Vinery Madison – Grade I
KEE Race #8 7f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $650.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Lady Sammyantha The Sidley Stud Lopez P 123 —

The BC Fillies and Mares Sprint Champion returns here and will send shivers through her rivals after a seasonal debut saw her carry 127Lbs from a wide draw and still beat a decent Santa Monica field. There can be no doubt she is currently at the top of her game and a defeat today would seem almost impossible. Having said that, this is a very, very good field, the ace draw can be trappy and of course at HRP there is no such thing as a sure thing. I can think of nothing more to say that the seven-year-old looks set for her sixth victory on the bounce as she goes for her second Vinery Madison to join her two BC Sprint victories.

2 In Progress TwinTowersRacing Davis D 123 —

If this race was down to works, then this five-year-old would have pretty much the same chance as Lady Sammyantha, but whereas the sprint champ has proven herself time and time again, this mare needs to take a massive step up on her form to even be in the same race. She was a strong winner of the ungraded Wintergreen last time, leading all the way, but this race will take her places she has never been before. I guess if there is one trainer that can deliver a massive shock win it is this one so I wouldn’t say a definite no but cannot find a way she can beat the champ.

3 Vanessa Royalty Stables Curtis B 123 —

She ran a massive race in the Santa Monica last time to push Lady Sammyantha to a half-length in a change of tactics that seemed to work well. Whilst that was a huge effort, you have to take into consideration that this filly loses the four-pound advantage she had that day and also a draw advantage so it is tough to see how she can engineer her revenge in this race. Being just a four-year-old she has a right to improve though and certainly should be considered a strong top three hope.

4 Wasted Away Mb Stables Velazquez J R 123 —

Well, if there was a clash that everyone wanted to see it is the BC Distaff winner taking on the BC Sprint champion in what must be one of the best clashes of the season. If Lady Sammyantha has been dominant in the sprinting ranks, then this filly can match her in every way from a mile up and I must say I am absolutely salivating over the prospect of these two locking horns down the stretch.

5 Smokin Cara Alydar Stables Conner T 123 —

In any normal race this one would be among the favorites, but this isn’t just any race! A deep closer, she will need a crazy pace to have a chance of beating Wasted Away or Lady Sammyantha but can live with these super stars as she has proven before and a lightening work at the end of March says she is raring to have a crack.

6 Lady Lara Night Mare Racing Geroux F 123 —

Flying home in the Santa Monica last time and within a length of Lady Sammyantha and a half of Vanessa, she is a grade one winner who was third in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint last year and at only four may have more scope than a couple of the others. She is another deep closer so along with Smokin Cara she will need a fast pace and a jockey who stays awake early on, but she is another to adds to this field which may be the best field ever assembled over seven furlongs for fillies and mares.

7 Racing Tipster Williams9 Pinto M 123 —

The speed influence will be very important in this race as only a couple look likely to lead and many of the top ones will be looking for a strong pace. Second in the BC Sprint to Lady Sammyantha last year after making the running, she has on that form a solid chance of top three. Her works have been OK this year but her two runs to date have been a bit disappointing as can happen with three’s as they turn four so I will be looking for her to get back to her best today and she will need to to be factor.

8 Silly Relleno Rock Creek Husbands M J 123 —

A decent sprinter who meets the best of the best in this race and may struggle even though she is a grade two winner and wasn’t too far back in the BC Sprint. She certainly is not out of place here, but this is a very strong field, and she is looking no more than an each way chance.

9 Aliens Team 7 Illusions Van Dyke D 123 —

Well, why not take the best sprinters, mix them with the best router and then add in possibly the most promising untapped talent in the field and this race just keeps getting better. After four defeats under Smokey Stover’s guidance, she was bought in the Smokey lottery for $1.000 and has since won three in a row starting with a maiden and ending with the grade three Hurricane Bertie. I said when she won that grade three in her last start, she could end up being the best sprinter in the game and today she gets the opportunity to show what she is really made of.

10 Ifyerwokeyerajoke TwinTowersRacing Hernandez R M 123 —

Beaten twice by Aliens in her last two, she is not a bad mare by any means but lining up here in an outside gate she finds about the hardest race to win you could ever imagine. The wide gate speed push may help her make the front where she is probably at her best, but I can’t see her lasting home against this quality of rivals.

SUMMARY

I would go out on a limb and say this is the best race I have ever covered at HRP, and I have been writing for a long time! Any racing lover will be thrilled by the prospect of Lady Sammyantha and Wasted Away squaring off but there is enough quality in this race to find good reasons why another name may be in the winner’s circle. As for the big two you have to give Lady Sammyantha the edge over her best trip, but that doesn’t mean that Wasted Away won’t beat her especially as I expect a stamina sapping pace. So can anything else get between the two champs, well in truth any of them have shown enough ability to win on their best day, but I will go for Aliens to be the possible upset. I really do think this one is a freak, but the wide draw will make it tough, and I am not sure today will be her day.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES