The Dwyer – Grade III
1 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $200.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st Neon Town Pan Farms Walcott R W

Pan Farms found their old magic and worked it on this gelded son of Hollywood Cruz because it’s now two from two and he is owed nothing after paying $200.000 back in April.
No accessories changes were necessary, even his running style hasn’t really been changed but after failing in the Lexington he has recaptured the form that saw him fourth in both the AR Derby and The Rebel and now goes forward as a real chance for the November championship races. Traveling nicely just behind the leaders he made full use of his draw and extended nicely for a fairly easy win.

2nd Wrapped State Smokey Stover Talamo J

As usual previous form didn’t really hold up and this one reversed his TX Derby run with a solid effort here although he was comprehensively beaten in the end. Leading past halfway through this was a solid effort from a horse with limited experience at this level you get the feeling he needs to improve a little more and at only 15.2hh one feels that his best days may be ahead of him.

3rd Mellow Magic Riggins Racing Juarez A J Jr

The outsider of the field mainly due to his bad gate kept on pretty well for third considering his best races had previously come at sprint trips. He just flattened out a bit at the end, and I do wonder whether he is one of those seven-furlong specialists but ran well enough here to suggest the mile is within his scope.

4th Natural Instinct Mb Stables Davis D

I am not sure why this son of Apples To Oranges didn’t run up to his TX Derby form other than form seems to mean very little under this new race engine, but he still did well considering it was only his fourth lifetime start. It is nice to see a colt running in these races, but you do get the feeling that he may improve with gelding.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES