The Hutcheson Stakes ($100.000 Purse)
GP- For Three Year Olds
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
March 16, 2024

A field of nine will take part in the ungraded Hutcheson Stakes at GP, a race that runs for a $100.000 purse. It was not always like that, however, as this was a Grade 2 from 2004 through 2013, and then a Grade 3 from 2014 until 2019. In the early years of the race, the purse was mainly $150.000, but did peak to $200.000 for one year. The purse fell to $100.000 in 2016, and even dropped below that point for a year. Also different is the distance, as it was a longer race until 2016. 2023’s race was won by Flat Cup, for Fractious, and it is still the last time that horse has won a race, although he is still active and running in graded races. Hopefully our winner this year can accomplish a little more. Here’s the field!

1- Judge Isakoff (Bkm Racing, ridden by E J Wilson)- Claimed by the trainer for just $7.500 in July, and would win his first three races in the Bkm silks. The first two were with similar conditions, but then he stepped up nicely to the $75.000 Peluso Memorial Stakes for LA-Breds that he also won. That was just a four-horse field, and he would have a bigger test last time out in the LA Futurity. Missed cashing a check there and has had a couple of months of rest to get ready for this one.

2- Crypto Boss (Asgar, ridden by T Gaffalione)- A horse that is just getting his career rolling, with just three starts thus far. Two of them are victories, including his last race which was a N1X allowance at SUN at four and a half furlongs. This will be his first time running at the stake level, and this is a good spot for such a debut. Works are as good as anyone else in this race.

3- Last Round (Fractious, ridden by L Saez)- There will be two Fractious horses in this race, but it is Last Round that is the more accomplished of them. He’s won just once over eight starts, but has hit the board five times, so he knows how to put in a strong effort. We’ve seen him go long in the Grade 1 Breeders Futurity, but his last two races represent a cut back to sprinting. Took part in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes and had an impressive second there. More of them same from that will make things tough on the other eight here.

4- Matriculate (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- Won on debut last April at TUP, but has not made a return trip to the winner’s circle. The next few races after that weren’t necessarily terrible, but they didn’t earn the trainer a whole lot. That did not stop the trainer from running him in the Mucho Macho Man here on New Years Day, and he came from nowhere to get up for second. If he is still improving and runs that well in the stretch again, he cannot be ignored here.

5- Lasting Impressions (Alydar Stables, ridden by J Alvarado)- After breaking his maiden in good looking fashion at a mile at DMR in December, Alydar Stables made the logical move and attempted to put Lasting Impressions on the TC trail. First, we’d see him in the Jerome where he was third, and then last month he would run in the Grade 3 Lewis Stakes, where he placed fourth. So, while he still earned money in each of them, the trainer has opted to push back with him here. The biggest question for him here will be whether or not he’s ready for the finish line to come at six furlongs.

6- Diametric (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- Just one entry from Mb Stables in this race, and Diametric has all the looks of a horse that he is thinking about moving to bigger and better. This is where the horse will be tested to see if he is up for it. This is his third career start, winning on debut in April, but then sitting around at Barcelona Farms for nine months before he was sold to Mb. He was second in an N1X allowance at FG three weeks ago in preparation of this test.

7- Edward The Good (Fractious, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Another horse that is being moved up to this level. So far, he has not achieved a whole lot, debuting at MNR before being sold to Fractious for $25.000. He would run for his new trainer last month at SA and broke his maiden at seven furlongs. Fractious was obviously impressed by that to run him here, but it is his other entry that figures to give him his strongest shot.

8- Spellbinding (Night Rider Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- Ran competitively over three starts for previous trainer Panionios Racing before he was claimed for $28.000 at DMR, a race he had run second in. Night Rider Stables placed him in the $125.000 Leonatus Stakes two months ago, and he was well over his head in that. Now, with some more time to work on his new horse, Night Rider is giving it another go in an ungraded stake, and we’ll see how much he improves.

9- Hesa Super Freak (Spb Racing, ridden by Jo Ruiz)- There is a lot to like about this gelding, starting with the fact that he was won four of his five career starts. Therefore, we can have confidence that he will run well here as well. What I like even more about that was his last start, where he won the $100.000 Winkfield at AQU by a length, and he will be well rested to run here. I would put him on top, but I am a little concerned about his last work. Nothing terrible about it, but others here are better. It may have just been a bad day, or something that was tested that didn’t work out.

Prediction: 3-9-2-6

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded