed several times since then it may never be beaten.

The race has been run at KEE twice in its past and has yet to produce a winning time under 1.33 so that could bring in a few that have struggled to run in the 1.32’s in the past.

So enough with the history lesson lets look at how they line up for the Turf Mile Championship:

1       Penal Hockey Party        Maxmillion Farm        Davis D

Bred by Martyparty
A three year old gelding
2022 form: 2111300133
Purse: $496.54
WR: 104

You wouldn’t normally think a horse with just over a weeks rest after finishing second in a grade two could possibly be a chance in the biggest turf mile of the year and 99% of the time you would be right. However though this may look like a desperate throw away in a race it cannot win but nobody knows how to win a turf route better than the turf king and no-one knows better that HRP can throw up some results from the far left field.
In some ways its a shame that this horse had to go to the Hill prince to find this chance as he was really good in the Secretariat and if he had got in without that recent start i would be far more happy about his chances. He gets the draw but will need to start up with them to not get buried and there are just too many if’s and but’s around him to chance him as my tip.

2        Spiral       Mb Stables          Saez L

Bred by Team 7 Illusions
A six year old gelding
2022 form: 211334
Purse: $2279.05
WR: 104

This one could probably do well in either the BC Turf or this race and has in fact run in both before. His best result is a 4th in the Mile and probably his best form is over this trip which is why his trainer has probably opted for this one. He has been good for a long time now and after a tremendous third in the WO Mile from a tough draw he ran a cracker in the Hirsch when only run down late after trying to make all. That form is up there with his best which included a Mint Million win in 2021 and he certainly represents a winning chance and a strong hand for Mb Stables. The key here is the draw as his best recent win came from the stalk in The Million and he will get a great chance to run his race how he wants to today.

3          Pxg          Mb Stables            Hernandez R M

Bred by Broken Spoke Stables
A six year old gelding
2022 form: 111211
Purse: $1840.59
WR: 117

This horse had been brought along quietly in the early part of the year taking a couple of ungraded stakes and then going right down to LS to be beaten in an allowance. He was rested for a bit in July and August and has since come back a different horse breaking into triple digit speed figures and winning both the KD Turf Sprint and The Shadwell Turf Mile both from terrible draws. It is difficult to know just how good those two wins are because there is no doubt they have far exceeded anything he had done before and in both cases he got a remarkable trip from very difficult gate position. Today he finds himself in a great gate and that could well be all he needs to turn this race into a procession but there is that nagging thought that just maybe he races best from wide. He has fantastic lead up form and is clearly in a great head space and coming from Mr BC himself could very easily add to that trainers amazing BC record.

4       Lets Do It Big Boy         RNP Stables           Ferrer J C

Bred by Team 7 Illusions
An eight year old gelding
2022 form: 012443411
Purse: $3477.77
WR: 110

I do not hide the fact that this is my favorite horse in the game so it’s hard not to be excited about the fact that he comes here in great form and the winner of two of the key races for this race. A 14 race winner he just has no idea that he should be sipping tea in the old peoples home and if anything is in the best form of his life at the moment. He won the Fourstardave Handicap in a sub 1.33 time and then did it again in the WO Mile last time carrying 4 Lbs more. Third fourth and fifth in the BC Turf i feel his time may finally come with his new love for the mile trip so i guess the only thing now is whether the race engine plays the game and he can get a spot just off the speed to launch himself to a famous win.

5    Distant Volcano        Team 7 Illusions         Corrales G

Bred by Team 7 Illusions
A three year old gelding
2022 form: 114201220
Purse: $576.56
WR: 104

You do wonder sometimes about the qualification process as this one gets in here with two wins in sprint optional claimers and a win in an ungraded stakes. However in between some fairly ordinary form is a second in both the Mint Million and The Secretariat which gave him the points and the chance at today’s race. So what are his chances? Well the draw certainly helps as does the weight allowance so you certainly cannot say he doesn’t have a chance with a trainer like T 7 at the helm.

6       Buffalo G        Nakamura Stables          Elliott S

Bred by Gustafson Stable
A five year old Gelding
2022 form: 4131041
Purse: $598.90
WR: 107

This is the trainers only chance at winning the BC Mile three times in a row as they take the defending mile champion to the turf for the bigger purse. The five year old certainly has a few efforts that give him a winning chance but also a few that don’t so it will be some training feat if they can get this one home for a famous triple. On his win last time in the City Of Hope Mile from a tough draw you have to give him a chance as he saw that race out in a sub 1.33 time. He was fourth in the Mint Million before that but wasn’t suited by the off track so the credentials are there.

7       Banshee Star        Calia Stable        Ortiz I Jr

Bred by Grimley
An eight year old gelding
2022 form: 1122101
Purse: $2181.36
WR: 109

The fact that we could have a one two three of eight year olds in the BC Mile fills me with joy and there is nothing i would like to celebrate in print more than if that happened and to be honest it really is a strong possibility. This horse is quite a story, third in the KYD as a three year old, a grade one winner the year after that he eventually was sold in 2019 for $50 and then spent what looked like the twilight of his career winning claimers. That was until after running third in a claimer he was picked up by his current owner for just $16 and just a month later won two in a row and since has won no less than four stakes races. It is such a huge turn round you have to wonder what happened in that time in the wilderness but that is certainly behind him now and he comes here off a win under a clear top weight in The Baruch Handicap.

8      Cold Weather Rider       Night Rider Stables          Castellano J J

Bred by Team 7 Illusions
An eight year old gelding
2022 form: 103120
Purse: $1969.87
WR: 109

I don’t think there has ever been a time in HRP history that the top two qualifiers for a BC race have both been eight year olds but here we have another grand old warrior looking to beat retirement with a famous win. He was well beaten in the WO Mile but had a terrible draw that day and as we know the draw can easily make four or five lengths difference in this game. That was proven in the Shoemaker Mile when racing from a better draw he took that race on this track in a sub 1.33 time and with that win under his belt it is not beyond imagination to see two veterans first and second in this race.

9       Sly Prayers      Dawson Farms      Centeno D E

Bred by Dawson Farms
A three year old colt
2022 form: 12213000
Purse: $399.48
WR: 104

This will be a lovely surprise for the owner breeder in only their third year in the game as this one was 23rd on the qualifying list but still made the final 14. I love the fact that he is still a colt and could well provide the new trainer with the sort of breeding future that gives you true longevity in the game. Obviously being so far back in the qualifying ranks he has some ground to make up but like everything a case can be made. He made a real good go at making all in the Shadwell Turf Mile last time only beaten a length in the end after weakening so isn’t far behind a few of these. His best win prior to that came as a closer in The American Turf so it will be a matter of picking the right buttons and hoping they fit in the race engines plan. Good luck to Dawson Farms who will be saying a few sly prayers themselves.

10        Ptyrannical        Arindel           Velazquez J R

Bred by Joshua Stables
A four year old gelding
2022 form: 012021
Purse: $1458.48
WR: 112

Comes in here with a high WR rating which is fairly surprising as he has only won the twice this year. Having said that he has been a strong contender in all the top mile races and took both the Kilroe Mile and the Mint Million last time. That Mint Million win was the most interesting as it came on an off track and whilst this is no one trick pony i feel he is a little better with some moisture in the ground. A strong worker, a specialist miler and proven at this level he will have plenty of supporters.

11      Raj The Magician       Wood Duck Stables      Cedillo A

Bred by Night Rider Stables
A five year old gelding
2022 form: 23111000
Purse: $498.70
WR: 106

Things were going very well for this horse as he went three in a row into the summer with a win in the Wise Dan on an off track really opening up some possibilities. Considering he was claimed for $25 and raced in ten dollar claimer at the end of last year his improvement was rapid and sustained and though his last three starts have all drawn duck eggs they have all been at grade one level and he has not been beaten more than two lengths. An on pace type this draw will make things tough if a few inside him have the same idea and the trainer may have to waiver from their stables favorite instruction to give him his best chance. Having said that there is a good case for dong what works and if the race goes his way there is no reason he wont be right there at the finish.

12        Creepy Risk        Fractious        Jaramillo E

Bred by Fractious
A three year old gelding
2022 form: 111100003
Purse: $547.90
WR: 105

This may well be the fly in the ointment should the trainer decide to throw caution to the wind from this nasty draw. The reason i say that is because early in the year when he reeled off four wins in a row he made all the running to win two and ran as a closer to win the last, The American Turf. Now you could argue that his best win was in the American Turf and therefore his best chances will come as a closer but the risk from this draw is that his legs will spin for too long at the start and he will have a wall of horses to get past. Now change that scenario to getting the wide gate speed push and setting up a big lead and well anything could happen on this new engine.

13       Great Bonkers        Aer Stables       Silvera Ru

Bred by Smokey Stover
A four year old gelding
2022 Form: 21200112
Purse: $554.33
WR: 106

I am not sure i will ever understand how the WR rating is worked out as this one who only has two graded stakes runs in his entire life and only one win at that level can be rated higher than multiple stakes winner Spiral, But maybe that is a little tip in his direction and certainly a feather in Aer Stables cap as they claimed this one for just $18 in July from none other than Smokey Stover. He scraped home that day after being beaten in a nine furlong claimer before that so how in just one month the trainer turned him into a grade two stakes winner and very nearly a grade one winner last time out i will probably never know. With no time to test instructions and no adds changed it really is a bit of a mystery but whatever they did worked amazingly as he took the King Edward and then very nearly beat Lets Do It Big Boy in the WO Mile from a terrible draw . If you forget the other 19 starts and concentrate on his last two he has a major chance but if you take a balance of his work then not so much.

14        Immoral          Mb Stables         Gutierrez Mario

Bred by Mb Stables
A five year old gelding
2022 form: 10110020
Purse: $5786.29
WR: 108

This horse has been third in the BC turf and third in the BC Mile so there were certainly a couple of options open to him and i must admit i was a bit surprised to see him here for another crack at the mile. After getting this draw the trainer may have regrets too but he ran from wide into third last year so it may not be the end of his chances. There is no doubt this is a great horse possibly the best turf horse without a BC win to his name but i do worry his running style is compromised from this draw and he may well need more luck than will come his way. The reason i say this is because he seems to turn into a closer from wide draws and tends to stalk from better draws, when that trend has been adjusted it has thrown up the odd average run. Is he good enough to win? Hell yeah, can he win? Hell yeah, but will he win? well that may be out of everyone’s hands but the race engine.

15 Tiger Claw London Racing – Also Eligible –

Won the DMR Mile in a sub 1.33 time but still couldn’t make the field which is a shame because he would’ve had a decent chance. Should he make it you would have to take him seriously but the 14 gate would be tough.

16 Cascade King Nakamura Stables – Also Eligible –

Won The Hill Prince and was second in the Secretariat so wouldn’t be out of place in this field.

17 On The Turning Away Gdp Inc – Also Eligible –

A hard closing third in the Shadwell Turf Mile, his efforts would give him a chance but his chances to qualify for this race were earlier in the year when he was running on dirt.

18 Grayte Trois Gdp Inc – Also Eligible –

A solid four year old who may get his chance in the future but it is unlikely to be this year whether he makes the field or not.

SUMMARY

Well i have not hidden the fact that i want to be writing about an eight year old winning this race and one in particular but to tip him i feel i will adding to his burden so i cannot say the name out loud.

Instead i will stick to the WR as i have done in other races so Pxg will beat Ptyranical with third being fought out by the old timers.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP