November 19, 2015

One of the last major stops on the juvenile road to the Grade I KYO next year is the Grade III DED Princess and with points on the line, as well as $400.000 in prize money, a field of eight has been assembled at DED to go a flat-mile on the main track. While it has taken a little bit of time for the race to take off in real-life terms, the last two years have been outstanding with 2013 winner Tepin taking down three Grade I races this year including the Breeders’ Cup Mile, while 2014 winner Take Charge Brandi was the Juvenile Fillies Champion and Two-Year-Old Filly Champion.

At HRP, only one of the four winners to date has gone on to any major success, with Jillybean scoring the Grade I Santa Ynez (it’s only time as a Grade I) before finishing second in the KYO, and this year, we get no one from the BC and only a smattering of stakes winner at either the state-bred or ungraded level. That leaves many in the field in the field with a chance to step up to the plate and progress to the next level, with eyes on the early season stakes at FG and GP within their grasp.

1-Call Of Faith (Two-year-old bay filly / Owner-Delta Farms)

A going away maiden winner at CLS, and just as impressive in a N2L at RET, Call Of Faith makes a big leap off a pair of blowout wins in wire-to-wire fashion and should be loose on the lead from the rail if she chooses to go forward. Her distance limitations seem to be in check given that one-mile workout at CD in solid splits, and would it not be ironic to see Delta Farms win a big race at DED, especially with Destiny and Faith in her pedigree as well?

Analysis-Will be loose up front and going as long as she can

Fair Odds-5/1

2-Livin On The Edge (Two-year-old gray filly / Owner-TwinTowersRacing)

Livin On The Edge stretched out to two-turns in the Grade I Chandelier and pressed the early fractions before faltering late into third and while she does cut back in distance, it might not be enough to keep her from fading in that crucial final furlong. She has prepped incredibly well at DMR with a series of workouts including that bullet seven-furlongs but still needs to prove that she can last the distance and that will be the biggest question mark when it comes to backing her for the win.

Analysis-Tries to handle two-turns once again

Fair Odds-8/1

3-Gostly Graveyard (Two-year-old bay filly / Owner-Downwind Stables)

Gostly Graveyard added Lasix once again for a start in the Chandelier but was unable to quicken late after sitting in midpack and with Lasix once again, she cannot be considered a main threat for the win, even with her good connections. Second at AP two back going shorter might be a sign of her ability to close into a quicker pace but this one-mile trip does not set up for speed and she will have to get some pace to chase if she hopes to run down the leaders in the short stretch run.

Analysis-Not her best at SA and hopes to rebound

Fair Odds-15/1

4-Eastern Philosophy (Two-year-old gray filly / Owner-Emerald Racing Inc)

Eastern Philosophy has been one of the better fillies at WO this season with a maiden win, followed up by a score in the Victorian Queen over a fast track, and now she gets to stretch out to two-turns and could be sitting the perfect trip from midpack. She certainly is quick enough to contend with the best in this field, knows how to win and gets the return services of jockey P Husbands; factors that cannot be overlooked in this suspect field.

Analysis-Two big wins going short set her up nicely

Fair Odds-4/1

5-West Coast Cooler (Two-year-old gray filly / Owner-5 A Racing)

Owner 5 A Racing earned back much of their $7.000 price for West Coast Cooler with a win in the ONT Debutante back in August and while she was unable to keep pace in the Grade I Alcibiades, she should be better suited here and might be able to keep pace for a minor award. Her speed ratings are even but nothing to suggest a major breakthrough as of yet and if she does not win here, she looks like the type who will progress nicely to the age of three and could be a major force in the ONT-bred ranks.

Analysis-Nice claim seems to be moving forward

Fair Odds-10/1

6-Primera Fajita (Two-year-old gray filly / Owner-EasyMoney Stables)

Primera Fajita was one of the best at the DMR trials and an early season sensation for EasyMoney Stables but came crashing back to earth with fourth place finishes in the Spinaway and the Alcibiades and will try to reset her season here in the Princess. She tried a different tactic at KEE and fell too far back in the middle stages before rallying again and if she gets into a better spot from her outside draw, she could be a major contender down the stretch against key rivals who might not have her route expertise.

Analysis-Early season leader needs some confidence

Fair Odds-3/1

7-Regal Portrait (Two-year-old gray filly / Owner-Mb Stables)

Put Regal Portrait in state-bred company and she is a vision, winning her maiden by seven-lengths and the FL Sire Stakes-My Dear in a romp, but put her against open company and she is a disaster and that is the question looming over her head going into the Princess. The Adirondack might have been a product of the muddy going, and she can be excused for her debut, but she was almost 12-1 in a four-horse field last time out and if you did not back her then, you would not be wise to take her here at short odds.

Analysis-Seems to languish in open company

Fair Odds-6/1

8-Angry Curator (Two-year-old gray filly / Owner-Sarah Stables)

It is really hard to get a feel for Angry Curator at this stage of the game, since her Chandelier run came from tenth early yet she led into the lane of the Matron with absolutely incredible speed and that inconsistency is a real burden for any handicapper. They were also from completely different post positions so one has to assume that she will be gunning from the outside stall and that will put her in competition with blazing speed from the inside, which is never a good thing for anyone involved.

Analysis-Will be used hard and that is dangerous to her chances

Fair Odds-10/1

Overall

Speed along the rail and speed to the far outside set things up nicely for a closer in the Grade III DED Princess and in Primera Fajita, you get a filly with stakes experience and early season potential who could win this race as a perfect set-up for events at FG and GP en route to the KYO. Eastern Philosophy has been a force in ON-bred races and could use that racing experience to full advantage that this extended distance while Call Of Faith has been brilliant against easier but is untested in these waters and might just need a race to get on track for bigger events down the line.

Prediction

Win-Primera Fajita (3/1)

Place-Eastern Philosophy (4/1)

Show-Call Of Faith (5/1)

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES