04/20 CT Classic – Grade II
CT Race #6 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.00 For Four Year Olds And Upward.

Well as route dirt races go this is about as good as it gets. A BC standard race featuring the best of the best, they will battle it out to go forward as the best hope of the older horses in beating the three year olds for the rest of the year. History tells us that it is unlikely that any of these will beat a three year old in the Classic or many of the big races to come but for now this is a race to be savored.

1 Harleys Hope TwinTowersRacing Bravo J

This track is a tight turning track and the inside draws have a definite advantage. This tough as nails four year old gets the rail and ran a career best race in the Carter Handicap last time so its hard to rule him out based on the fact that he looks out of his depth in this stellar race. My fear for him is that he tends to go back in his races and being in the one box may get buried into obscurity. He will give his owner a run for their money but i can’t see how he can win this.

2 Simple Request Saratoga Stud Desormeaux K J

A KYD runner last year he raced from a terrible gate and did well enough to close well but never got in a serious blow. He lost his way a little mid season but came back in the Autumn to win the BC Derby and then ran a cracker in the BC Classic closing hard to be just a length behind Splash Mountain in the end. His two runs this year have been OK and he gets the perfect draw today and gets his best chance of getting a big success.

3 Fox News D J C Racing Stables Bridgmohan

With the track being tight not only does it suit an inner draw it also suits a horse with pace who can get a decent early position. This one has both of those and certainly has the form to get in among some of the big names in this race. Beaten a head in the BC Dirt Mile last year he had won the Jerkins Memorial at grade one before that over seven furlongs and there was some speculation that he was best as a sprinter miler. He battled gamely to win the San Pasquale on seasonal debut and then ran pretty well in the SA Handicap under top weight when fifth. I think this trip is his absolute maximum but he gets it well enough that he is certainly a winning chance.

4 Pretty Ferro Estero Farms Velazquez J R

Last years brilliant KYD winner he would be favorite for this race had it been held 6 months ago but things have certainly slowed down for this wonderful horse. He was beaten two lengths in the BC Classic and just when he looked like he was going to unleash his famous turn of foot he flattened out a little and just battled to the line. That warning sign was borne out when he was well beaten in the Pegasus World Cup on seasonal debut and then got beaten albeit narrowly in an allowance last time. Is he coming to the end of his brilliant career or will this race relaunch him? Well he has an in form jockey who knows him well, a great draw and is a proven big race type. Has he slowed a little, well that may be the case but he may still be good enough to get into the finish and possibly win in a Tiger Woods like comeback.

5 Splash Mountain John Henry Talamo J

This horse was gelded last year and started to show immediate improvement finishing a close third in both the AR Derby and the Belmont. He was then snapped up in the Smokey Stover sell off and after a hiccup in the Haskell he got back to super improvement to run second in the Travers and then dead heated with Simple Request in the BC Derby. His best was yet to come however when he went to the BC Classic and caused a bit of a shock by getting home by a half length. He ran the perfect race that day but showed a different side of himself in the Pegasus World Cup on seasonal debut when he went to the lead and very nearly lasted home only going down by a head. That race showed he can get up on the pace as well as come from midpack and with this handy draw his jockey will have plenty of positive choices to make. I am not sure this trip is his best but he is all class and must be in with a winning chance.

6 Combat Wombat Maxmillion Farm Bejarano R

He had the look of a freak after he won the Pacific Classic in only his fourth start last year and backed that up with a half length second to Splash Mountain in the BC Classic in only his sixth ever start. He looked in need of the run in the San Pasqual on seasonal debut but battled well enough to be fourth. I guess the biggest question is whether he can bring it as a four year old like he did at three when getting weight advantages but that goes for most of this field and he really is a freakishly good horse. His works havent been as sharp as some this year but i dont think he has ever been a flashy worker and saves his best for the track. Yet another winning chance.

7 Unreleased Night Rider Stables Maragh Ro

This one is a bit of a classic HRP runner. He is out of a claimer, can’t win ungraded stakes races but is working as fast as the best in this race and better than BC Classic winners and KYD winners. This is just the sort of horse that Night Rider likes and he has had a few that have suddenly improved to win big races so you cannot write him off even though he has no chance on form.

8 Achilles Diablo Diablo Ortiz J L

I really like this four year old and would have been happy to tip him out with a better draw but box eight is pretty trappy on this course and he will need plenty of good fortune to get into the top three. He is another that improved after gelding and has been in great form this year taking the Jazil on seasonal debut and then battling gamely for a win in the SA Handicap last time. He was off bottom weight in that SA Handicap so it may not be as strong as a normal grade one win but he is working very well and really knows how to gut it out in a tight finish.

9 Centerpiece Mb Stables Gaffalione T

The superstars just keep on going as here we have the Travers winner and runner up in the KYD. When things go right for this horse it is very very good but he is a bit inconsistent and you have to trust he will bring his best today from this nasty draw. Beaten a neck when third and a head when second in the Pegasus World Cup and SA Handicaps this year with a few extra feet he would be two for two coming into this and you have to take him pretty seriously as a winning chance. He has run a few poor races by his standards but he has run very well from wide gates so it really is a heads and tails sort of choice for him.

10 Rebel Force Wolfs Den Castellano J J

A nice enough sort in his own right the wide draw and the quality of this field probably make him more of a contender for last than first.

11 State Police Smokey Stover Ortiz I Jr

Finally up on the wide outside we have the horse that has enough ability to win this but from this gate will really need a few things to click into place. He was huge in winning the Pegasus World Cup first up this year but then found the GP Mile too short next out finishing a close fifth. On his best form he was a head behind Combat Wombat in the Pacific Classic giving the winner weight and won the JC Gold Cup very impressively and that would put him very close to being the winner. I like five year olds against fours at this time of year but any advantage he gets through not weight for age penalty are negated by the wide draw.

SUMMARY

Wow what a race!!
I could pick any one of eight horses here and be confident so its almost impossible to find a winner. Splash Mountain, Pretty Ferro and Combat Wombat bring the best form and all have draws that they can work with and State Police could easily win despite his draw but i am going to go outside those superstars and box up Simple Request and Fox News.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES