The Hanshin ($300.000 Purse)
CD- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
June 30, 2024

The Hanshin was formerly a part of the schedule at AP, running there in most years between 2005 and 2019 as a Grade 3 with a purse of either $100.000 or $150.000. After being dormant for a couple years, the race was added to the schedule here at CD, and for a much larger purse. While the race has never gotten its graded designation back, the $300.000 purse that is up for grabs is a plenty good reason to send a horse to the race. We initially had a field of seven, but with an early scratch, we are now left with six heading to the starting gate. The weather figures to be good on Sunday, and that’s looking like it’s going to hold true now on Saturday as well. Last year, the winner was Have Phun, for Gdp Inc, a now seven-year-old gelding that is still active and ran here last month. Let’s take a look now at those looking to be the next one added to the winners list:

1- All Take (Alydar Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- You may remember this one winning the PRK in 2022, but he then went on a long winless streak. The trainer kept running him in top races, and All Take was productive in many of them to keep warranting the placement, but finally he got that win at TP this February at the $125.000 Dust Commander. Looked good after that as well, winning the Grade 3 KY Cup Classic, also at TP, but just when we hoped to see him build on that, he’s struggled in his last two. That includes at the site of his greatest victory, where he failed to beat anyone in the PIM Special. Works are impressive, so perhaps we can forget about that poor race.

2- Prevent (Mb Stables, ridden by R L Moore)- He was able to find his way into the BC Dirt Mile last year, and likely had a better race than his finishing position suggests. Since then, Prevent has done well, with wins in three of five starts, but he has been prevented from taking on the best competition that is out there over that period. After running eighth in the Ghostzapper, Mb Stables moved him to the grass for two races which were each a victory. He’ll file that away for future reference for now as Prevent heads back to the main track.

3- Duppy Story (Ajm Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- It’s been about a year now since Ajm Stables claimed this one for $16.000, and without question the trainer has done a great job with him. Having said that, his story might just be getting started with the way that he has been running of late. Two starts ago, Duppy Story earned his third stake win by capturing the Knicks Go right here in May. Off of that, he was entered into the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. He had a couple graded starts in the books prior to that, but none of that magnitude. In the Metropolitan, Duppy Story closed well to finish third. He’s also earned three straight triple digit SRF’s, making him very appealing here.

4- Investment Center (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- We saw him here a couple of months ago as well, when he ran in the Grade 1 CD. However, that was not a good race for Investment Center, as all he could do was muster an eighth-place result. Though it was still good enough for a 101 SRF. Prior to that, he had back-to-back third place efforts in ungraded races at GP. He has three wins, overall, with his signature tally being the $100.000 Winkfield at AQU in 2023. Bridgmohan has been a good jockey for him, so that is something to think about, for sure.

5- Wonder Run (Parkers Pride, ridden by A J Juarez Jr)- The veteran seven-year-old horse will make his 34th start and hope that it results in his ninth win. For the most part, his career has been in overnights, but he has had some chances in stakes here and there, and has even one of them. That came back in December 2022 at PRX for the Kris Kringle Handicap, but he has not been able to be so jolly in a stake since then. He’s won two of his last three to earn this next chance at this level.

6- Everest- Scratched

7- Star Conclusion (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- One of Star Conclusion’s 25 starts has come here at CD, and that was two starts ago in the $200.000 Knicks Go that was won by Duppy Story. Star Conclusion was not anywhere near him at the end, however, losing by four lengths while only beating one of his rivals. He seems to be a better horse than that, and was more competitive in his last race, the Speightstown Sprint, at LS, where he was second. It’s hard to say if this one is better sprinting or going long, but a mile has not been his best. Of course, that change, and this would be a good time for that to happen.

Prediction: 3-1-2-4

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded