The Dandy – Grade II
SAR Race #9 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $600.000 For Three Year Olds.
1 Admiration Mb Stables Sanchez M J
There’s a very good argument that this is the best three year old in the game and by default could therefore be the best horse in the game. His record really is exemplary winning the TAM and SA Derby’s before a head second in the Preakness and then a nose win in the Belmont. As good as his record is this is a game of heads and noses as he has proved in his last two races so he must once again impress here to take favoritism to the BC Classic. Unusually for a horse from the stable he isnt working the track into a frenzy with fairly sedate works over a mile and then six furlongs in the last month. Works arent the answer they used to be though and as long as he gets a good trip from this draw there is no reason he wont win.
2 Bad Bad Boy Fractious Franco M
This is one of those ‘it only happens at HRP’ stories as after breaking his maiden at TAM at the end of last year he spent the early part of the year in claimers. Winning a fifteen dollar claimer in May and then a forty dollar claimer a month later he went on to run second in the grade three LA Derby after working a 1.36 and 2 for the dirt mile in his next race. Unfortunately at the moment the horses are so close in ability that this isnt an unusual occurrence so with the perfect draw against a bunch of horses, some weary from a tough early campaign, he could just run a big race.
3 Prince Charlemagne John Henry Beschizza A
Another who has a blistering work worthy of a BC winner but who hasnt achieved much at all. I seem to write this a lot but a 1.36 and 1 work would certainly be among the best this year and you would expect better than a maiden winner who has been unable to compete like a winner at ungraded level. But such it is that we have to compare his form with a Belmont winner and to be honest come up with about a length difference one way or the other. On form i cant see him being good enough but on works and draw he certainly is so i will leave the decision up to you.
4 Unfold Mb Stables Hernandez R
This one gives the champion trainer a strong hand and is a good horse in his own right despite not having the form of his illustrious stable companion. He won the OH Derby last time in good style recapturing the form that saw him third in the TAM Derby before a couple of disappointments. He is working strong and drawn well so there is every possibility of an Mb Stable one two here.
5 Ete Crack Gdp Inc Lermyte J
Beaten a length by Unfold in the OH Derby i see no reason why he can improve on that. That however may be good enough to see him in at the end and with a 136 and 2 mile work and solid enough form he will be a contender for the place money.
6 Broken Toes Joshua Stables Pennington
Bought for just thirty dollars after winning a claimer he again typifies the difficulty in judging a horse as he too has worked a 1.36 and 2 dirt mile and has covered six furlongs quicker than a few of the stakes winners in the field. Again and i seem to say this a lot, he could win and we would all say oh yeah its obvious he was improving, just look at those works or he could finish last and we would all say well he was just a claimer after all. Take your pick.
7 Tongariro John Henry Talamo J
Right upsides Ete Crack and behind Unfold in that OH Derby he was spat to the lead by the wide gate speed push so certainly has some improvement from this slightly better draw today. Having said that the rest of his form is pretty uninspiring but of course just like every man and his donkey he too has a work in the low 1.36’s so must be given some sort of chance.
8 Not To Be Denied D J C Racing Stables Bejarano R
He was a really impressive two year old winning the Iroquois and going to the BC unbeaten in 4 starts. He ran well in the BC Juvenile beaten only a length into fifth and whilst you cant say he has been disappointing since he certainly hasn’t improved much from his juvenile days. He has never been a flashy worker but has been third in the grade one SA Derby this year and a good second in the Winn last time so on the balance of his form he looks the main danger to the Mb Stables pair.
9 Brady Is A Lady Sharis Stables Velazquez J
This race does seem to set up perfectly for Mb Stables with the three main dangers in the widest three boxes. The Peter Pan winner ran a really nice race in the BEL but was two lengths behind Admiration at the end when finishing sixth. I think the trip here will be more to his liking so if he can get some favors from the race engine he could run a big race.
10 Malibu Moon D J C Racing Stables Gaffalione T
Came out of allowances to win the Affirmed last time against a small field he will find this a bit tougher although he is an honest sort. The draw may be his toughest race here and he will have to beat that before he even thinks about racing the Belmont winner.
SUMMARY
The usual mix of horses here but with all the top horses apart from the Mb Stables air drawn wide it does look set up for one of those two. Admiration looks on paper the better but the one box can be tough and he may get buried and get going too late.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
