Vinery Madison – Grade I (P4)
KEE   Race #3   7f   Dirt   Graded Stake
Purse $300.000  For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Shake It Off, trained by Our Athletes
Won the GP Oaks last year on the way to a great third in the KYO but her season didnt finish there as she captured the Mother Goose and Personal Ensign as well. A close third in The Cotillion saw her take on the BC Distaff but she never got into that race finishing a season weary twelfth. Sold for $350.000 after that poor effort she was a close third in the La Brea over this trip and has already captured black type this year winning the Santa Maria Stakes pretty easily. A wide draw in her last start saw her pushed to the front and she had to follow the race engine playbook by weakening to be fourth so that run may be best discarded. Although a lot of her form has been in routes she proved in the La Brea that she can sprint with the best and a decent draw here will give her a good chance of getting a stalk and running a big race.

2 Lea, trained by Mb Stables
Another that changed hands for big money she was bought for $400 last July. She went on to win the grade one Test and the PID Masters Stakes before a great effort in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint saw her fourth from a tricky draw. She took the Santa Monica on seasonal debut and has since been narrowly beaten in two grade two’s. This is definitely her best trip which will be a huge advantage and she gets a great draw to win from here.

3 Bettys Whiskey, trained by On The Map Racing
Super consistent at lower grade she always runs a true race. This is her first really big test but it may be that her best form was spent picking up smaller prizes and she will do well to beat the more established sprinters today.

4 Asclepios Trail, trained by Kopites
She has a touch of class but is hugely inconsistent. A close fourth in the La Brea she had failed before and after that run at Allowance level so it is tough to try and weigh her form up. She was poor on reappearance so will need all the in form fairy dust her trainer can sprinkle to win this.

5 Sweep Clean, trained by Manco Sequndo
She got very close to Lea in both the PID Masters and the BC Sprint so is clearly right in this. She was beaten at allowance level last time after two good efforts in lower grade black type races but she looks just a shade behind the best and will need something extra to win today.

6 Queen Of Broadway, trained by John Henry
A winner of five from only ten starts she won the BC Sprint last year but was beaten in both the PID Masters and the La Brea. Thats the sort of thing we expect these days from HRP so along with three others she has a winning chance but it will be left up to other factors as to whether she wins. The outside draw may be her down fall as she will have to clear the speedy horses inside her and unless she takes a pull she may find she plays the well worn song from the HRP playlist.

SUMMARY
This looks to be between Shake It Off, Lea, Sweep Clean and Queen Of Broadway. Take the wide draws out and you are left with two and you cant go wrong by going with a proven sprinter running from the MB Stables string.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES