6 AQU The Sleepy Hollow
$250.000 2yo Foaled in NY 1m Dirt 120lbs
NY Bred Freshmen will be the flavor for this one, The Sleepy Hollow, and the 2yo’s will be going a flat mile here at AQU. These races are always packed with talent and they are wide open, but this one is especially full of both. I am using Oh My Gad as my top choice today and the bay gelding has been a top contender in all of his starts. Seventh in that GI event at WO last out but he set the pace and was only beaten four lengths while facing some very very tough ones. The barn has been tough with this youngsters and I’ll see if they can get the job done with my $2 on his nose. I’ll put the undefeated Neighborhood Hero in my second spot today and he could actually be the one to beat after taking the Sapling at MTH in his most recent. Same distance, state bred instead of open company… yeah, it’s real tough to go past this one. I bet a bunch of people wished they’d plunked down the $12.500 to take him out of that first start at MNR. I’ll take Charmday as my third choice, as that last out sixth place finish was certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Tough lot and he was coming at em like gang busters in the late stages, and that was from the 12 post at CD. Like I said, class, speed… it’s going to be a good one.
Here’s the Field…
1 Personal Beliefs – the unkindest of cuts didn’t improve this one has he was sixth beaten a length last out, and the same in his previous, both against similar. Was second in a state-bred stakes back in July when tracking closer to the pace. Perhaps a change of strategy can get this one back on track.
2 Cut N Run – got the job done to break maiden at GG in his most recent and has never been off of the board in three lifetime starts. Shows a nice 6f work over the BEL strip getting ready for today.
3 Aggrivated Sky – Beat similar taking the Bongard at BEL and looks to want the extra furlong in today’s challenge. Only beaten two lengths when facing graded company at SAR so he appears to have some talent and should be considered in this one.
4 Ready When You Are – not much from this one after breaking maiden at first asking, and that was here at the Big-A. Perhaps some home cooking will help to get this one straightened out. The barn is always dangerous, and you may get some odds from this one.
5 Neighborhood Hero – undefeated in 3 lifetime starts, including a nice closing effort to get the job done in the Sapling at MTH. That was open company and at today’s distance, so you certainly have to circle this one when looking at contenders. Solid am works, I mean there just isn’t much to fault when looking at this one.
6 Son Of Lily – got his first win at DMR taking down $40/mcl going wire to wire that afternoon. He looks like the type that does his best racing when given his head, but this is an acid test compared to what he has been doing and I may have to look at some others when looking for top contenders.
7 Ulster Man – conquered similar last out over the FL strip taking the Aspirant Stakes by a head, closing well in the late stages to get it done. That was a much better effort than his tiring work in the Violet at SAR, but that’s why we run ’em… learn what works best.
8 Mini Me – broke maiden at WO in fine fashion but the last two efforts have been dull. Showed a bit of late foot in both the Sanford (GIII) and the Funny Cide vs. NY breds in his most recent, but he’s going to have to change things up to be a threat in this one. Gets Wilson back from that win, so perhaps the person in the saddle can get him back on his best stuff.
9 Charmday – broke maiden at ELP prior to that sixth place finish in the Iroquois (GIII) at CD in his most recent. Still some positive from that graded effort as he closed well in the late stages to pass a group of horses and was only a length back of the winner in that blanket finish. If he gets a clear path late, he could be in the middle of this one.
10 Great Britain – swathes barns via private sale prior to this one coming off of that fourth place finish in the Best Pal (GII) at DMR. He was flying late in that one, only beaten a length, and the new outfit looks to regain some of the expenditures dropping back to state-bred company, which should set him up for a very big effort. The post position does him no favors, but he may have the ability to overcome that.
11 Oh My Gad – his undefeated streak ended at three races after a seventh place finish in the Summer (GI) at WO. Certainly nothing to be ashamed of in that one, only beaten two lengths after setting the early pace. That race was also on the lawn where his wins all came on the dirt, so even more reason to discount that last out race, even though his works seem to show a liking for the grass. At any rate, and despite the post, I’d give him a serious look.
12 Inject The Venom – broke maiden at the Spa in a DH and was a close-up third in the fore-mentioned Bongard, only beaten a length in that one while facing similar. This is another one that got no favors with the post draw, but his early natural speed may be conducive to where he drew and maybe it becomes a positive.
COZMAN Picks 11 / 5 / 9
Willie’s Green Card 9 / 10
Scotty 11 / 9 / 5
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
