The Fourstardave Handicap (BC) (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Inner Turf
August 10, 2024

All eyes will be on the Fourstardave Handicap on Saturday, as it is the first “win and you’re in” race for the BC Mile while offering a pretty nice $500.000 purse along the way. That purse amount has been fairly consistent since 2012, and it has attracted a strong field of eleven. The last two winners of this race are horses that would certainly make Fourstardave proud, a horse known for his impressive longevity of winning races at the Spa. Eight-year-old Lets Do It Big Boy won in 2022, and last year, it was six-year-old Absolutely Grande getting the win for Grimley. That one is still active and running well, but the trainer has passed on returning to this race though has been working here. Let’s take a look at our eleven runners hoping to find their way to the BC Mile with a win:

1- Cage Rage (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Claimed by the trainer for $32.000 six months ago, and has gone to make four starts since then. He won on debut, and then was able to return to stakes company, something that he did a lot of two years ago. Cage Rage didn’t show much in those stake races for Maxmillion, and the weather certainly did not cooperate. Recent weather trends in the area show his luck may be changing as we might be able to stay dry on Saturday. (If it wasn’t HRP weather I would say that with more confidence).

2- Hawaiian Lord (Our Athletes, ridden by L Dettori)- In 39 starts, Hawaiian Lord has finished second sixteen times! That’s impressive consistency that would look better if there were more than three victories. His last win came in March 2023, but he continued to hit the board, running second six times since that win. You’ll make some money that way, and he’s been in some pretty good races along the way. The Fourstardave Handicap seems like perfect placement for him. I want to pick him to win, but it’s tough to do so.

3- Bigmikesbluedress (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Cedillo)- After four poor races in a row, Bigmikesbluedress bounced back, to an extent, in his last race. He only finished fifth in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup, but the actual performance was so much better than he had been showing in the four races that were right before it and he did get a 101 SRF for the effort. He does not have to win here, but I believe it is very important for him to follow that up with another quality run right here.

4- Toc Black Magic (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by A Jimenez)- Performed very well against PA-Breds late last year and has carried that into unrestricted company this year. He’s won four in a row, all of them optional claimers, and all having the same strategy of going wire to wire. This is not his graded debut, but it’s almost exactly one full year since his attempt at the Grade 2 Secretariat at CNL. He ran midpack in that, but did not get another chance until right now to run at this level again. He’s certainly earned it.

5- Albaquirky (Santan Stables, ridden by F Geroux)- Entering a horse like Albaquirky in a race like this will have it’s dilemma, and here it’s a 10–11-pound weight disadvantage. That’s considerable, and I am not sure off hand if I have ever written about a race’s high weight having to carry that much more weight than everyone else. He’s a great horse that is running well right now. Two months ago, in his last start, he won the Grade 1 Manhattan, but the question here is not of his ability, it is of the carried weight.

6- Prevent (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Ran in the BC Dirt Mile last year, but did not finish well. This year, he has gotten off to a strong start, with three wins in six starts, highlighted by the $100.000 Crystal Water Stakes at SA for CA-Breds. That was one of two turf races he has been in this year, and both were victories. He’s run graded a couple times and was second South China Sea in the Mineshaft (Grade 3) earlier this year.

7- Mr Toxic (Spankys Barn, ridden by L Saez)- Purchased by the trainer in March for $40.000, and he has made three starts since then. The second of those came in late May at CD, where he broke his maiden, and then last time out was fourth in an allowance. Off of that, Spankys Barn is going to see what he can do against top opposition, and a work at DMR on July 19th may have gone a long way in convincing him. As good as that was, he’s going to have to do more than a 93 SRF effort on the track. That’s been his speed figure the last three races.

8- Rogerius Catalinus (Rock Creek, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Won a lot very early in his career, but it wasn’t until Rock Creek claimed him that Rogerius Catalinus was tested in more difficult races. The five-year-old has been competitive in overnights, but has not been able to step up in the graded races that he has been in. Perhaps, it is time for that change, since he comes here off a win in the $100.000 Wickerr Stakes at DMR three weeks ago, earning a 101 SRF in the process. Let’s see if he can show more of the same.

9- King Luka (Night Rider Stables, ridden by K Carmouche)- Most of the field is carrying 114 or 115 pounds while the aforementioned Albaquirky deals with carrying 125 pounds. Then, there is King Luka, who carries 118, which is good to Albaquirky but still more than every other horse in the field. Creating that issue was his win two starts ago in the Makers Mark Mile on soft going at KEE, a race that several of these come out of. He’s been idle since late May, but if he can beat many of these before, he can do it again.

10- Fear Me Not (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Won an even $1,000.000 as a three-year-old, which included running second here last year in the Grade 1 SAR Derby. Didn’t run well in the BC Turf later in the year, and we have not seen Fear Me Not in a stake ever since. Even his performance in overnights since then has been hit and miss, so you can understand why he has not run at this level in 2024 until now.

11- Sixkiller (Spankys Barn, ridden by K Kimura)- With the way that Sixkiller has been running in his last six starts, getting five wins, it’s hard to believe that it took him so long to break his maiden. Spankys Barn added this one in private sales for $130.000 in late April and has gone undefeated with him in three starts. That’s a stretch that has earned him this opportunity to go stakes racing for the first time. Have to like a horse that’s on a roll.

Prediction: 6-2-4-5

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES