1 Sweep The Event, trained by D J C Racing Stables

Won the TUP Derby as a three year old and was then pretty much tested in top company for the rest of his campaign. He didn’t make the TC chase but ran well in the FL Derby, Haskell and Shadow Mile without troubling the judge. It was a frustrating three year old campaign for D J C who had shelled out $220 for the colt but they always kept faith with the horse and he has begun to repay that faith this year. He recorded triple digit speed figures when taking the grade three Commonwealth on the dirt and then repeated that in the grade two CD when going down by a game head. Both of those runs were on dirt and may well be lifetime bests so it is tough to see why he is turning to turf today although he has won on the surface so it’s not a complete U turn. He is definitely in very good form and should run a big race from the one gate but I would be happier if he was running on a dirt surface.

2 Awesome Exchange, trained by Downwind Stables

Another dirt specialist who has won a single race on the turf but he has put in some decent efforts over the years so is not completely out of it. He was second in the grade two Hutcheson Stakes as a three year old but had a short campaign despite some good efforts in decent company. His four year old season was just as short with only five races but he managed a win but wasn’t really tested in top company. Of his three races this year he hasn’t run too badly but his last of three last time out and a ten dollar sale straight afterwards do not fill me with confidence and I would have to pass him over for a race at this level.

3 Until The Moon, trained by Sanny Village

He changed hands five times as a two and three year old and never really got beyond being a decent overnight sort but like so many others he took on a new lease of life once Sanny Village got hold of him. He ran a cracker to be just beaten in the Eddie D by Jamfest and then after a couple of good efforts on dirt came back to turf for a very close fifth in The San Simeon Stakes. Here is yet another who has won all his races on dirt and races on turf today but he has run some of his best races on this surface so I think he is a true dual surface horse. He has some ability but I think he may struggle against a couple of these and I am feeling a third place may be his best hope today.

4 Swamp Fox, trained by Blushing Meadows

Whilst many of these sprinters are unproven in the grade or on the surface Swamp Fox is proven in both and is one of HRPs best turf sprinters. A one length fourth in the BC turf Sprint as a three year old he had won the Play The King Stakes at grade two before that and the Kennedy Road Stakes at Grade two after it. Those efforts from a three year old promised great things for a four year old campaign and he started very well with two quick wins in ungraded stakes. After a failed attempt at dirt he came back to turf for his last two starts when fourth in both the Shakertown and the TS Turf Sprint. There is no doubting his class but he does seem to lack the sort of turn of foot that would have seen him win a few more races so he can be opposed despite having some of the best form in the race.

5 Ambient, trained by Mb Stables

An interesting entry being a filly but she is a very very good filly and may just use the weight advantage to win this race. A winner of three from four as a three year old she has blossomed this year with two from three including a grade two win and a grade one placing. She was brave in winning the Inside Information and then tried to make all in The Humana Distaff before ending up third. The big sticking point is that this is her first ever run on turf, now some would see that as a disadvantage but here at HRP horses very often run stunning races in their first run on a different surface and for that reason you have to give her a huge chance.

6 Dance General, trained by Nakamura Stables

A fairly lightly raced four year old he was claimed for just twenty dollars as a three year old and it has taken him a while to prove that a good investment. Struggling in overnights he came out of the blue to dead heat for the grade three San Simeon last time out and that is the only race that can recommend him in this. The fact that he has won a graded stakes turf sprint is better than most of these so you can’t write him off but I would be surprised if he can beat the top two or three today.

SUMMARY

On turf sprint form I would expect Swamp Fox to win this but I think Sweep The Event and the filly Ambient may give him a good race.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES