The Brooklyn – Grade II
AQU Race #2 1 3/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward.

1 Eight West Party TwinTowersRacing Rosario J 123 —

Typical sort from this yard, he is always a factor in this grade but doesn’t win too often. He qualified for the BC Classic last year and though he ended up tenth he was only a couple of lengths off the winner and that is pretty much the story of his recent form. I really liked his effort in the Suburban last time when a rallying third beaten just a half-length but once again he couldn’t get the win. He likes the inside gates and will give his all as usual, so I wouldn’t be leaving him out of my Trifecta’s.

2 Caveat Emptor High Voltage Lezcano J 123 —

The winner of only two from twenty-seven, he looks up against it in this strong field. Of course, there is always a but at HRP and that but comes in the form of a 1.35 and 4 mile work a couple of weeks ago, a time that BC Classic winners would be happy to work, so there is a question mark here. Could the trainer have found some combination that has improved this horse, has the magic five-year-old fairy dust been liberally sprinkled? We just won’t know till after this race but if he wins, we will all be looking at that work time and nodding like it was obvious.

3 Ey Mon John Henry Davis D 123 —

Whereas some take great strides as five-year-olds some that have achieved in their younger days can stutter and it does look like this one may be on a bit of a ‘flattening’ out period. Just nutted in the Preakness as a three-year-old he continued that form as a four-year-old winning the Fayette and finishing a close seventh in the BC Classic. At the start of the year, he was a bit of a no show in the Pegasus and The Mineshaft, so it looks on paper at least that he may be out of form but since that Mineshaft run in February, he hasn’t run which may have been a bit of a Godsend. A few months off as his former trainer made decisions about their career could have just given him a lift after a busy career and the new owner who picked him up at auction will be looking forward to seeing how he goes today. He will probably need the run but a mid-pack finish and showing some of his old sparkle could set him up for the rest of the year.

4 Face The Lunatic Martyparty Ortiz I Jr 123 —

A fairly under rated sort he has won six from nineteen and run some decent races especially over these longer trips. A good win in the Marathon was followed by a fair effort in the Blame and whilst they were both good efforts, he faces a pretty salty field here and a top four finish may be the best he can hope for.

5 Mr Frost Night Rider Stables Castellano J J 123 —

This trainer likes to take them out of claimers and win graded stakes with them and they have another go here after claiming this one for $16.000 at the start of the year. Very close to winning a couple of ungraded races he was then tested in the Gold Cup but was never better than last. That poor effort has not put the trainer off him though as he has another go here so the six-year-old must be showing up on the gallops at home. I am not overly confident in his chances, but I have seen the trainer do it before so who knows.

6 Individuation Mb Stables Velazquez J R 123 —

The star attraction in this race, he really is and has been the benchmark for routers since his SUN Derby win two years ago. Since then, he has amassed over $8,000.000 in prize money and won pretty much every one of the ‘majors’ here at HRP. Beaten a nose in the KYD he went on to win three grade ones in a row including the BC Classic and showed his versatility at the end of the year by taking the Malibu over seven furlongs. He wasn’t as dominant as a four-year-old but still managed a plethora of big race placings and a grade one win in the Pacific Classic before a decent sixth in his attempt to go back-to-back in the BC Classic. As a five-year-old he continues to sit at the top of the tree with a stunning GP Mile win in March and only failing by a nose to take the Suburban last time out. He perhaps isn’t the automatic winner he used to be, but he is still one of the best and will be many people’s choice of the winner here.

7 Lunar Victory Fractious Prat F 123 —

This four-year-old had been a pretty consistent sort throughout his career but seems to have taken the leap this season with some efforts that may make him one of the big threats here. He pushed Individuation to half a length in the GP Mile back in March but couldn’t back that up in his next two when behind in both the OP Mile and the Alysheba. Those efforts were below par for him but in his last start he came back to his best with a stunning front running performance in The Blame. Granted the track was wet so the form is hard to assess but he is not a wet tracker and really won that race doing handstands. His work times have been very sharp so he must be a big win chance in this.

8 Eichel Night Rider Stables McCarthy T 123 —

I said it with the other runner from this stable so I won’t repeat it but they throw another cheap claim into a big race here in the hope that they can pick something up. This one however has caught my eye more than the stablemate after a strong 1.36 and 1 work and a good effort last time out when all but winning the Commentator Handicap. Like his stablemate, on form he does have a bit to find against the likes of Individuation but stranger things have happened at HRP.

9 Boogaloo London Racing Alvarado J 123 —

Another five-year-old throwing some strong work times he would have something to find on form from a wide draw but there are signs of improvement, and he is the sort that could surprise a few. A consistent sort, he was game in taking an open allowance at PIM last time but that is a fair way from this level of competition.

11 Berlin The Sidley Stud Franco M 123 —

A nine-race winner, he has always been one I have liked, but he often flatters to deceive. A good winner of the Challenger he then took the Ali very impressively and looked like he was going to run up a long sequence of wins but just got beat in the PIM Special from a poor draw and that seemed to knock hos confidence a little in his last start in the Eclipse. With the wide draw and being an on-pace type I would expect to see him going for the front and if he is left alone and not pressured to run too quickly too early, he could be on the front end for a lot of this race, maybe even all of it.

SUMMARY

A strong race with the likes of Individuation in the field but there are some interesting work times from a few of the lesser lights and that could spell danger for the favorites. On first glance it looks between Individuation and Lunar Victory and their class may be the telling factor.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES