Cotillion Stakes (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
PRX- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
September 24, 2016
Some of the best fillies in the game are set to battle it out and renew their rivalries on Saturday in the ninth running of the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, which is the sister race to the PA Derby held here at PRX. There are stars throughout this field, including the likes of Wicked Heat, Notarized Kate, and The Hanging Tree, among several more. The race is a gem, and we will no doubt be talking about this race in about six weeks or so when BC Distaff time comes around. Many greats have come here in the past, but perhaps none as successful as the truly legendary Mrs Bombastic. An interesting footnote comes with that, because the 2010 Cotillion was the first race for her under the training of Ken Allan after her purchased her from Blushing Meadows for approximately $2.000.000. She won the Cotillion and went on to run well after the sale. She is also the only Cotillion winner to actually win the BC Distaff. In 2013, the race saw two of the greats finish in a dead heat: Karloff and Stella Artois. This year, there are twelve going to the gate, and with a couple exceptions, there are proven, well-accomplish fillies. Let’s get ready to enjoy a great race!
#1- The Hanging Tree (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Took a little while to get going, but has since emerged as one of the top three year old fillies in the game. However, it does stand out at you that she seems to finish second a little too often. That wasn’t the case in the Grade 1 Acorn, which has been the best race of her career thus far. After winning that race, she was sold a few weeks later by Riggins Racing to Mb Stables for $800.000. Under her new trainer, she has two more second place finishes both in SAR Grade 1’s, to Dirty Deeds at the CCA Oaks and to Shake It Off in the Personal Ensign. She sees both of them here again today.
#2- Wicked Heat (EasyMoney Stables, ridden by G L Stevens)- After a couple of tough races over the summer, Wicked Heat bounced back in a big way at the Spa as she won the Grade 1 Alabama, which is always one of the biggest races of the year at SAR. Before that, she had been a non factor in a couple races, which were immediately after her joining the illustrious list of KYO winners. She’s seeing several from the KYO here again today, including a familiar foe in Notarized Kate, who was the runner up in that race. Shake It Off was third. She’ll be liked by many, but I am leaning away from her in this race.
#3- Dirty Deeds (Aer Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- This filly has won five of eleven career starts while consistently being entered against some of the best in the game. She has had her big days, winning the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks out at SA, and then taking the CCA Oaks at SAR. Dirty Deeds was also able to earn a spot in the KYO, and was fifth in that race. Turned in a career best (public) work at six furlongs last week, so we know that she is ready to go, and I think that seeing that improvement is a major positive. Another thing I like about Dirty Deeds is that when you stack her up against the other top fillies here, I think this exact distance is more in her wheelhouse.
#4- Sneaky Fantastique (Yahudi Stables, ridden by J J Castellano)- Had a strong two year old campaign which earned her a spot in the BC Juvenile Fillies. She didn’t have her best day then, and has only returned to graded stake racing once since then, and that was a fourth place finish at the Santa Ysabel. Most recently, she was victorious in an optional claimer at SAR in a race that saw her carry eight fewer pounds then she will be carrying here. It just seems as though there are better in this field.
#5- Ghost Runner (Pumpkin Racing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This is probably not a name most were expecting to see in this field, as she has made her living on the turf, and has never raced on the main track in her career. If this works out the way the trainer is hoping, then she is capable of being the big spoiler in here. After all, she is coming into the race with two big results, including a win in the Grade 1 BEL Oaks, and most recently a place in the Grade 1 DMR Oaks. The question for bettors to decide is how they think she will carry over to the dirt. Based on works, the trainer has been prepping her for this move. I’m not sure I would have made the same move, but this is a trainer far superior to me, so that’s probably a good thing!
#6- Notarized Kate (Pristine Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- It is always a pleasure to see this filly out on the race track, and I certainly hope that no one is falling asleep on her just because of her disappointing run in the Alabama. One bad run over the course of the career for other stars didn’t stop them, and it is not going to stop Notarized Kate from being a primary contender here. She’s had a great 2016, including winning the Grade 1 Ashland, and running second in the KYO. She was third in the Acorn, before winning the DEL Oaks. Everything is great for this filly who has only finished off the board twice in her career.
#7- Shake It Off (Australia Wide, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- This filly is still very young, and will only be making her eighth start of her career. The trainer has been very patient with her, and maybe calculating is the better word for it now that she has established herself as one of the best. She ran third in the KYO, and fifth in the Acorn, but it would not be until after those races where she seemed to find her best form. Her last two efforts has seen her win two of the more prestigious races out there for a filly, the Grade 1 Mother Goose at BEL, and then the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at SAR. Her speed figure of 103 in the Personal Ensign also has to get your attention. There is not a filly in this race who seems to be so strong coming in, and that includes Wicked Heat. I am making her my pick.
#8- Love Appeal (Hay Makers Inc, ridden by J Rosario)- Makes a considerable jump up in class, although she did run in the Grade 3 Miss PS in May, but did not really become a factor in that. She has also never raced longer then seven furlongs before, so this seems to be a lot that the trainer is asking of her. She had a strong work at a mile in August which has likely influenced this decision. This is a tough assignment, but the trainer will get good information about where their fully stakes up.
#9- Looknlisten (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- After opening the year with a win in the Silverbulletday Stakes, Looknlisten has been running at the graded level consistently, but has never been a threat to win any of them. That is, until her last one, where she contested the early pace instead of dropping to the back in the G3 MTH Oaks and finished third. She will be meeting the two that beat her in the MTH Oaks again in this field. This will be the first time she runs in a Grade 1.
#10- Stellar (M.b.o. Racing Stable, ridden by J L Ortiz)- Has won four of fourteen starts, including three in a row that saw a win in a FL allowance, and in the $200.000 Critical Eye, where she only needed to beat two others, and had six pound weight allowance on them. (And the likely top choice there was a scratch). So, as you can probably tell, I do have a critical eye with her. She has scored a couple thirds in Grade 3’s, and if she was running at that level, I’d like her a lot more. Not sure if she can beat the best threes in the game.
#11- Way Up (Team 7 Illusions, ridden Mario Gutierrez)- After a long layoff, Way Up broke her maiden in an allowance at DMR in late July, and off of that she was sent to the Grade 1 Alabama, which was also her first time on the main track. She didn’t pose that much of a threat for the win there, but still finished fifth, which was a surprise given the size of the jump she was making. Way Up is still very lightly raced, having only raced four times so far, making that the best thing going for her.
#12- Neonatalist (Angelos Stable, ridden by D Moran)- The filly was claimed in July after winning her third in a row, coming at SAC, and for a price of $50.000. It was in an optional claimer against two others, and you wonder now if Barcelona Farms regrets that move. Angelos Stable thought highly of her, and put her in the Grade 3 MTH Oaks, and she would go on to win the race. That made it four in a row, and she has been either first or second in her last eight. There are others with greater resumes here, but if you’re looking for a longshot (and she might not even be one), this may be the filly to take.
#13- Aldonza (John Henry, ridden by R Alvarado Jr)- Almost $1,000.000 has been transferred across stables thanks to her on three separate private sales transactions since February. You have to wonder why she doesn’t stick around at one stable. She has won three of 14, and is consistently placed in some of the biggest races out there, thanks to some excellent work times, but she has shown to be inconsistent. When she is on her best form, she is as good as anyone, but she also has some notable duds. We’ll see which Aldonza shows up this weekend.
#14- Technology Sweep (The Sidley Stud, ridden by F Pennington)- After having four straight starts on the rail earlier this year, Technology Sweep is being moved all the way to the outside for this one. She won three straight this spring, highlighted by the Grade 3 Pitcher Stakes, where she used her five pound weight allowance against her three rivals to her benefit. Last month is the race to look at, however, where she was a strong third in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at the Spa, running behind Shake It Off and The Hanging Tree, topping some other good names in the process. Off that, we know she can run with this field.
Prediction: 7-6-2-(1-3 dh for 4th)
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
