5 GP The Fox (GIII)
$150.000 4yo&Up F&M 1m InTurf 124lbs +penalty
Eight ladies will be headed to the inner turf course to go a flat mile in the 2020 running of The Fox (GIII), here in South Florida… and boy oh boy do we have a great one to watch here. I’m going to make the most of the AW/Mb fight in this race and put Franke on top. She’s been tough her entire career but hasn’t been off of the board since switching stables including back-to-back wins. Let’s put Festive in the second spot as she makes her ’20 debut off of a four win season. I’ll look for what I think will be under-bet value and give the third choice to Twinny off of her classy ’19 efforts and a real quick work getting ready for this.
We live and love these races… there’s a little extra to see, a little braggin’ rights, and it will be fun to watch. Grab a cold snack and let’s meet down at the rail.
Here’s The Field –
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Code Lavender |
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Nakamura Stables |
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Saez L |
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124 |
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5/1 |
Back-to-back wins for this one and for a horse that was fourth in a $7.500 claimer just a few races back, she sure has turned the page. Both of her wins came on the grass, one at a mile and a sixteenth and one at today’s distance. This is a step up, but she looks read for the challenge ahead.
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Festive |
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Mb Stables |
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Tunon M |
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124 |
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3/1 |
Got back to the picture booth last out winning an OptAlw race at TAM, at today’s distance. Don’t be fooled, she won four of her seven starts last year, including the Dance Smartly Stakes (GII) north of the border, and that was at a mile and a quarter. She has what it takes.
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Lower Merion |
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Chili King Stables |
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Wilson E J |
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124 |
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7/2 |
Only a single win in ’19 but she was on the board in five other races including a string of graded races where a length or two could have put a ton of money in her bank. Kicked of this season with a second in a FG stakes on a soggy course, so she’s a horse to be considered again today.
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Saddle Happy |
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Our Athletes |
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Leparoux J R |
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124 |
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5/1 |
Closing effort to get a DH-victory at FG going today’s distance while taking on Alw horses. She’s struggled against stakes company although she’s always close while facing the best. Can she find a little extra today?
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Fomalhaut |
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John Henry |
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Gaffalione T |
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124 |
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5/1 |
Another that kicked-off 2020 in style at SA on the lush turf there, stalking, pouncing and getting home for the win. She faced a ton of graded horses last season, holding her own while winning the NO Ladies and The NY (GII). Don’t sleep on her, she can run.
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Franke |
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Australia Wide |
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Castellano J J |
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124 |
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7/2 |
It isn’t often that we see The King, but things never change – when he comes to the track, he comes to win… and this one has two wins from three starts since the private purchase, including a stakes win to close out ’19 and an Alw win at SA, both on the grass. She is quick.
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Twinny |
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Maxmillion Farm |
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Velazquez J R |
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124 |
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8/1 |
Hasn’t won since taking the Penny Memorial Hcp (GIII) at PRX back in July, but she has been close in a few graded races since that win. She knows how to be in the thick of it, and has been working well. She could be the upset special.
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Cracked The Code |
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Smokey Stover |
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Lopez P |
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124 |
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8/1 |
Back-to-back wins to close out ’19 then a tiring fourth in the South Beach over this surface in her most recent. She’s going to need to nurse her speed from this post, which we all know can be a challenge.
COZMAN Picks 6 / 2 / 7 Willie’s Green Card 7 / 4 / 3 Scotty 2 / 5 / 6
Categories: Grade III
