May 4, 2016

It is really hard to put into words how important the first Friday and Saturday in May are for the horse racing world, both in the United States and around the world, and for the top F&M sprinters, the Grade I Humana Distaff is their crowning glory, with $300.000 on the line and more importantly, almost guaranteed entry into the BC F&M Sprint later on in the year. Some of the absolute best in both real-life have taken victory in this crucial seven-furlong event, even though it has not always had the top level status it now affords, and from Dream Supreme to Sightseek, Intangaroo to Informed Decision, Groupie Doll to Midnight Lucky, there are a host of fillies who have towered over their rivals on the KYD undercard.

At HRP, you need only to look at the first edition to know it was going to be special, when Darling Harbour took victory by an outstanding 11-lengths, or when Blonde Dynamite took home three straight editions in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on the road to being called one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Not to be outdone, Avery Island used it as one of her seven wins in 2012 when she was named HRP Horse Of The Year, while Donegal Maid spoiled the party last year and won by a neck at the age of eight, proving that talent has absolutely no limit. This year, she is back at the age of nine to try and become a duel winner of this amazing event but five of the six lined up against her won their last start including victories in the Inside Information, Distaff Handicap, Whimsical and Vinery Madison, so the talent pool has all come together in the deep end and only the strongest will emerge victorious on the road to the BC.

1-Well In Line (Four-year-old chestnut filly / Owner-Mb Stables)

Well In Line is lightly raced but incredibly talented and coming from the barn of Mb Stables, you need only to look at their record to know that she will make a great account of herself off a powerful score in the Inside Information at GP. She has some very nice speed ratings but not a ton of experience sprinting and with the change in jockey, there might be too many factors that have changed to warrant the same look as other proven commodities in this field.

Analysis-Excellent at GP last time but needs to show that over a fast track

Fair Odds-10/1

2-Silk Houses (Four-year-old black filly / Owner-Alydar Stables)

Silk Houses had not really come through at six-furlongs in recent starts but finally found enough ground in the seven-furlong Distaff Handicap to take her first big win and now gets a chance to stretch that closing ability the same distance but against tougher foes. She faces the same rival who bested her in the Sugar Swirl back in December but has improved since then with top efforts at AQU in her last three and could be one of the better closers if the pace up front is hotly contested.

Analysis-Certainly improved with that added furlong

Fair Odds-6/1

3-Dashboard Rahy (Four-year-old black filly / Owner-Australia Wide)

Grade I Test winner Dashboard Rahy has looked every bit the part of a sprinting superstar, apart from a lackluster effort in the Ballerina, and consistent speed ratings and big finishes put her right in the mix here, even if she is coming off a docile win in the mud at WO. That effort was much harder than it needed to be but clearly woke her up and her best chance at this distance is to sit right off the early fractions and pounce early, with the jump on her rivals at the head of the lane.

Analysis-Much to like off three straight wins

Fair Odds-5/1

4-Donegal Maid (Nine-year-old bay mare / Owner-Barcelona Farms)

Donegal Maid won her first stakes back in 2009, before every single one of her rivals was even born, and comes into the Humana Distaff as the defending champion but with that as her last victory, albeit the best win of her career. She has been competitive enough to be made the favourite in the BC F&M Sprint but could only manage a fifth place finish and with a fourth in the Inside Information over the muddy going, she will need to improve in that final furlong if she hope to become another multiple winner and inch closer to $3000.000 in career earnings.

Analysis-Veteran looks to pull another one out of the fire

Fair Odds-10/1

5-Cozzene Scandal (Four-year-old bay filly / Owner-Night Rider Stables)

Cozzene Scandal finished off her 2015 campaign with six wins in seven starts but only has a single victory in three starts this year and will have to use all of that previous experience just to hit the board. Her winning percentage is one of the best in the field but she broke slowly at KEE and never fully recovered, meaning that a quicker start will help her get into the race earlier and give her a better opportunity to make a dent in the top selections.

Analysis-Has to break better to have any chance

Fair Odds-15/1

6-Distant Cousin (Four-year-old gray filly / Owner-D J C Racing Stables)

Defending F&M Sprint Champion Distant Cousin tried a new experiment to start her season at SA but could not close enough to win the Santa Margarita; getting her back to sprinting in the Vinery Madison was perfect and she responded with an easy win. Almost perfect in her seven-furlong starts and with an ideal outside post to stalk and pounce, she is the class of the field despite her age and needs only the right trip with her returning jockey aboard to put herself in some elite company and one of the best sprinters of her age.

Analysis-Easily the favourite off her last at KEE
Fair Odds-2/1

7-Balais Bruit (Four-year-old bay filly / Owner-Drabfantasy)

While there are a bevy of talented fillies in the Humana Distaff, the way in which Balais Bruit won the Great Lady M was so convincing that one has to consider her a wire-to-wire threat from the outside post, especially with a virtually undefeated record sprinting in her short career. This distance should be perfect for her and she has some excellent workouts in preparation so look for a big effort from the farthest stall for a filly who has definitely outrun her moderate NM-bred pedigree.

Analysis-Frontrunner possessed all the sprinting prowess needed

Fair Odds-3/1

Overall

The Grade I Humana Distaff brings together a culmination of the best female sprinters at HRP but you have to look no further than champion Distant Cousin to see that, unless she fails to fire in the final furlong, everyone else will be running for second. Balais Bruit was amazing in winning a Grade II event at LA last time out while Dashboard Rahy came within a half-length of the champ at the BC and rides a big three race winning streak but until bested, the champ is still the champ and her score in the Vinery Madison was the biggest win of the year to date, until this event is finished come Saturday afternoon.

Prediction

Win-Distant Cousin (2/1)

Place-Balais Bruit (3/1)

Show-Dashboard Rahy (5/1)

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES