The 18th Running of the Pasco Stakes
January 15, 2022 14:15
TAM Race #7 $125.000 7 Furlongs
3YOs 120 Lbs (Plus Penalties)
Track Record-1:20.93 (Clubhouse-2021)
Stakes Record-1:21.33 (Signature Move-2014)
Saturday brings the 18th running of the $125.000 Pasco Stakes for sophomores going seven furlongs over the main track. An interesting fact about this staple of the TAM stakes program is that the stakes record belongs to a 2yo as Signature Move won the second of two runnings of the race in December of 2014. Three jockeys have taken three Pascos each and Mb Stables is the only trainer with two victories in this event.
We only have six sophomores entered in the 2022 Pasco Stakes, but only one of the six will carry more than the 120 lb minimum. The gelding East Of Creep, by virtue of his win in the G2 Hope Stakes, will be tasked with carrying 126 lbs from his outside stall. With a record of 4-2-1-1 and earnings of $99.400, the entry from Barcelona Farms will have to overcome both the impost of weight and being drawn widest of the six. East Of Creep was able to win his 2f debut going wire to wire; however, in three stakes tries since, he has shown that he is equally effective when rallying from off of the pace. Six pounds is a big ask of such a young horse, but he has obvious talent.
The only other runner to defeat winners breaks from the rail in the colors of Dawson Farms. Distorted Reasoning broke his maiden on the turf in his third career start and returned less than a month later to take a CD allowance in sharp time. The homebred was given a shot in a G2 in his latest effort and though he finished off-the-board, he was drawn wide that day and was making-up ground on the winner late while only beaten three lengths. Anything close to his CD effort would rate an excellent chance.
Rudy Is With Me may only have a MSW win to his credit, but he is graded-stakes placed and multiple-stakes placed. His last saw him only beaten a 1/2 length when third in a restricted stake where the winner established a new stakes record. He also participated in the aforementioned G2 Hope Stakes and will receive six pounds from East Of Creep who only finished a 1/2 length in front of this guy on that day. On paper, he definitely looks to be the class of the runners who have yet to defeat winners.
The Pasco Stakes
#1 Distorted Reasoning (Dawson Farms/Dawson Farms/J.C. Ferrer 120)
#2 Rudy Is With Me (Fractious/Fractious/H.R. Diaz Jr 120)
#3 The Great Unmasking (TwinTowersRacing/TwinTowersRacing/R. Alvarado Jr 120)
#4 Dont Ever Try It (LionKing Stables/LionKing Stables/A.A. Gallardo 120)
#5 The Pelican Brief (Arindel/Arindel/D.E. Centeno 120)
#6 East Of Creep (Barcelona Farms/Barcelona Farms/P. Morales 126)
Final Analysis: Feels like a 1-2 exacta box should do the trick. If you think the six pounds is too much for the 6, then throw the 5 on the bottom of your trifecta tickets. Good luck everyone!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
