San Francisco Mile – Grade III
GG Race #13 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $250.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
Up until last year this race would have been targeted by three year olds as they receive a huge 7Lbs off their older rivals but even with last years three year olds going through a big adjustment they still managed to win this race over the older horses. To me that says this race should be full to the brim with every three year old with a heart beat that could get in the field but surprisingly we only have two. So which one will win?
1 Buffalo G Nakamura Stables Carrasco V R
At least the five year olds and up have a semblance of a chance to over turn the three’s but even that may be a stretch when you look at the work times and see they are all pretty much the same. This is a real consistent sort who took the Fitzsimmons Mile last time out carrying joint top weight so is certainly in great form and jumps from the ace draw to help him even more. If the race engine cooperates i would imagine we will see him go off in front and he will be very hard to pull back on the new engine. Having said that the new engine has looked a lot like the old one recently so maybe, well who knows!
2 City Watch Angelos Stable Ferrer J C
Another five year old in great form he won an FG Allowance last time in a sub 1.33 time so must be a chance from the perfect draw. Another that seems to like the lead it will be interesting to see which of these two inside draws will make the front and stay there.
3 Commanding Officer Winning Link Stables Hernandez C J
Yet another five year old that is in good form he took the Appleton last time after two improved efforts this year. He clearly is on the up and has also won in a sub 1.33 time so is right in this. His draw should allow him to find a nice stalk behind the two speed lovers in front of him but i can only guess that as of course we are playing click and play horse racing so all three of them could turn into deep closer’s at the touch of a button.
4 Miami My Amy John Henry Jaramillo E
here we have the first of the three year olds carrying the featherweight. A nice winner of the Colombia Stakes last time he certainly wouldn’t be good enough on levels but gets his chance thanks to the weight for age today. I don’t think he can break 1.33 but i suspect there will be a good early pace and that may suit his more closing style.
5 Tiger Claw London Racing Saez L
Gets a double disadvantage here being a four year old but he is a consistent sort and has a chance. A great third in the Mathis Brother Mile at the end of the year he had a good break before he reappeared in the Canadian Turf where he looked a bit burly but still managed a strong second. Another that tends to come from further back he will benefit from a strong pace.
6 Keeper Of Time Smokey Stover Gutierrez Mario
the second three year old he has only raced twice but won both nicely enough and we all know that race experience and race class do not mean much when it comes to these races. The important thing here is a 1.34 and 3 mile work coupled with 116Lbs but even then he only managed a 133 and 3 in winning last time out with 118Lbs so it is no sure thing he can go 1.33 flat which he will need to to win this. An interesting entry indeed.
7 Cool Dude Que Nakamura Stables Court J K
Another five year old and another sub 1.33 winning time last time out, this time in an optional allowance. That win and good works put him right in this although he is another who seems to like the speed and it will be tough for him with two front runners drawn inside him.
8 Socrates Mb Stables Franco M
After 24 races on the dirt the miracle of the dirt to turf switch looked to be going strong when he won his first ever turf race two back. He couldn’t back that up last time out from a rotten draw but has since worked a 1.34 and 1 track work, the fastest in the field. The wide draw will hinder him again but there is a ton of speed in this race so it may turn out being the best draw in the race.
SUMMARY
Socrates may be the best hope for the older horses to break the three year olds run but this is a very even race with any one of the runners capable of running the time needed to win this race. This is a very much watch and see type race that will certainly give us some clues as to how the rest of the three’s and up stakes races may go so as far as betting goes i would just go with a little bet on whichever horse the morning line chimps place at 50/1.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
