06/29 Highlander Stakes – Grade I (P4)
WO Race #9 6f Turf Graded Stake
Purse $300.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.

1 Gallant Man TwinTowersRacing Velazquez J R

This five year old has only had 5 lifetime starts and 4 of them have been this year so we are somewhat in the dark as to his longer term ability. What we do know is that he worked 1.09 and 2 for the six furlongs which was as good as grade one winning The Grandmaster and whilst works mean very little these days at hrp as all the horses are so similar it does give us a hint that he could compete at this level. A winner of only one race but placed in all his other races its almost impossible to weigh up his chances on form alone so we must have faith in those works if he is to have any chance.

2 Pink Condor Axeman Garcia Alan

A three year so he gets the weight allowance i wouldnt give him much of a chance without it but with it and coming from the perfect draw you have to take his chances seriously. There was a lot to like about his last start win in the Bold Rukus Stakes even if it was just a statebred stakes race as he went 1.08 and 2 with 5Lbs more on his back. His works are slick and with just 188 on his back he should be too fast for these.

3 Gleaming Spirit Mb Stables Colon L H

Clearly one of the class horses in the race this five year old was beaten just a length in the BC Turf Sprint last year and was a recent winner of the grade three Daytona Stakes. Now on form alone that looks good enough to win this but when you consider he carries 123Lbs and is working only as well as the rest of these, well, he doesnt look as outstanding. A nice draw will give him all favors but he only looks as good as most of these so will need some Mb Magic to come out on top.

4 Quarter King Gdp Inc Beschizza A

This five year old may have the edge on the older horses and if he can overcome the weight bias towards the younger ones may just be good enough to win. Beaten just a neck when second in the BC Turf Sprint last year he has continued that form into this season winning three including the San Simeon and the Connaught Cup stakes at grade two last time out. This looks to be his best trip and he looks to be the best horse in the race.

5 The Grandmaster John Henry Talamo J

This horse typifies the sort of form this trainer has been in this year and he really is on the sort of roll that may see him through in a very tight field. The winner of three from four this year his last start resulted in a win in the grade one Jaipur where he carried more weight than today and won in 1.08 flat. That sort of effort today see’s him just about on top but this field has some very fast sprinters in it and he is by no means a dead cert.

6 Trust Me On This Mb Stables Sanchez M J

An interesting entry from the triple handed Mb Stables this filly has won her last four at overnight level but is yet to face anything close to the caliber in this race. The only thing that possibly brings her into this is the 113Lbs on her back. Will 10 Lbs make her better than some of the best turf sprinters around? Well if she was a colt i would say yes but there seems to be an additional penalty on fillies against colts at HRP and she may just find that mountain too high to climb.

7 Lawmen Chili King Stables Pennington F

A nice enough sort but this is a field stacked with pace and it may be too hard from this wider draw to break through at this level.

8 Im A Celebrity Mb Stables Bejarano R

The third runner from the stable and drawn the widest he may just find himself cutting out the pace for his stable companions. A winner of six from eight at lower levels shouldnt put you off as the stable has a tendency to go low with their second strings until they start to push into the stable first division and this one may just be ready to do that. He has won his last two races in 56 and 2 for the five furlongs so can certainly live with these.

SUMMARY

The weights, the class system and the works all add up to a spider web of form which makes it almost impossible to settle on a clear winner of this race. My bet is whoever wins this race today wouldnt win it tomorrow so again we are looking for a set of circumstances rather than any clues in the form. There is plenty of evidence to say this should be fought out by Quarter King and The Grandmaster but i have been burnt too many time to think the best horse will win.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES