Millions Distaff Preview ($100.000 Purse)
CRC- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward Foaled in FL
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
November 12, 2016

Shake off the BC hangover and get ready for more racing this weekend.   It’s not the biggest racing weekend, but we will still have some excitement, particularly at CRC where the track will showcase some of the best FL-breds out there.  One of the races on the card is the Millions Distaff Preview, which will be run for the ninth time.  It is a seven furlong event, which is a little different from previous races. Prior to 2015, the race had been a mile and a sixteenth but last year it became a long sprint.  That holds true again, but we do see a purse increase to $100.000, though that is still half of what the race initially debuted at.  The race has attracted a field of five, and it looks like it will be a competitive battle. Here is the field!

#1- Dogs Money Maka (Australia Wide, ridden by J C Caraballo)- It’s no surprise that we have at least one Negdog Racing-bred in this race, and the filly by Dogs Found Money may be the one to beat in this race.   Since being purchased by Australia Wide in September 2015, she has never left running against FL-breds, which makes me pause for a second to give kudos to Australia Wide for his strong commitment to statebreds, here and in other states.  In those races, she has a record of (7-4-2-1), including back to back wins in a pair of FL Sire Series Stakes: taking the Three Ring and the Jewell Princess.  Another constant for her is J C Caraballo, who will ride her for the fifth time in a row.   As she is on the rail, it seems as though everything points her way, but she will still need to go out there and get it done.

#2- Purple Power (Luz International, ridden by T Gaffalione)- It will be the stakes debut for this General Motors filly, and she will also be running more then six furlongs for the first time.  Two races back, she put forth a solid effort in an ELP optional claimer, finishing third, and if that is duplicated then yes, she could factor into this.  Other then that, I get the feeling the trainer may have been hoping for weaker opposition.   She hasn’t won in her last five, and that was not against the best in the game, either.

#3- High Percentage (Axeman, ridden by M Rispoli)- Earlier in her career, High Percentage appeared in some KYO preps, and is a prior stake winner, doing so right here at CRC even though it came back in 2014.  Most recently, she was acquired by Axeman via private sales in June for $100.000, and they have raced four times together and got their first win together in a CT optional claimer last month.  That was an interesting effort though on that bullring, going exactly today’s distance as she looked very comfortable.   It turns my attention to the only other time she ran seven, in January in the SSM Distaff where she got her picture taken with the winner. I do believe she is very capable of spoiling Dogs Money Maka’s party here, and am going to put her on top.

#4- Sweep Me Over (Alegria, ridden by E Jaramillo)- A few races ago, this filly made the jump from smaller races, including an intense allowance at SUD in May this year under the prior trainer to the Jewell Princess (FL Sire Series), and finished second in a photo to Dogs Money Maka, so we know she has it in her to win this race.  Last month, she tried to take another step forward, into the Grade 3 TC of America at KEE, but failed to beat anyone.  Her form was great into that race, and along as she was not disheartened by it, expect to see her in the mix here with a possible trip to the winners circle.

#5- Florida Vacation (Red Barn Stables, ridden by J J Gonzales)- The filly by El Gran La Maison has won four of fourteen races in her career, with most of the wins being very modest.  That is, until her last one where she went to RP last month and scored a triumph in an open allowance with a career best 97 SRF for the effort.  It was the first time she ran with the particular add combination she utilized and as of press time, it appears as though the trainer is going back to that.  The decision to make at the betting window is how much of an influence did the new adds have.  If they meant all the word as it seemed, then she probably should be the favorite.

Prediction: 3-1-5-4

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded