The SAR Special (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SAR- For Two Year Olds
Six and A Half Furlongs on the Dirt
August 14, 2021
The second big race for two year olds at SAR will be taking place this Saturday, and the starting gate will essentially be full with a field of eleven taking part. We’ll have several returnees from last month’s Sanford in the race and they hope that experience will be helpful as they meet new challengers. Many great horses have been run in the race, and that includes Five Fives, who made it his very first graded stake win, coming in 2009. Last year, Smokey Stover won the race with Jinxed Authority, and as of right now, he has not won another graded stake. So, will it be the Five Fives route or the Jinxed Authority route for the winner on Saturday? Let’s meet the field who will look to have that chance!
#1- Scuba Snorkelton (Acber Farms, ridden by S Ryan)- Steps up to stake competition for the first time following a maiden win at FE in the middle of June. He’s been showing good potential in being a horse that would like to add a more distance, and impressed with his work at MTH on the first of August. That likely went a long way in the decision to run him here.
#2- Hilarity (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- The Grade 3 Bashford Manor at CD is always a very good race as it provides some very good bragging rights early in the two year old season. Hilarity got the win in the race, and is a perfect two for two in his career thus far. If he can duplicate his effort that earned him a 96 SRF that day, then he is definitely one to beat here.
#3- The Godfather (Smokey Stover, ridden by D Davis)- This one raced twice in April, which is not uncommon in our virtual world. He won his second start in the mud at CD and has been resting ever since, likely with some updated add testing going on. Has a good mile work for when he can start stretching out, but he will have to settle for just six and a half furlongs against this crowd.
#4- Suspect (Arindel, ridden by Ru Gonzalez)- Picked up in a $50.000 maiden claiming race from Team 7 Illusions at SA in May, a race that he won in a photo finish. Suspect ran very well in his debut for Arindel as well, winning on the fourth of July at ELP. After earning back to back 90 SRF’s, this is a great step for him to be taking next. By the way, that July 20 work might have Team 7 regretting losing this one for that amount in the long run.
#5- Portugal (Waldo, ridden by K Carmouche)- Ran on the same day, and at the same distance at ELP on the fourth of July, and his race went over half a second slower. Portugal would only be third in that race too, beaten by a length. He has just his maiden win to speak of at this time. He’ll need to have improved a little bit, but that is very possible with two year olds.
#6- Rudy Is With Me (Fractious, ridden by T Gaffalione)- He was given the tough assignment of making his debut at WO in June, and represented himself well with a third place finish. A month later, he won in impressive fashion at LA against CA-breds and his works show further progress after that race.
#7- Statuesque (Mb Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- It took a little while to get to our first horse that ran in the Sanford last month, as they were all placed in a line between posts seven and ten. Statuesque was second in that race, which was held in the mud, making him the top finisher from it that is here. Previously, he was third in the $150.000 Tremont, so this trainer ha s couple strong weapons here.
#8- Paco (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R M Hernandez)- This is the most experienced runner in the field, as he makes his fifth career start. He has been seen in both the Bashford Manor and the Sanford, and was eighth and fourth in those races. Paco did win the $125.000 KY Juvenile, a race that is hard to get into, but provides good bragging rights for a little while. Needs to continue to build on that.
#9- Loquacious Luka (Night Rider Stables, ridden by R Santana Jr)- Luka was Smokin in this race last year, finishing second in the race. This year, Night Rider has another Luka for us, the Loquacious one. The colt has also done the Tremont and Sanford double, running second in the Tremont before struggling mightily in the mud. Hopefully, he just does not like off tracks. 35% chance of rain Saturday, so we can’t completely rule that out yet.
#10- Junkyard Dog (Jive Inc., ridden by F Pennington)- The gelding returns to the Spa after running third in the Sanford last month. For him, it came off of breaking his maiden at CD and after about two months of rest. Work times are very consistent, so he certainly figures to be a contender here once again.
#11- Midnight It Is (LionKing Stables, ridden by J J Castellano)- This colt by Lane Frost will make his graded debut here. In his career, he is one for two, winning on debut, and then going to BTP for the $75.000 Hoover. He came from way out of it in that race, to finish second, missing the headbob at the very end. Certainly, everyone should be looking for him in the stretch again.
Prediction: 4-2-9-3
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
