NY Stallion Series- Thunder Rumble ($125.000 Purse)
AQU- For Three Year Olds and Upward Foaled in NY
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
November 18, 2018

When I first looked at the field for the Thunder Rumble, I was impressed with the quality of horses in which will be taking part. I still am, but I found it interesting that when making the first glance of the field, that five of the eight runners in this race are winless in 2018. Many of these are still running well, they just have not been able to break through in the win column this year. That will be the story of this race, can one of them finally get that first win of this calendar year, or will it be one of the other three in the winners circle? Of the three who have won in 2018, only one of them has won a stake this year, and that was a $70.000 ungraded race. Expect this to be a thriller, therefore, in what is the 10th running of the race. Here’s the field!

#1- Quarter Bay (Gdp Inc, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Starting on the rail, Quarter Bay will making just the third stake start of his career. One previous attempt came back in April in another NY Stallion Series race, the Times Square. He was not a factor in that race, however. A little later, he tried the $100.000 Manila on the grass, but was again not a threat. In non-stakes, his performances were much better, so it would seem as though it is just a matter of time, and maybe this is the type of field he’s wanted to see.

#2- Roombound (Fractious, ridden by Ro Maragh)- The four year old Ironbound gelding has more wins this year (4), then the rest of the field combined. He is the only one who has won a stake, being that $70.000 winner, coming against four others right here at AQU in the Peeping Tom. This will be a much tougher race then that. His last victory was a claimer in July, and that is where Fractious picked him up, and immediately attempted the Bold Ruler Handicap. That race did not go well for him.

#3- Rhaegar (Eastern Equine, ridden by K Carmouche)- We have not seen much of the six year old gelding this year, as he will make just the fourth start of his 2018. He has yet to win, but has managed a pair of third place finishes this season. If you want to find the last time he won a race, it was way back in September 2016. Think about the things that have happened since then. Part of the reason is a soft schedule, though. While that can be understand, it’s hard to pick a horse who last won two years ago.

#4- Bronx Bomber (Aer Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- His sire, New York Yankees, won this race back in 2011. Since we are at AQU, it would seem only natural that Bronx Bomber picked up a win to follow the Yankees precedent that was set. He’s due for a win, and this was one of those that really surprised me to see that he had been winless in 2018 thus far. Credit the trainer for not dropping him into any easier races for a confidence booster, and instead continuously going at it. Up until his last race, the finishes were all great, but he was 10th in the JC Gold Cup. Don’t worry about that. Eight runners in the JC Gold Cup ended up running in the BC Classic. He’s the one to beat.

#5- Alpha Uno (Estero Farms, ridden by M Franco)- Here is a gelding that seems to have everything but win. He has two very close second place finishes where his photo was taken with the winner, including the last race, the Grade 3 Gallant Bob. As good as that was, there starts to be a point where frustration can start to set in about only having a maiden win to your credit, still. That is where Alpha Uno sits right now in his career. He does look a little inconsistent to me, but it is time for him finally to finish the job. He’d be the one to beat here if not for Bronx Bomber, but he is capable of being the Red Sox to our favorite.

#6- Cajun Cuffs (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J J Castellano)- One of two that the trainer brings to the gate this year in search of his third victory in the stake. While Cajun Cuffs has not earned as much as his stablemate for his career, I think he is the better option for the race. He is one of the three in the field that has been able to win a race this year, which was an optional claimer. That victory got the trainer so excited, that he attempted the Grade 1 Whitney with him, but that did not go well. He hasn’t gone long since, but perhaps he will like this distance better.

#7- Psychotic Ruler (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by E Cancel)- After a great two year old season, Psychotic Ruler has been a major disappointment in 2018, having raced eight times, and hitting the board only once (3rd). He does have a handful of results where he only missed by a length or so, and that is probably the reason we are still seeing him in stakes. I noticed he was winning with lasix, but when it was taken off, he has been struggling consistently to get up in time at the wire. No lasix scheduled here, but I’d be interested to see how a return to that would go.

#8- Snow Board (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by J Alvarado)- On name alone, he should be favorite here given the storm that has hit the area around AQU in the days leading up to the race. He’s a longshot otherwise. Winless this year, and a winner of one of nine overall. Only once has he hit the board in 2018. The trainer is changing things up with him though, running a little longer now on the main track. It is his stake debut, so the trainer certainly is seeing something that is making him confident. I’ll wait until I see it first before I can pick him.

Prediction: 4-5-6-2

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded