9/12/2020

   4   KD    KD Turf Cup (GIII)

    $1,000.000         3yo&Up       1 1/2m  Turf            3yo 119lbs  Older 122lbs

We have a dozen marathon males set to go the mile and a half distance in the KD Turf Cup (GIII) with a huge $1,000.000 purse for this group.  It’s a great group of horses and should be a tough one to handicap and a tough one to get the victory, but I’ve landed on Billy Joel as the top pick.  He may not have started the fire, but he’s been hot of late winning four of seven starts this year and has been one-two in three straight stakes races.  That win in the Nijinsky (GII) is what makes it good for me as he looked like he could run all day in that one.  I’ll put Immoral in the second spot, and he’s another that has be sharp of late.  His last two came on soggy grass and he shows a win and a second from those races… both GI.  He looks like a turf monster and could be the one to get past.  Pure Gifts changes hands coming to this one, and we have another handful that must be given a big look… this is tough going, to say the least

Here’s The Field –

Lightly raced 3yo makes his first stakes start and they picked a doozy to go after it.  He’s never been the marathon distance but he has been on the board in five of six starts including a pair of wins, one of those last out taking down Cal-bred Alw horses at DMR.  This is an acid test, to say the least.

He seems to be off/on/off/on… it was off last out in the Arlington Million (GI) where he was eleventh, but was second in the Manhattan (GI) prior to that… it kind of goes like that for a while, but when he runs big, he runs really big.  This should be an “on” race for him, so give him a look. 

Mb has this one running huge right now, just missing the Arlington Million (GI) as the 7/2 favorite.  He’s been on the board in five of six this year including wins in the BEL Derby (GI) and the TAM Derby(GII). 

Makes the first start for this stable after selling for $500.000 after running second vs. Alw company at WO.  He’s a classy horse with ten wins from twenty nine starts and has more than $1,300.000 in earnings.  He has two stakes wins this season, so this could be a spot to get good on this one quickly. 

He’s struggled in both of his recent stakes efforts, a ninth in the Man O War (GI) and fifth last out in the Read Stakes (GII) at DMR.  He will need his best if he plans on making a splash here today. 

Was claimed three back for $20.000 and has an Alw win at ELP since switching stables.  Was ninth in the SAR Derby last out and he will have to show a bit more than that if he wants any parts of this one.  ny

Very lightly races but sure does seem to have a ton of talent.  This will be his sixth start and he’s only been off of the board one time, a fourth place finish at SAR in the NMofR (GII) where he was only beaten a length.  Third last out in the SAR Derby and he looks to be improving… could this be his big day?

He’s been on the board in nine of ten starts and has three wins in his last four starts since the vet came by to remind him he’s here to race.  Won the Pegasus, just missed in the LA Derby (GIII) and won the Nijinsky at WO in his first trip over the sod.  He’s about as solid as you can ask a horse to be. 

Won the United Nations (GI) at MTH back in June but has a pair of sixth place finishes in the BEL Derby (GI) and Arlington Million (GI), so it’s time to either find that old magic or get ready for another long day at the track. 

Two wins from his last three starts, both graded wins as he took the SJC (GIII) at SA, going today’s distance, and again last out in the DMR Hcp (GII) so you have to give him a big look and a big chance here today.  He knows how to get the job done. 

Was up the track on a soggy surface here when seventh in the BEL Gold Cup (GII) but ran bit last out, just missing in the Bowling Green (GII) at SAR.  He’s won some big races and put some serious cash in the banks, so you can never count him out. 

Nice run last out to get the win at ELP taking the KD Preview Turf Cup and he seemed to like the added distance.  Goes a bit longer today and catches a bad break from this post, but he has tactical speed and sometimes that’s just what you need to get it done from out here.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES