The Rampart (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
GP- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
December 16, 2017

The Rampart is a small graded stake taking place down at GP taking place for the fourteenth time. Despite this smaller purse, the race has attracted some very good fillies over its time, including the great Darling Harbour, who won the inaugural race. Antiquated Idea and City Bus are a couple of the race’s more recent well known winners. The complexion of the race did change a little in 2015, when a furlong was sliced from the distance, and the purse too, was cut $50.000. This year, the race does not have a big headliner, but has a handful of accomplished runners looking to add to their resumes. Let’s meet the field!

#1- Bold Deceiver (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- This seems to be the best bet in the field, having never finished off the board in her career. That’s spanned nine races so far, and has led to four victories. She is a two time stake winner, and one of them comes in her last start, beating FL-breds just a short drive down the road at CRC in the Millions Distaff Preview. In a few graded tries, she has pretty much done everything but win. While she may have liked The Rampart’s old distance a little more, she is still a force here.

#2- My Little Bubba (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by L H Colon)- Since being acquired by the trainer in private sales for $20.000, My Little Bubba has exclusively been running on the turf, and mostly sprinting. Has not run long much, and those efforts, regardless of surface, are not the highlights of her past performances. It’s been a while, though. Looks like she needs the change of pace. I like that she’s always in the mix.

#3- Set In Stone (Smokey Stover, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Looking to win her fourth race in a row, Set In Stone takes another shot at graded competition. She’s been successful in ungraded stakes, one of which was her last start, the Staten Island, part of the NY Stallion Series. This will be the first time that the trainer has had her go at least a mile, but she’s shown the ability to do so, and I see no reason to be concerned, and every reason to be excited when looking at how she finished off the Staten Island. While it’s a good field, it’s not an overpowering field, and Set In Stone should one of the top favorites.

#4- Mi Abuela Petra (M.a.r. Racing, ridden by J C Diaz)- This filly by Devil His Due has spent much of her career racing on the turf, and a lot of that has been at PRX. However, the one race that was not like that was three starts ago, when she ran a similar race like the one we see today, the $100.000 Plum Pretty for PA-breds, and she came out with a win. She’ll likely be at her best here today. Might be the first graded stake for J C Diaz as a jockey, barring a change.

#5- Ghost Landing (Nakamura Stables, ridden by G Boulanger)- Acquired by Nakamura Stables in the September auction from the trainer who won the first three editions of this race, for $75.000. Nakamura has made the most of the purchase, winning a SA allowance a couple weeks after the sale, then the $150.000 Forever Together up at AQU. Her 97 SRF in her last start puts her right there with everyone else, so don’t be shocked if she lands in victory lane.

#6- Island Fire (Mb Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- One of two entries by the trainer in this race. Island Fire was claimed by Mb Stables for $25.000 back in August, and has changed her running style to becoming a frontrunner. This has led to success, winning two of the three races she has been in, with a second in the other, which was the $100.000 La Lorgnette. Pacesetters by this trainer can tend to get a reaction from other trainers, but this one is definitely here to win the race, and not do anything else. Bold Deceiver wouldn’t need the help anyway.

#7- Tunn Up (Spooky Racing, ridden by C Landeros)- This filly will make her debut for Spooky Racing after being acquired in private sales for $75.000 from John Henry. With that trainer, she was able to hit the board quite a bit, but most of those finishes saw her run third. Since winning the first two starts of her career, she has not seen the winners circle again. That said, she’s consistently been running at this level, and if she’s finishing third or fourth all of the time, one of these days you’ll hope it will “tunn up” a win. The trainer is different, but this is the same type of race she’s been in.

Prediction: 1-3-6-5

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES