The Sword Dancer (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Inner Turf
August 27, 2016
The Sword Dancer is set to be run at beautiful Saratoga for the 14th time in its history, a past that has seen many greats go to post. It can always be counted on to be a great race, and things will be no exception this year. Those greats haven’t always won, but this race will make any past winner be something special. Last year, Ashkalani made his way to this race, and it would end up being the next to last race of his career. In some ways it can be said that the track has lived up to its “Graveyard of Favorites” nickname. Though last year was interesting, because while 2014 BC Turf winner Ashkalani did not run his best race, it was won by three year old Tundra Kenny. At that time, he was still a bit unknown and had never won a graded event. His Sword Dancer victory was just the beginning of a run that would see him take Ashkalani’s crown again, this time as the new BC Turf champion. Tundra Kenny will not be in this race, and was seen working out on Tuesday down at GP. One thing that will return, thankfully, is the $1,000.000 purse level. Last year was the first year it was run for that amount of money, and certainly it’s a big reason why we are fortunate to have such a great field for the race this year. Expect a thrilling race from our field of thirteen. Let’s take a run through the field now!
#1- Engine Failure (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- We begin the preview with looking at this three year old, so we must again take this time to mention how dominant three year olds have been against their elders lately. They get a five pound weight allowance in this race. It’s a little hard to believe that Engine Failure has not won a graded stake yet given the quality of races that he has been in. Last month, the trainer moved him to the grass in an optional claiming event right here at the Spa, and he finished second. The horse that won? He’s down there in post 12, Admirals Aces. This would be a great race for him to finally pick up that signature line for his resume that he really needs, but it’s concerning a little that he can’t get that win, and it makes you want to look elsewhere.
#2- Fear The Feathers (Up And Up Racing, ridden by J R Leparoux)- The jockey looks to win the race for the second year in a row with the price of Up And Up Racing. The three year old was purchased in private sales for $50.000, after struggling with Our Athletes. Five days after the purchase, the new trainer stretched him out to the longest distance offered and score a victory in the Grade 3 Stars & Stripes, and he looked very good as he did this, including defeating the likes of War Scent. This was a horse that earned a BC Juvenile Turf bid last year, just took him some time to get back to a high level.
#3- Tin Lizzie (Stald Gullis, ridden by R A Baze)- This gelding often as other jockeys looking over their shoulders with his deep closing style of running, and that will happen again. After a great start to his career, Tin Lizzie has been struggling of late, with only one finish better then 6th (a 3rd) in his last five starts. To the trainer’s credit, Tin Lizzie keeps being put out there against Grade 1 competition, but he’s going to need to come up big here. The added distance to what he usually runs can help. His career needs a jolt in the right direction again, and an upset victory here would certainly accomplish that.
#4- Sinissippi Eagle (Eastern Equine, ridden by R Bejarano)– Has only won one of six starts this year, that coming in the Grade 2 GP Handicap against the likes of Unsuited and the wry ol’ veteran Visa Vice. Other then that, however, he has failed to hit the board in any of them. You have to go all the way back to July of 2014 before you find the last race he won before that. The reason he keeps being put out there is because he’s always close, and always seems to be within two lengths. Is that a product of our virtual race engine of tightly strung fields at the end, or really a sign that he might be a very unlucky horse? He’s never gone as long as he will today in his 26 prior races, adding three furlongs to his old record high. We’ll see how it goes.
#5- Jovan River (Mb Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- Everything Mb Stables has asked Jovan River to do, he has done. He has won five straight, with a gradual progression in the races he has been in. The streak started in allowance company, then an ungraded stake, then a Grade 3, then a Grade 2. We know what’s next. The most recent win was the Grade 2 Read Stakes out west at DMR, and he made it look easy as he wired the field. Now, he’s going to go longer then he raced before. Since he likes to go out on the lead, we have to wonder if he can do it for three more furlongs. You can’t deny a horse that has won 10 of 21 career starts has heart.
#6- Five Daddy Darling (Night Rider Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- Two weeks ago, Five Daddy Darling was out at AP and finished second in the AP Million. Why bother resting when you are on such good form, the trainer seems to believe here, and his six-year old gelding is now set to run a nearly three combined miles in that two week span. This isn’t completely unheard of for him, as recently he BEL Gold Cup after three weeks. He’s been second in four of his last six.
#7- Tucson (Aer Stables, ridden by J Alvarado)- The trainer has done a fantastic job with this seven year old gelding since claiming him for $35.000, and has turned him into a graded stake winner. Tuscon has now made 50 career starts, and has never been better, coming off a fantastic second place finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap at BEL in a race where the winner was just not going to be denied. I like how well rested he is coming into this race as well, and even though he has never actually won at this distance, he run it many times and finished well in them. I think he is due today, and am putting him on top.
#8- Eastern Townships (Sanny Village, ridden by R J Albarado)- Sanny picked this three year old gelding up in private sales last month for $305.000, but their first race together did not go as planned. Eastern Townships was a disappointing 7th earlier this month here in the National Museum of Racing (Grade 2), a race that was a surprise coming off of two consecutive triple digit SRF’s in his prior two races. Two races back, he went close to this distance for Harrell Racing and scored a career high 102 in his third place run. That’s why the last race is a bit of a head scratcher, and hopefully the trainer considers it a throw out.
#9- March Madness (La Rosa Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- The long time trainer looks for his first career Grade 1 win with this six year old Natural Drummer horse. In 31 career starts, he has won a total of nine races, but none may have been bigger then the $300.000 BEL Gold Cup, even though it is not, technically, a graded win. That race is much like this one, a mile and a half on the grass. I would be a little more optimistic with him, but he didn’t follow it up well in the Bowling Green here last month, as even though he was third, he was non-factor. He’s going against the absolute best here, so he must rediscover his form from BEL.
#10- Steel Kelp (Serenity Stables, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- This will be the 50th start of this seven year old’s career, and he may be able to make it a golden race based on his current form. In his last three starts, he has one win and two second place finishes, all running this or a very similar distance (1 3/8) on the turf. That victory came in San Luis Rey, where he scored his own March madness, winning at odds of 66/1 against the likes of Desolation Island. The winners of his last two second place runs have been Chrystal Pip and the legendary Sir Tom. K J Desormeaux has become his regular rider, and they are ready to roll!
#11- Rip Rip Woodchip (Our Athletes, ridden by J J Castellano)- The gelding’s career began slowly, only racing once as a two year old before he was auctioned off and picked up by Our Athletes for just a mere $3.340. Safe to say that one has worked out well! First, the trainer gave everyone a chance to claim him away for $10.000, and he is grateful that we all declined, because he has blossomed this year. Still, he has way to go, and after a couple good runs in NY-bred stakes, he’s making a tough leap here. I’d feel a little better if he at least won one of those two. Maybe the distance will be all it takes, and no three year old can be counted out in any of these races right now.
#12- Admirals Aces (Grimley, ridden by M Franco)– Back when he ran in the FL Derby in April against a loaded field, he seemed like he would be out of his league. It was an aggressive placement for a horse that had shown potential, but didn’t have the results. In the FL Derby, he stepped up his game impressively, and finished fourth. After that, Grimley looked like a genius, and Admirals Aces ran alright in a fifth place effort in the Peter Pan as well. He was becoming competitive, but needed to get back in the winner’s circle, so the trainer put him in an optional claimer here at the Spa, and it just so happened that Engine Failure was in the same race. Admirals Aces got the win in a photo with the rival he sees again here in his second career turf start. The only other grass start resulted in his only other win. He’s very intriguing but I kind of want to see two big ones in a row from him, too.
#13- Spotted Cat (Blushing Meadows, ridden by D Moran)- Everyone in this field will need to be watching in the stretch for this deep closer, like it seems like just about all horses are out of this barn. (Or is it just the races I cover?) The Ultimate Dogma colt made his mark last year, winning over $1,000.000 thanks to a fantastic KYD prep season, which he carried on into the fall in races such as the Hill Prince (Grade 3). This year, he has been competitive with some of the best in the game, with a pair of thirds in the Grade 1 Makers Mark and Grade 1 Woodford Turf Classic. Most recently, he was second in the Grade 2 Read Stakes. He’s due for another big win, and I kind of think that this race may set up nicely for him. He just has to make sure this outside post doesn’t eliminate him early.
Prediction: 7-10-13-8
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
