Las Virgenes Stakes – Grade II [KYO]
SA Race #6 1m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Fillies Three Years Old.
As usual in the KYO and KYD qualifying races we see three runners from Mb stables and then a smattering of other stables hoping to get into the KYO. It’s a tried and tested formula for the number one stable but even with a third of the runners there is plenty of talent from other stables making this far from a foregone conclusion, here is how they line up.
1 Enriched Mb Stables Gaffalione T
This filly bred by Night Mare Racing looked pretty good on the statebred circuit taking a good maiden before a solid win in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes. Things came unstuck next up when she tackled the Golden Rod but a slightly off track may have skewed the result and we have to ignore that effort if the ground comes up fast for this race. Her works are in the right ballpark and she will stay this trip strongly but i feel from this draw her best chance of winning will come at the start where she will need to get into a good position to have a winning chance.
2 The Belle Tolls Allinthegate Velazquez J R
Plenty to like about this ones record so far with 4 wins from 6 races and one of those being at grade one. With no penalties in this race and the perfect draw it looks like the planets are lining up for a 5th career win. She went into the BC Juvenile Fillies at surprisingly long odds considering her gutsy win in the Spinaway and ran pretty well ending up 4th from a difficult draw. Her last start as a juvenile was in the grade one Starlet where she very nearly made all without being headed but was just collared in the last strides. The draw suits her running style and if she can get into a stalk i think she will go very close.
3 Mad Mistress Jokerjoes Van Dyke D
As with all HRP form this one has close ties with The Belle Tolls and the only way to really separate the two is by sorting through the draws they got in the two races they met in. Over a length in front when third in the BC Juvenile Fillies she had the advantage of the draw and so came out on top but then when they met in the Starlet the draws were much closer and she was just under a length behind. With todays draw being perfect for both of them this looks a good contest but i am favoring The Belle Tolls because of the last race they met in. Thats not saying this filly cant win but on evidence so far she will need to improve a tiny bit to do so.
4 Ms Pea Aer Stables Pennington F
Another one that has been on the statebred circuit and done pretty well she hails from a stable that seems to have a good bunch of juveniles at their disposal. She ran like this trip would sut her when second in the NY Stallion Series Fifth Avenue last time and her works are very nice so she may just end up being another string to the stables already loaded bow.
5 Expert Advice High Voltage Ortiz I Jr
She took a while to break her maiden and only did so in a small TUP race on the turf so it is hard to make a case for her based on form. However as is the case at HRP we see that her public work this year was a 1.37 flat on the dirt and that puts her right in the same working parameters as the graded stakes winners she is against today. I dont blame the trainer for having a go here based on that work and stranger things have happened at HRP but it would be a tough pick to put her on top on all she has done so far.
6 Bite The Bullet Mb Stables Bejarano R
The second runner from the stable and on works and the jockey choice she looks like the favored runner. The winner of the grade three Tempted over this trip she then dead heated with Ms Pea in the NY Stallion Series race but looked like the seven furlongs was too sharp that day and may appreciate this step back up to the mile. She seems to get back a bit in her races which may cause her problems from this draw but with a clear run she looks to have an outstanding chance.
7 Mercy Smokey Stover Franco M
Another maiden winner who took 4 goes to win one and another that is working as well as any of the stakes winners in the field. It makes it almost impossible to read form and assess it but if we ignore the class of those races which you have to do here at HRP she looks an improving sort who must go into the hopper as a chance. The draw may prove tough for her as she looks a sort that likes to go up on the pace and she may expend a lot of energy getting a position early on but if she runs well here i may be putting her in the black book as a dark horse for the KYO.
8 Unsuspecting Mb Stables Beschizza A
The final runner in the field for the champion trainer it certainly looks to me that with this draw and form and works a little off her stable mates that she may be used as a pacemaker. She isnt a bad sort and draw in she may have had a better chance certainly based on her wide margin win in the South Ocean Stakes. She won that race by making all but one feels against this class of horse and the likelihood she will go to the front again that she may find it tough to hold on unless she gets a soft lead.
9 Miss Flora Nakamura Stables Fuentes Ru
I have seen this stable turn plenty of bad draws and long outsiders into winners but it is a stretch to see them working their magic on this one. Beaten twice in lower grade her works and speed figures arent encouraging but i guess they have to be in it to win it and she comes here to try and make her mark so good luck.
SUMMARY
Bite The Bullet looks the top pick from Mb Stables and that is usually enough in these races but one feels that this is a long way from a one filly race and a good case can be made for most of the runners.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
