The Sleepy Hollow ($250.000 Purse)
BEL- For Two Year Olds Foaled in NY
One Mile on the Dirt
October 21, 2017

The great day of NY-bred racing continues at BEL with the 11th running of the Sleepy Hollow, a state-bred race with a not-to-shabby $250.000 purse to accompany it. Like the Maid of the Mist, the Sleepy Hollow debuted on our calendar in 2004, but took a hiatus of several years after 2009. It re-appeared in 2014 with its purse increased to it current level. Recent winners of the race include Im Too Confident back in 2014, with Lord High Admiral winning last year. For this race, there will be eight going to post. Let’s take a look!

#1- Sandset (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by J M Campbell)- One of three coming into this race from the Bongard, a similar NY-bred race, run at seven furlongs. He was third there, and the three that return were the top three from the race. In that race, as well as the Seeking The Ante before that, he lost positions late in the race. Perhaps, we will see him be off the place a little more, similar to when he broke his maiden at SAR in July.

#2- Zombie City (Pan Farms, ridden by J J Castellano)- The maiden looks to pull off an upset, although it seems like the trainer has already decided not to bother with them right now. He’s been second three times, so he has been running well. One of those were in the Bongard here last month, and he is going to like to keep stretching out. However, a few of the new horses he sees here figure to be tougher opposition.

#3- Tourist (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by D Moran)- It may be a good day for Mr Creepy based on this race and others, to see his foals have success. In five starts, Tourist has managed two wins and two places, and comes off a pretty good looking win at the $250.000 NY Breeders Futurity at FL on the last day of September. The only question for him will be distance, though I don’t really see anything that concerns me that he cannot stretch out. His dam, Distant Cousin, is a former BC Sprint winner.

#4- Creep City II (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J S Rocco Jr)- The second of two Mr Creepy foals that the trainer brings to the race, and he should have a great chance to win this race as well. In five starts, he has already won three times, highlighted by a win in the $75.000 ELP Juvenile. In his last start, he attempted the Grade 3 Iroquois, and ran fifth. That race makes him the only one in this field to have actually raced at least a mile so far. Look for him to run very well here.

#5- Jolly Foggy (Asgar, ridden by V Espinoza)- Based on works, Jolly Foggy should be one of the favorites, but on race day he has been nothing but a disappointment since breaking his maiden. He has three consecutive seventh place finishes, beating a combined two horses in those races. He’s going to like to run longer, but it looks like it is going to take him some time before it all comes together. Perhaps this will be the race it does.

#6- Hard To Deny (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- After two attempts to break his maiden the conventional way were stifled, Hard To Deny went to FL for the $100.000 Aspirant Stakes, and would be victorious, topping Simple Request in the process. In preparation for this race, he put together a beauty of a work at BEL at a mile, and this race may suit him perfectly in regards to pace, if he runs the same way he ran in the Aspirant.

#7- Caydens Camel (Aer Stables, ridden by J Alvarado)- This Niagra colt has gotten off to a quick start in his career, with three wins in four career starts. All of the wins have come with the NY-bred designation associated with it, and they are highlighted by winning the Bongard here last month. He should be able to stretch it out another furlong without any issue, but in general, I feel that this race will be have a higher quality then the Bongard. He’s the biggest threat to the Mr Creepy foals.

#8- Simple Request (Barcelona Farms, ridden by D Van Dyke)- Coming off a third place run in the Aspirant, a race won by Hard To Deny, in a race that each of them were coming from off of the pace. Looking at the fractions of the race, he appeared to gain ground on Hard To Deny, so perhaps that means that in a longer race, or at least a longer frontstretch at BEL, as opposed to FL, he may be a bigger threat. He’ll add bute for the race, as of press time.

Prediction: 3-4-7-6

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded