With two wins at the Grade I level, two at the Grade II level, and three Grade III victories in her career, The Sidley Stud five year old mare will be looking for Graded win number eight here at Gulfstream Park on Saturday’s card.
- The Suwannee River ( Gr. III ) – Purse $150.000
- Gulfstream Park- For Fillies and Mares, Four Years old and Up
- One Mile and One Eighth in distance- Turf Track
- February 8th, 2020
Finishing seven of nine in the money last season, Maggie Greene has earned more then $1,367.000 in career earnings, more then double that of her closest competitor in this event. While she has been unsuccessful in three attempts at trying to capture a BC title on the turf, this was the same event she opened last season, placing third at the line. While J L Ortiz has gone over to the William9 entry for this affair, E J Zayas and his mid-late running style should work well today.
So how should this event set-up from start to finish. Early speed out of the gate should come from the likes of Nakamura Stables Scam, who should hold the lead for the opening mile. Keeping her company on the front will be Chili King Stables Illustrious Cat who will work the rail and try to stay tight with Scam and could battle each other out of the running late in the race. Sitting just off these two we should see Twinny ( Maxmillion Farm ) as she will wait for the front running pair to open a lane off the turn for home to make a run to the wire, and Low Key Desire ( Aer Stables) who may even try to stay with the frontrunners, but I think the stalking position may be more profitable.
While these three inside runner should dominate the early fractions, one’s who will be poised in the midpack of runners will be the likes of Sketch The Way ( William9 ), City Never Sleeps ( Fractious ) and Tinas Flag ( Rock Creek ). All three will try to keep themselves close enough to make the difference in the final eighth of a mile as long as they can hold off the late closers who will definitely be full of charge.
So who will be these late closers? Blue Jeans ( First Class Stables ) and Maggie Greene will be those two runners. Blue Jeans have come from some nine lengths outs over a soft turf race at today’s distance to win by two lengths so she has all the abilities once again to put in a stellar race. With Maggie Greene, her record speaks for itself and she in my opinion will continue to impress this season, as well as be a strong producer when she finally hers to the breeding shed.
So looking over this race, give the edge to Maggie Greene for the win, with Scam holding on to second, and Twinny and Sketch The Way very close for the third place finish.
Duffer
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
