The Toboggan – GIII
AQU Race 2 7F – Dirt
Purse $100.000
Four Year Olds and Up
A full field of twelve will he lining up for this years Toboggan even with the scratch of one runner already because there is also two also eligibles entered up in here. There is some very good horses in this race that are starting their year off in this spot and it looks like a super competitive race for sure. Let’s take a look at the field.
1. Saturday Khartoum (16-6-2-3 $681.690), trained by Rousee
Here we have a very good and classy horse for sure. He is coming into this race off of a second place finish by a head in the grade one Cigar Mile over this same track in December. The start before that he won the grade three Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont by two lengths going seven furlongs. He definitely has a chance in here.
2. Moving Cloud (17-7-1-1 $161.390), trained by RNP Stables
Now right here we have an old classy gelding that is coming into this race off of a win in the Gravesend Handicap over this same track about a month ago. He won by a quarter of a length that day and it seems that he is starting to get really good now late in his career. He is on the improve it seems and has a chance.
3. Valiant Phan (32-13-5-7 $474.000), trained by Angelos Stable
Another pretty good classy gelding who is coming into this race off of a fourth place finish in the grade three Mr. Prospecter at Gulfstream last time. Before that he was riding a four race win streak in allowance races. He is a very good allowance horse but I’m not sure if he is a graded stakes quality horse yet.
4. Moon Landing (41-11-10-8 $3,686.430), trained by Mb Stables
Well here we got the big dog in the field I think and this is the seven year old gelding that was the runner up in this past years Breeders Cup Sprint. He lost by a neck that day and if he runs that same race in here he will definitely have a very very good chance to win. He is going to be my top pick in this race for sure.
5. Royal Prodigy (35-8-7-5 $1,284.880), trained by Alydar Stables
Here we have another runner that is coming out of the Gravesend Handicap and he ran third that day. He lost to Moving Cloud by a quarter of a length after being up close to the pace early on that day. He likes to be up close to the pace and he will need to slow it down or he will be done the last furlong or so most likely.
6. Steel Tunes (15-6-3-0 $533.020), trained by John Henry
Well here is another that is coming out of the grade one Cigar Mile and this horse was the early pace setter that day before fading to eighth and getting beat by three lengths. Most of his best races have been when he was sitting up close to the pace or on the lead so he will need to slow it down if he tries that tactic.
7. Zercomm (6-1-1-2 $117.800), trained by Team 7 Illusions
Scratched
8. Indistinguishable (15-6-3-1 $2,855.500), trained by Mb Stables
Now here is last year’s Preakness Stakes winner and second place finisher in the Belmont Stakes also. He last ran in the Breeders Cup Classic where he definitely could’ve had a better day because he ran thirteenth that day. This will be his season starter and it is going a sprint so I’m not sure how he will run in here.
9. Out On A Limb (25-7-5-2 $1,757.220), trained by Estero Farms
Now here is a grade one winner who is also coming out of the Breeders Cup Classic where he also had a bad day like the horse to his inside where he ran twelfth. He didn’t run good at all that day and maybe be better over this shorter distance. He did win the grade one Whitney last year so he is not lacking on talent at all.
10. L A Raw (19-4-4-3 $263.540), trained by D J C Racing Stables
Probably the most versatile horse that I’ve came across so far in this race as this horse is a stakes winner at a mile and a half three races back and he just won an optional claimer at six furlong in his last start. He is a pretty good horse but this is a tough race for sure so he will have to run a very big race to win.
11. Newsnight (24-6-4-5 $546.100), trained by Sir Daniel Martin
This runner is coming into this race off of a fourth place finish in an open allowance last out at Santa Anita going a mile. His biggest win was his two year old year when he won the RP Springboard Mile. We haven’t seen that same horse though since that race so I’m not sure how much of a chance he really has in here.
12. Scripted (16-4-4-2 $490.920), trained by Our Athletes
Well here is a grade one winner but that was about nine months ago even though it was here over this same track and distance in the Carter Handicap. He has been running on the turf his last couple with no success. He will have to run the race he ran nine months ago in the Carter Handicap to win this race.
13. Growley (18-5-6-2 $189.350), trained by Greeko Holdem
And another one that is coming out of the Gravesend Handicap and this horse split the other two that are coming out of that race when he finished second that day. Before that he won the Thanksgiving Handicap at Fair Grounds so he is a stakes winner. He will have to run a very big race to win in here.
14. Cute Rain (14-5-2-4 $130.900), trained by Fractious
Also Eligible
Summary
Now this is a very intriguing looking race for sure and there are some very nice horses in here. Moon Landing and Saturday Khartoum look like the toughest two to me. They are both coming off of second place finishes in grade one races so they seem like they are going to come into this race in good form.
4-1-2-13
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
