8/6/21

  6   SAR     The National Museum of Racing (GII)

      $200.000    3yo        1m  InTurf            122lbs   +penalties

Upstate NY is the venue as we look at the field for The National Museum of Racing (GII) to be run at a flat mile on the inner grass, here at The Spa.  This group of sophomores seem to be pretty evenly matched with no real stand-out, but let’s put Off Track Torcher on top in this one.  The barn has been hot of late, and that can certainly run in streaks, plus he’s been pretty consistent since moving over to this stable.  I think he has the class and speed to carry himself to the win.  Let’s put Call Me King in the middle of this one as well.  He’s another that has been solid since switching over to the big barn, and he’s run some of his best races at a flat mile.  Shortens up a furlong off of that last out tiring effort at DEL… I’ll look for him to be in the thick of things.

It’s wide open, so nothing will surprise me…

Here’s The Field –

He just missed after doing all of the heavy lifting in the Snow Chief at SA while facing Cal-bred types.  He obviously loves the grass and has a tendency to get out on the front end of things, so I’ll expect more of the same today and would give him a puncher’s chance to get in the middle of things.  He has two seasonal wins, both at the Alw level, so it is a step up in class for him. 

Has a second and a win since being sold, and this one has never been worse than third in five lifetime starts.  So you have the up side of lightly raced and is obviously able to improve, never seems to run a bad race, and has the ability to use tactical speed or come from off of the pace.  He hasn’t run with graded horses but you have to give him a serious look with these.  

Looked good winning the Murphy at PIM, then closed a late gap to be sixth in the BEL Derby (GI) and he was only three lengths back in that that race.  He shortens back up to the flat mile in this one, so look for him to be a bit closer to the pace and that may be more to his liking anyway. 

Very lightly raced, this being his third lifetime start, and he broke maiden at first asking, then was a tiring fourth vs Alw horses at HOU, both of those on the weeks.  He’s been rested since that mid-March Alw race and has a steady string of am gallops getting ready for his return, although none of the posted works were on the grass.  There are quite a few questions here. 

Won an Alw race at SA, then was fifth in the PEN Mile (GII), came back to win at WO facing ONT-bred Alw horses, then was tenth of twelve in the Quick Call (GIII) here at SAR.  You get the feeling that this graded stuff may just be a bit more than what he wants right now.

Looked good winning the Sullivan Stakes at GG, then was the runner-up in the fore-mentioned PEN Mile (GII) only to bounce a bit at DEL in the Kent Stakes (GIII) where he tired to beat one in the field of six.  Can he bounce back and be a major factor today?  I sure think he can. 

The barn has been hot of late and this one looks ready for another big effort.  Won vs. Alw horses at WO last out, going wire to wire at today’s distance, and was third in the Pennie Ridge (GII) at BEL prior to that.  he’ run well on all types of footing, so even the idea of rain doesn’t stop me from liking him here. 

COZMAN     7 / 6              Willie’s Green Card   7 / 2    

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES