Raven Run – Grade II
KEE   Race #1   7f   Dirt   Graded Stake
Purse $250.000  For Fillies Three Years Old.

1 Jewel In The Sand, trained by John Henry
Could this race signal the changing of the guard with new owner John Henry who has been prolific in his first season holding two entries and Mb Stables just holding the one. Time will tell if the young pretender can get a hand on the crown. This filly bought for $185.000 back in July had been a regular in the top fillies races running with merit in the grade one Acorn. Her best run could have been when beaten less than a length in the Eight Belles when third over this trip. Her two starts for her new trainer have also been pretty good, finishing second in the Groupie Doll and third in the Pines Stakes, but as with her previous efforts, she is struggling to win. This may be her best trip, and her works are fair, so with a good draw she should run well enough.

2 Jamer Farley, trained by On The Map Racing
Bought from Running Farms after winning the Old Hat at grade three back in January, her new owner has been running this filly in overnights until recently. She managed another couple of wins and ran second in her most recent start in the ungraded Aspen Cup. Her works are nippy, and she is a consistent sort, but I wonder whether she has the class factor for this race.
3 Fidele Fille, trained by Gdp Inc
Dead heated in the grade one Ashland before a poor run in the KYO. Something made the owner revert to sprinting in August, and she returned to her best to win the grade three Seaway Stakes by a length. She got lost at the back of the field in the PID Masters and made no show, but has worked since, and that run looks too bad to be true. She gets back in her races, so she will have to overcome traffic, but if she finds a way through, she will be hard to beat.
4 Summer Sampler, trained by John Henry
The other stable entry, she has been a victim of horse selling park and has been through the sales ring more times than racing recently. The winner of the Honeybee, she was a closing tenth in the KYO before running a great second only beaten a nose in the Acorn. That run was way back in June, and her new owner gave her a pipe opener in an overnight last time where she ran well for a long way to finish second on the turf. She would’ve needed that run and will strip fitter today, so a expect a big effort.
5 Zenna The Ruler, trained by Night Mare Racing
Was down the field in the Test on a muddy track, but bounced back to her best winning the grade three Pine Stakes by a head. In her last start she was flying late to be a close third in the CT Oaks over this trip, and that run gives her a lively chance in a tight looking race. Her works are good, and as long as the track doesn’t come up wet, she will be running on well at the end.

6 Drill, trained by Mb Stables
A flying late third in the Ashland, she also finished third in The Mother Goose after a poor run in the Eight Belles. She won over this trip at DMR before taking on the grade one Ballerina where she ran a highly creditable fourth. Her works are up there and her late running style may be suited by her wide draw as long as her trainer can overcome the wide draw speed push.

SUMMARY
There really isn’t much in this race, but I have a sneaking suspicion that an on-pace run may well seal the deal. The best horses in the race are closers, so one of the inside horses may slip the field here and gain a win. So as an outside bet, I will take Jewel In The Sand or Jamer Farley to last home, but depending on traffic, anything will have a chance in the last furlong, and I feel a few dead heats may separate the runners.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES