The Sword Dancer (BC) (Grade 1)- $750.000 Purse
SAR- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Inner Turf
August 28, 2021

As we draw closer to the Travers, we will get a chance to see an excellent race featuring BC Turf hopefuls in the 19th running of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer. This race sends older horses twelve furlongs around the inner turf course while paying very valuable BC points. It also offers a purse of $750.000, which is an amount that has bounced around a little bit of late. It had been $500.000 for a long time, then enjoyed a few years at $1,000.000 before dropping in 2019. This is an increase from the $625.000 of last year. 2019 was also the year that three year olds were no longer eligible to compete in the race. Our winner last year was Blame It On Luck, for Mb Stables, and perhaps it was luck that day, or the soft turf, because he never won again though is active still. We’ll have to keep an eye on the weather forecast at the Spa for Saturday. Right now, there’s a 39% chance of showers, so dry weather is not a lock. We’ll have ten going to the gate, let’s take a look at them!

#1- Number Nine (Smokey Stover, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Had a good career with Spankys Barn, but after finishing in position nine in the NY, he sold him off and got a good price for him from Smokey Stover, for $400.000. It worked out well for Smokey, too, as he went wire to wire here in the Glens Falls three weeks ago. That’s a race with identical conditions, and it could make the NY seem more and more like a complete throw out, as it’s now three wins in four races for him. I’ve been impressed by this horse in the past, so look forward to seeing him here.

#2- Raj Action Packed (Arindel, ridden by E Jaramillo)- If it seems like this horse has been around forever, it’s because he has. This will be the 54th start for the eight year old gelding, and he is still running like a three year old. He has three wins and two places in his last five starts, with all of those coming at the graded level, with all but one being a Grade 2. He’s made the BC Turf the last two years, and is probably heading that way again. With a win, he would be the second eight year old in three years to win this race. Don’t rule the old man out, he’s got a very good chance!

#3- King Que Niagra (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- This gelding has only won one of his last eleven starts, with that coming in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy at BEL in early May. Until lately, he still has been very good in getting a piece of the purse, but two of his last three starts are less than exciting. His last outing was quite dismal, losing by nine lengths in the Bowling Green. He sees several of those again, including the top two from the race. I expect him to be better here, as the trainer will surely make an adjustment or otherwise knows why that happened and can fix it.

#4- Siri S Isakoff (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S Ryan)- The Grade 1 Sword Dancer is not traditionally the best race to make your turf debut in, but if that is going to be the case, then you should probably have a lot of stake experience or be on a hot streak. Well, Siri S Isakoff has not been on such a streak, and while he does have stake experience, his last time in one was a week before Thanksgiving. No public turf works since July 2020, either. Obviously, the private turf works are great or he would not be here, but there are too many unknowns for him to be one of my picks.

#5- Sunlander (Nakamura Stables, ridden by V R Carrasco)- This one hasn’t raced in a while, having last seen action on the first of May, running seventh in the Forester Turf Classic. It would be his second straight finish in that spot. Estero Farms opted to auction him off in June, and he ended up with Nakamura for $94.240. Nakamura has taken his time to get to know his new acquisition, and clearly is confident he can get back to his form from the winter time and last year.

#6- Dead Madness (John Henry, ridden by S R Bahen)- The winner of the 2019 BC Turf as well as two time AP Million winner looks to bounce back after a tough race in his last go. Lately, he has been off, with finishes of seventh or worse in four of his last five starts, including the Bowling Green here last month. But in that same stretch, he also showed that he still has it, because he has a win in the Grade 1 Manhattan mixed in with it. You can even go back further with this trend if you wanted. If the Manhattan Dead Madness shows up, then he is a big threat. I can’t put money on it.

#7- Trumbull Valley (Mb Stables, ridden by G Saez)- This horse does not have the name recognition that most of the others in the field have, but what he does have is an impressive win in his last start. That came right here last month in the Bowling Green, an eleven furlong race where he went wire to wire. With so many in here having run in that race, then you have to be confident in Trumbull Valley’s ability to win another. He’s rising through the ranks, and has four victories in his last six starts.

#8- Controlled Power (Spankys Barn, ridden by F Prat)- Usually when Controlled Power hits the gate these days, he holds the distinction of being the most experienced horse in the field. But the seven year old gelding is just a baby next to Raj Action Packed. Joking aside, he too has shown great durability and makes the 43rd start of his career here. His best days were in 2018, but back to back wins this spring gives confidence that he is on a second wind.

#9- By The Night O Bay (Oval Express Farms, ridden by E J Wilson)- You can definitely say that this horse is very “hit or miss”. In 22 starts, he has four wins, but not has hit the board in another race. Three of those wins come in his last five starts, though, which is very intriguing if he is just beginning to hit his best stride right now. Comes off a win in the $100.000 Niagara Stakes and with that, the trainer takes the shot here. If there is a drop of rain on the track, he may end up scratching based on his history of running on off tracks.

#10- Stallsome (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by J K Court)- Drawing the outside post is another one of the horses that comes out of the Bowling Green here last month. Stallsome did not take to it well, placing sixth. However, if you look past that, he had been on better form, including a win in June at the Grade 2 BEL Gold Cup. I’m not certain that a bounce back will happen with this one, but have confidence in this trainer to do everything he can to help it happen.

Prediction: 2-1-7-6

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES