Chandelier Stakes (Grade 1) (BC)- $300.000 Purse
For Filles Two Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
September 26, 2015
Formerly known as the Oak Leaf Stakes, the Chandelier Stakes provides a ticket to the BC Juvenile Fillies for the race winner. Though as we saw with the Rodeo Drive and the BC Fillies & Mares combination, this ticket has not meant necessarily meant success in the BC. Even Karloff, who won the race in 2012, then had an unstoppable start to her three year old campaign, could only finish 14th in the BC Juvenile Fillies. The best finish a Chandelier/Oak Leaf winner has had in the Juvenile Fillies was Told You So, who was fourth in the BC in 2008 for Captainj. Other winners have been further up the track. Note that I am excluding 2003 winner Light Speed, as there were only two horses in that race, so he only had to beat one to win the Oak Leaf. After the auspicious start to the stake’s history, it has become a more popular staple, and this year brings eleven to the starting gate. Paradise Stable is the only trainer to win the stake twice, having done so in 2007 with Painkiller Jane, and in 2011 with Zero Game. No jockey has won the race more then once. There are eleven fillies going to gate, so let’s take a look at these young talented two year olds.
#1- Angry Curator (Sarah Stables, ridden by G L Stevens)- She is one of a few in this field who are coming out of the Generous Portion, a CA-bred stake with a $150.000 Purse. In that race, she came on strong at the end to get up and dead heat for third with Freedom Flying, who is also in this field. Angry Curator has definitely been one to like coming from off the pace, so you have to like her chances to make up more ground in a longer race. Her conformation, however, does not strike me as one that wants to go long, and she has no public works over five furlongs to evaluate. The trainer is high on the sire, Phuenios, and for just reason as he has already sired seven stakes winners.
#2- Pink Stars (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by D Moran)- Her last three races have been ungraded stakes, with purses ranging between $100.000 and $150.000. The first two saw her miss the board, but in her last outing, she was second in that same Generous Portion. Like Angry Curator, she also earned her position while coming off the pace, and they each looked to have gained the same amount of ground over the final furlong of that race. Pink Stars has a few mile works that we can look at, and the recent run right here on Sunday is right in line with what the others are working. Her pedigree is strong, with Charley Farley on the sire side and Black Moon on the dam side. There are also some good autogen lines in play here, and I expect her to have a good shot here.
#3- Roller Coaster (Blushing Meadows, ridden by T C Baze)- While others were racing at the Generous Portion, Roller Coaster spent that same day running in the $200.000 Seeking The Ante for NY-breds at SAR. Her result, however, was much like what the Generous Portion fillies had: she was third, with the effort earning her a 90 SRF. This is a figure that not many in this field have attained quite yet. She has stayed in New York much of this month, and put together a nice mile work at SAR over Labor Day weekend. Her conformation doesn’t show a bias one way or the other in regards to distance, so the works she is turning out should lead to a high level of optimism. Her pedigree is highlighted by Charley Farley, but is rather average overall.
#4- Quite Elusive (Mb Stables, ridden by M Smith)- She only has one race under her belt so far, coming at EMD on the last day of July and winning a six furlong event. The result, by itself, looks a little pedestrian compared to times others may win their maiden in at that distance. Since that race, the trainer has been preparing her to go longer, and she put together a promising work at LA on Monday. Quite Elusive has a nice conformation, but it doesn’t scream out “distance horse” at you. Clearly, though, she has the pedigree, being by the great Commanding, and even the much less accomplished dam liked to go long. This race still seems like a bit of a reach, and its possible Mb just wants to see where she stacks up against this crowd while pinning his hopes of victory on his other entry.
#5- Freedom Flying (Mb Stables, ridden by M A Pedroza)- That other entry, is right in the stall next door. Freedom Flying should have a good shot at winning today as she has been running against strong competition for a while. Most recently, she is one to come out of the Generous Portion at SA where she was in a dead heat for third with Angry Curator, who she sees again here today. A month before that, she was seen at the muddy Grade 3 Schuylerville at SAR, where she was fourth. She worked a nearly identical time at LA on Monday for a mile as did her stablemate, so it’s interesting to see them in such close proximity in that regards, perhaps more as a testament to Quite Elusive. Freedom Flying’s has excellent pedigree, being by Chai Latte, who we all know; but the dam side has the very underrated Wild Chippy line going for it. Freedom Flying might not win today, but I really like her potential going forward.
#6- Sneaky Fantastique (Yahudi Stables, ridden by J Rosario)- Three races in the books, three victories. This filly by Sneaky Little Pirate has done nothing wrong in her career so far and will be the horse to beat in this race. After breaking her maiden in April, Yahudi Stables noticed the high level of potential she had, and purchased her in private sales for $350.000 from Drabfantasy. He would put her in the $75.000 Cassidy Stakes in July, and she responded well there in scoring the victory. After that, it was on to the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at DMR, and she did not back down there either, winning in a tight finish. Sneaky Fantastique also looks good as she wins these races, with a nearly perfectly balanced triple-ideal conformation. She is working very well, with a near bullet work at a mile at DMR near the end of August, doing so against 53 other horses. We’ll be hearing a lot of her name for the foreseeable future.
#7- Livin on The Edge (TwinTowersRacing, ridden R A Baze)- If this filly wins, break out an Aerosmith CD and listen to what is still one of my favorite songs. Heck, do it even if she doesn’t win. This Secret Ensign filly has raced three times in her career and was recently in the muddy Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga, where she faded to a sixth place finish. I’m just not sure if she wants to go this distance or not, her works at a mile are slower then most of the others, and the 14-second turnaround between the 7-furlong work at SAR on August 11th and the work on the 31st at DMR concerns me. As we all well know, though, there could be many other factors that cause that. Hopefully she can help herself from falling through the field.
#8- Gostly Graveyard (Downwind Stables, ridden by F Prat)- There is good pedigree in this two year old filly by Folk Art to go long. I feel like I just said that about a foal that was out of Cheerleading Captain (by Kinzys Spirit), and alas, I did, because her sister Captain Caveman (yes, sister, despite the name), has run in ungraded stakes, and actually has more experience running against those Gostly Graveyard sees today, then does Gostly Graveyard. As for this one, she too is flashing potential, placing second in the $75.000 AP- Washington Lassie, beating Technology Sweep in the process, and third in the $150.000 Shady Well at WO. Her works aren’t convincing, but she knows how to “Bring It On” on raceday like her dam did, she can surprise here.
#9- Saw The 1st Work Wow (Australia Wide, ridden by C C Lopez)- Regardless of what this filly does, her entire career will be centered around whatever her first work actually was, instead of what she has done when it mattered. On the track, she is three for four, losing only her debut race. After running her first three races for breeder Kingelleinc, the filly was purchased in private sales by Australia Wide for $150.000. With the new connections, she scored a win at SAR. Despite her three race winning streak, she hasn’t really beaten much yet, running only in allowance and optional claiming company. Not only does she not have a public first work, she does not many public works at all. I do believe she is working well on the farm, and under the guidance of Australia Wide, she will be strong on race day. As long as she can handle the uptick in competition, she will be a threat.
#10- Technology Sweep (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Lopez)- The Techno filly has six raced six times already, and has frequently been seen in some top-level races. After breaking her maiden in her second start of April at PRX, she was off to BEL for the $250.000 Astoria. That did not go well, but the trainer gave her another chance and she rebounded later that month with a fourth place run in the $100.000 Debutante at CD. Since then, she has a pair of third place finishes, including in the muddy Grade 3 Schuylerville at SAR in July (were all the important races at SAR for two year old fillies on muddy tracks or is it just me?) She is a beautifully conformed filly with good pedigree that goes back to Jolly Be Great. I expect her to be in the mix here.
#11- Wicked Heat (EasyMoney Stables, ridden by C S Nakatani)- Finally, on the far outside we have the only filly in the field who has already raced a mile in her career. After her first three races saw her consistently running on the 27th of a month (missing it by only a day here again), she was off to DMR for a mile long optional claimer in early August and she would HRP-rout the field, winning by three lengths. On the fourth of July, Wicked Heat turned out a work at a mile that is as good or better then what the others are doing now. So if Wicked Heat has improved off of that, then it could be a long day for the other fillies here. She has not run in a stakes yet, but any trade off is cancelled out by her experience racing a mile already. This Commanding filly certainly has the pedigree to be a start, and she is nicely conformed. I like her chances, I just wish she didn’t have this post.
Prediction: 6-3-11-2
— NS
Categories: Grade I
