Indian Summer (BC)- $250.000 Purse
KEE- For Two Year Olds
Five and Half Furlongs on the Turf
October 9, 2022
While other stake races going at KEE over the weekend have a longer history, the Indian Summer has only been held since 2018, and is still an ungraded stake. That does not keep it from being a great opportunity to pick up BC points, as well as the winners share of a $250.000 purse, the highest that the race has seen to date. The first ever running of this race would be the first stake win for a horse that has gone to have a great career, that being Crack Dab, for Gdp Inc. These days, we certainly don’t know him for turf sprints, but that’s where he was as a two year old. The 2021 version of the race was won by Dereliction of Duty, for Alydar Stables. It’s the last time that he has won a race, and he would not be a factor in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. We’ll have nine going to post, including one which is named perfectly for the race. Here they are!
#1- Mediterranean Sea (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by R Gutierrez)- Broke his maiden for $123.200 back in May, but has not been able to hit the board in any of his other four starts. He’s been fourth a couple times, including the $125.000 Victoria Stakes at WO and was last seen three weeks ago in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes, placing sixth. This will be his third race in six weeks.
#2- Luna Dream (Asgar, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This Capo Moon gelding has made six starts, but has won just one of them. His maiden victory came in his turf debut, which was his fourth career start, and he followed that up by running second in the $125.000 Soaring Free, then fourth two and a half weeks later in the $500.000 KD Juvenile Sprint. He should benefit from a little more rest in this one.
#3- Pollos Hermanos (Arindel, ridden by L Saez)- After struggling on debut, Pollos Hermanos would be gelded, something that worked out very well for the trainer after breaking his maiden at SAR in early August. Two weeks ago, he ran well in an allowance, placing fourth and comes here on short rest. There’s no more time to wait if you feel the horse can get into the BC, but the short turn around time is certainly something to keep in mind.
#4- Insilca (First Flight Stable, ridden by T Gaffalione)- In his second career start, Insilca broke his maiden at BEL against NY-breds. After about three months of rest, he would reappear at the track while making his turf debut in the $150.000 Skidmore at SAR. He would show plenty of potential there, placing third, and is looking to build on that there. Well rested for this race, which a couple others in here cannot say.
#5- Omega Nebulae (Mb Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Mb Stables is ready to unleash this one into the stakes ranks following two wins in three starts. His most recent race saw a trip to the winners circle, coming in a $115.000 allowance at SAR in the middle of August. Omega Nebulae is out of Smokin Nebulae who earned over $1,100.000 on the grass during her career. That’s a fine lead for this two year old to follow.
#6- Super Fam (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by G Corrales)- Team 7 Illusions is bringing a filly with him to the Indian Summer, and that will give Super Fam a three pound weight allowance. In four starts, she has one win, breaking her maiden at ELP before being entered last month in the $500.000 Untapable Stakes at KD. She was third against her own gender there, and may be appealing here with her weight allowance.
#7- Indian Summer (Diablo Diablo, ridden by R M Hernandez)- Indian Summer in the Indian Summer? It would make too much sense. But he is most definitely not only here because of his name as no one in the field has earned as much as he has over their career. He’s been perfect on the grass thus far, winning the $150.000 Skidmore at SAR before going to KD and winning the $500.000 KD Juvenile Sprint. Add it all up, and Indian Summer has won over $500.000 for his career, and has never run a bad race thus far. And if he wins, we can then say the race was named for him instead of being named this for another reason.
#8- Our Holiday (Our Athletes, ridden by A Cedillo)- After running second in the $65.000 Proud Man over yielding turf, Our Holiday was entered into the Grade 1 Summer Stakes and ran quite poorly. Now, he will cut back on his distance to go sprinting once again, but will be racing for the third time in just six weeks. Others are in a similar situation, but I’m not certain that distance was his only problem in the Summer Stakes.
#9- Obfuscator (Jerry Garcia Racing, ridden by F Geroux)- Back in August, Obfuscator ran in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes fresh off of breaking his maiden, and put in a decent performance but one that did not earn him a penny. Jerry Garcia Racing would move him to the turf for the KD Juvenile Sprint, and it was a good decision, as he was only a length behind Indian Summer there, placing third. But this is the Indian Summer Stakes, not the Obfuscator Stakes, so I can’t pick him to reverse that order here.
Prediction: 7-6-9-5
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
