TX Mile (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
LS- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
April 26, 2020

This Friday at LS, we will see a field of eight going to post in the 16th running of the TX Mile, a race that has seen several of the game’s greatest horses go to the winners circle. It all started with the very first edition of the race when Alpha Ultimo got the win in 2004. Amazingly, and as an impressive credit to this horse, he’d win the race a second time, but not for another five years! Within that period another great, Dark Crown, got the win here. Then it would be Whats Up winning twice, coming in 2010 and 2011. All the great history of this race isn’t from that long ago, though, as State Police got the win in the TX Mile in 2018. Last year, it was Fahrenheit. For a while the success of the older horses held firm at this track, with all winners from 2004 until 2015 being at least four. Since then, however, three of the last four winners have been three year olds. There are three three’s in this race, and they will enjoy a six pound weight advantage over their elders. Here’s a look at the field!

#1- Broke Red (Mb Stables, ridden by A Beschizza)- This three year old will be making the fifth start of his career, and it is his first time in any sort of stake. He’s won twice thus far, and that includes his most recent effort, which was a statebred allowance at GP. His works are quite good, earning him the right to be in the field. He goes against some tough opposition here, though, so Mb Stables will know quickly just how good this horse may be.

#2- Waiting On My Moment (Luz International, ridden by J R Velazquez)- He has had a couple of moments thus far that could have been his, but the four year old gelding is still looking for his signature win. Overall, he’s won three of eleven starts, but is coming off a third place effort in the Grade 3 Hals Hope, which was just the second time he had run in a stake. Form is trending the right way, so while he will have to be at his best here, I could see him pulling this off.

#3- Cherokee Twins (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by M Tunon)- After breaking his maiden in his fourth career start, this three year old was thrust into the TC Chase for a race, but did not perform well in the LA Derby. Since that race, his works have improved, with a sharp looking mile work at BEL on Wednesday. It’s no different then what others in here are working, but it represents improvement for him, so I expect to see a better race here from him on Friday. His weight allowance makes him more intriguing against his bigger name foes.

#4- Commanding Bee (John Henry, ridden by T Gaffalione)- It’s been more then a year and a half since this horse picked up what is still his only career win. After breaking his maiden, he has run in nothing but stakes, but has not been one to bet on, which just seven in the money finishes in 18 starts, and only two (both third place) in his last 13 starts. He’s never badly beaten, but not one to get excited about at the betting window.

#5- Eclipse My Knowledge (Nakamura Stables, ridden by A T Gryder)- With over $925.000 in career earnings, there is no one in this field that has won more money then him. He has won multiple graded stakes in his career, with his biggest victory being the Clark Handicap, a Grade 1, in November of last year. Since then, however, he has two consecutive eleventh place finishes. They were top tier races though, the Pegasus World Cup and the SA Handicap. He should like going back to a mile here. Needs to get back to form, and this should be a good opportunity to do that.

#6- Grond (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Spent some time running in FL-bred races before ultimately being sold to Mb Stables last fall. He’s yet to win while in his new silks, but with a little more luck he could have won all three of the starts that led up to his entry in the FL Derby last month. Other then the top three horses, that race was a little unspectacular, so I am not sure how excited I want to get over his finishing sixth in that race. I could see him benefitting from the weight allowance here, and don’t think there is anyone in this field who is head and shoulders above everyone else, but he is going to have to be at his best here.

#7- Sinissippi Star (Estero Farms, ridden by J K Court)- This horse intrigues me even though he is one of the older horses in the field. He is a consistent horse, finishing in the money in ten of his twelve starts up to this point. In his last two starts, where he was run a mile, he has been sharp, turning a 99 SRF in a second place showing at the Grade 3 Hooper, a race in which he was faster then Questionable and Zombie City. Despite that strong showing, he was dropped into ungraded territory, and he won the Stymie. I think he’s been waiting for this chance, and is going to pull it off.

#8- Reach For A Latte (Fractious, ridden by R Bejarano)- The five year old gelding was picked up in private sales for $200.000 late last year, a week after winning an open allowance at SA. Fractious returned him to the graded ranks, and while he did not get an immediate dividend, he did win the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes in February. Unfortunately for the trainer, he did not follow that up well in the New Orleans Handicap. His works are excellent, and perhaps the New Orleans Handicap is a race where he ran better then it actually seems like he did. Expect him to be a contender here.

Prediction: 7-5-6-8

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES