Doubledogdare Stakes (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
KEE- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
April 20, 2018

A field of nine is assembled for the 13th running of the Doubledogdare Stakes, which is a smaller Grade 3 for older females. It’s a nine furlong race that has seen one stable win the last two races. That would be Eastern Equine, who’s won with Don’t Freak Out and Sweep The Ash the last two years, but now he gives a chance for someone else to win the race as he does not have an entry. This year, and like prior years, we see a diverse field of horses looking to move up the ladder, and those who have been high up and needing a jolt back in the right direction. Let’s meet our runners!

#1- Kinda Naughty (Savage Racing Stable, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This stable made their debut at the beginning of the month, and I must say that I like the name. This is the trainer’s first graded stake attempt, using a purchase from Smokey Stover, for $50.000. Kinda Naughty has won her last two starts, but has not raced since November, so it is a long layoff here. She’s made a few starts at over a mile, and they are okay, but they are not going to amaze anyone. I think this was a great purchase for this newer stable, and Kinda Naughty can contend, but the layoff probably gets to her.

#2- Heart Nebulae (SamIam, ridden by F Geroux)- This mare has seen a lot of success in her career, with five wins in 20 starts, and accumulating over $900.000 in earnings over her lifetime. She was able to qualify for the BC Distaff last year, thanks to a strong summer, but did not fare well in the BC. Not to worry, she bounced back nicely with a respectable second at the Grade 2 Falls City Handicap after that. She hasn’t raced since late January, so she’ll be at about 90 days of a layoff in her own right. Absolutely a contender.

#3- Blackberry (Our Athletes, ridden by R J Albarado)- Last year was special for this filly, as she ran third in the KYO and then participated in many top races throughout the year, including winning the Black Eyed Susan at PIM. Her results began to tail off as the year went on, though she still qualified for the BC Distaff. After she was not a factor in that race, the trainer dropped her out of the stakes ranks. After winning an open allowance last month, she gets this test, which is a great spot for her. Any kind of check here gets her over $1,000.000 in earnings lifetime.

#4- Fancy Five (Nakamura Stables, ridden by A L Canchari)- Kicks off her five year old season, and hopes to make it as fancy as she finished off last year. She has seven straight finishes in the to three, and if you want to add in fourth place, then she has done that in her last 16 races. That’s pretty incredible! She made her stake debut at the end of the year, and won the $50.000 Lass Stakes, beating Steady Red Hoofed in the process. Surprised she’s had a layoff as long as this when her form was at its best, but we know she will be a factor here. She always is.

#5- Steady Red Hoofed (Estero Farms, ridden by G Boulanger)- She finishes third in the aforementioned Lass Stakes, but has had two starts since then. Both were third place finishes, which by the way, is a finish she seems to like, with five straight thirds. Therefore, we can expect her to be competitive, but when I look at the race lines, I see a horse that may lack stretch desire. Of course, I haven’t watched them all but I will look to see if she is maybe, a little too steady, and perhaps needing more of an edge.

#6- Had Some Drinks (Mb Stables, ridden by J L Ortiz)- Back at the Lass Stakes, she finished in a dead heat with Fancy Five for the win. Had Some Drinks likes to get out on the lead, and tries to go wire to wire. She did the well in the Lass, as well as in the optional claimer at TAM that she ran in last month. With five starts, she is lightly raced in comparison to the others, but she has won three of those starts. This is a path we’ve seen before from this trainer in getting a horse to run their best.

#7- Lucifers Wings (Paradise Stable, ridden by C J Lanerie)- This filly has won four of her last six races, and has a couple of big wins to her credit, but she has not always been racing against the strongest competition. In her last start, the trainer moved her up from PM and FON to take part in the $100.000 Henson Handicap at SUN, and she would run third. Based on the margins of victory at the smaller tracks, it looks like she has been waiting to be tested, and should love this opportunity here.

#8- All Fueled Up (Axeman, ridden by A Beschizza)- After a second place finish in an optional claimer last month at TAM, the trainer is hoping that All Fueled Up is ready to get back to racing how she was during the fall of 2017, which included a win in a WO ungraded stake, before finishing second at the $250.000 Empire Distaff. At times, All Fueled Up has had moments throughout her career where it looks like she will be a top tier horse, she just has not been able to sustain that form, and runs into cold patches as well. This should be a good spot for her.

#9- Forgotten Past (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- If this filly wants us to forget her past, it’s time to get a big win here. Otherwise, I am going to remember her past, which included back to back wins in the $200.000 Fleet Indian and the Grade 1 Zenyatts last year. Those results catapulted her into the BC Distaff, but she would not be a factor in that race. Since then, she does have an optional claiming win and will look for more here.

Prediction: 3-2-5-6

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES