TX Stallion Series- Zareta ($75.000 Purse)
LS- For Fillies Two Years Old Foaled in TX
Five Furlongs on the Dirt
June 14, 2020

It’s the Blue Ridge Racing vs Shermfirm Stables Derby here in the 11th running of the Zareta, part of the TX Stallion Series. Here we will see some of the brightest young female prospects that call the Lone Star State their home. We will have a field of nine, and six of them are from either Blue Ridge Racing or Shermfirm Stables, so we know who likes breeding in Texas the most! Only two horses in the field were not bred by either of them. Last year, Blue Ridge pulled off the victory with Sweep The Coffee, marking the first time that this race had been run since 2012. She has gone on to have a steady career in overnights, but that is about it right now. Panther Trail, who finished third in that race, has gone to have the better career, making her home in TX-bred stakes. Let’s take a quick look at this field!

#1- Whiskey Bandit (Blue Ridge Racing, ridden by W De La Cruz)- The rail goes to Blue Ridge with this Bandito filly that has won her only race that she has been in. That came at TUP a couple months ago. I like that all of these Blue Ridge fillies are coming into the race with a good amount of rest, suggesting that they have been fully tested since their debut, and are completely ready to fire a big one here.

#2- Luzzi Math (Shermfirm Stables, ridden by I V Diego)- In a perfect world, L Luzzi would be riding this horse, but he has chosen another. Right now, Luzzi Math is still a maiden, and comes off a fourth place finish at PIM last month. Wish I could see a post debut race work on this filly to see how she progressed from what is shown.

#3- Risky Sweep (Blue Ridge Racing, ridden by L J Luzzi)- The jockey did the math, and opted for this filly that won her debut on the very first day that two year olds were able to hit the track, which was probably a good decision. That came at TUP just like her stablemate and I expect for her to run well to follow that one up here.

#4- Nice And Risky (Blue Ridge Racing, ridden by L S Quinones)- In a very interesting thing to note, Nice And Risky is a full sister to Risky Sweep. These are the types of races where you can see this type of thing pop up. Like her sister, she also won her debut, but did so at GG in early April. Bragging rights are on the line here, and she looks a little better then Risky Sweep to me right now.

#5- Debra G (Gustafson Stable, ridden by J V Bridgmohan)- Don’t let virtual PETA know, but this filly will be making the fifth start of her career, already. She hasn’t won any of them, either, which is a little concerning to me here, but they have been second or third place finishes at CD, so that experience will be very helpful for her here.

#6- Down In The Gulley (Luz International, ridden by S Elliot)- One of the trainers playing a supporting role in the entries for the race, and hoping to take that all the way to the front here. Perhaps, this would have been another good horse for L Luzzi to be riding, and things have been hard for S Elliot (1 of 28 at press time) here thus far. Won his debut with a sharp effort here in last April against fellow TX breds, and I really like her early May work at PIM. She is my pick to win and upset the Blue Ridge vs Shermfirm nature of the race.

#7- Get It Vb (Shermfirm Stables, ridden by R E Eramia)- This filly was given a very challenging debut race, running in the $150.000 KY Juvenile. Not surprisingly, she was dead last in the race. With a race under her belt, and against maidens, she looked exceptional in winning here two weeks ago. She’s one of the ones to beat here just as long as that short rest does not negatively factor in.

#8- Live Tk (Night Rider Stables, ridden by Q Hamilton)- Both of her parents were horses that I enjoyed covering. Tundra Kenny, because I personally have a strong connection to that BC Turf winner, and I Billieve, because it just a fun name to cover. That would make me want to pick this horse, which claimed by the trainer for $10.000 from Shermfirm for just $10.000 at the start of May. She is still a maiden, but she is working well, and I know it’s in her blood. I want to pick her, but something’s telling me not to do it.

#9- On It Vb (Shermfirm Stables, ridden by D Cabrera)- Made her debut in early May and finished second at GG, which is was a very good race, because her public works then would have suggested she might be in tougher in that field. It is tough to make an assessment on the trainer’s in this field due to a lack of a public work since the debut race, so it’s more of a crapshoot with them in the bettor’s eyes.

Prediction: 6-3-8-1

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded