ONT Colleen Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
WO- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Turf
August 22, 2015

The ONT Colleen Stakes would seem to be a more appealing race then what it has shown to be this year.  Despite its $150.000 purse and Grade 3 designation, only four fillies have made the trip to WO to compete in this race.  This is the smallest such field for the race, who’s prior five runnings have had three seven horse fields, one five, and one six horse field.  2011 winner Warbling stands as the most prolific winner of the stake, having gone on to win over $1,500.000 in her career.  Princess Mandy won the race last year for Night Rider Stables, and was on a hot stretch at the time.  However, she has not won since.   No jockey or trainer has won this race more then once.  Broomsticks Copy is the headliner of this field, but I must be honest and say that this is a disappointing race, when considering what it could and should be.  In the end though, it’s a grade 3, and all but one will be able to say they hit the board in the graded stake when all is said and done.

#1- Lisilsaya (Sarah Stables, ridden by E J Wilson)- Had a successful two year old campaign, with a third place in the Grade 3 Jessamine being able to send her to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, a race won by Broomsticks Copy.  In that event, Lisilsaya finished 9th.  Since then this three year old filly has been looking to find her niche, being seen on dirt and turf and going long and short.  More of then not, she has been seen in the middle of the pack of those races.  The competition in those races were strong, and in some cases maybe even stronger then what she’ll see today if you forget about Broomsticks Copy.  I would have liked to have seen her a little closer to the leaders in those races to be able to consider her viable upset threat.

#2- Geek Watch (Nakamura Stables, ridden by D Moran)- The Knowledge Geek filly has won three of her eleven career races, including the Grade 3 Durant Stakes at DMR back in November, a race in which she defeated Lisilsaya.  So far this year, she is yet to win, but has shown consistency in running in the top three.  If you throw out her last race with the excuse of not liking the soft turf, then Geek Watch has been within two lengths of the front in all of her races after her debut race.  Sunny skies are expected here Saturday.  Geek Watch figures to be the strongest challenger to Broomsticks Copy.

#3- Broomsticks Copy (Drabfantasy, ridden by J Stein)- All eyes need to be on this Broomstick Nebraska filly, as she seems to be the class of the field.  I would be surprised to see her at anything higher then 3/5 on race day.  So far in her 14 race career, she has won four times, but one of them was a big one: the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf back on Halloween.  That was not just a shot in the dark though, as so far in 2015 she has won two graded stakes: the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at GP, and then just a couple weeks ago, she won the Grade 2 Waya at SAR, a race that is half a mile longer, against older horses.   That win put her over the $1,000.000 mark in career earnings.   The quick turnaround should not be an issue, as she had more then enough rest prior to the Waya.  Overlooking a couple quick dirt SRF’s hit by Firebrand, no one in this field is consistently turning out speed figures as quick as Broomsticks Copy.  She has earned the right to be what seems to be a huge favorite on race day, and it might be one of those races to forget about wagering on at all, and just enjoy watching the BC Champion run.

#4- Firebrand (Manco Segundo, ridden by G L Olguin)- How can you not love a horse that has won seven of her 13 career starts?  So forgetting about the details of those races, Firebrand is a horse that knows how to get it done, and if you believe this beautifully conformed filly can adapt to the turf, then go with her.  Therein lies the problem, she has never been on the grass.  That alone should never disqualify a horse when making her turf debut, but in looking at her works, I just don’t see the same thing that the trainer does here.  Her turf work on the 3rd was only a tenth quicker then her dirt work on the 18th.  Even going back further, I don’t see it.  If the trainer does, then it would be an exciting topic to talk about in the recap if she pulls it off, and this is a good field if, for nothing else, to see where she stacks up on the grass.

Prediction: 3-2-1-4

– – NS

Categories: Grade III