King Edward BC Stakes (Grade 2)- $175.000 Purse
WO- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
June 27, 2020

Before we can enjoy the Queens Plate, we will need to honor King Edward for the 15th running of the King Edward BC Stakes. This race goes a mile on the grass and has been won by horses such as Eviction Notice and Seven Years in the past. Initially, this race had run at nine furlongs and had a purse of $300.000. It became a mile long race in 2010, and the gradual decrease of the purse would begin a year later. In 2017, it would fall to the $175.000 level in which it is today. Last year, the race was by Hefner, which is one his two career wins over his 22 starts. He continues to chug away for Mb Stables, however, and was disappointing in his last start in a Grade 3 at SA last week. This year, we have a field of nine, and here is a look at them!

#1- City Watch (Mb Stables, ridden by J Bisono)- On the rail, this Motor City gelding has spent much of his career running with the PA-bred condition, and was successful. He ventured out of state for the first time, on the track, for the $100.000 Murphy Stakes at PIM in his last start, and took home the win. Now, the trainer hopes his first trip out of the States will be just as successful on the track. Looks like he has little improvement to top a couple rivals in the field, but if anyone can figure it out, this is the trainer. One of two three year olds in the field carrying exactly 118 pounds.

#2- Sunday Phunnies (Nakamura Stables, ridden by V R Carrasco)- This gelding will be making the 19th start of his career, and hopes that it can be the race he finally gets his first graded win in. He has been able to win other races, including an ungraded stake, but has a record of (7-0-1-1) when graded. His last race is an obvious throw out, but if you look further back at races similar to ours, there is not a lot to get your confidence up.

#3- Personal Beliefs (Maxmillion Farm, trained by R M Hernandez)- A week before the current private sales rules went into effect, La Canada Racehorses gave Personal Beliefs to Maxmillion for just $10.000, a month after winning the Grade 3 Ruby Stakes. It’s a shame that such a line will be associated with this horse, because he is very able to pick up big wins. He was impressive last month in the PEN Mile, running second after setting the pace. If he runs like that again, he should win here. It is also beneficial that he is the second of two horses in here carrying 118 pounds.

#4- Bold Express (Mb Stables, ridden by M Tunon)- This is also a three year old, but because he won the Grade 2 American Turf at CD in early May, he needs to carry 120 pounds here instead of 118. That will still be less then the older horses in the field. In that race, he came from behind impressively in an eleven horse field, but then in his next race, he tried to run with the leaders and came up empty in the late moments. That was an eighth place finish in the PEN Mile. He still may be an improving horse, as this is just career start number eight.

#5- Cherokee Reward (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S R Bahen)- Purchased by Nakamura in the Spetember 2019 auction for $25.010, and the new trainer changed up a lot about him, despite having prior graded stake experience. He left the main track behind, and would go to the grass, focusing on longer distances, and no longer would there be bute administered. This has resulted in an impressive four wins in five starts, and it has not mattered that three of these races were on off tracks. He has only run in one graded stake in Nakamura silks, and it was the race he did not win, never being a factor. Now, we will see if the horse can redeem itself!

#6- Sundays Sauce (Calia Stable, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- The four year old will be looking for the first win of his season here, but with a little more luck at the wire, he could already have two victories in 2020 in similar conditions. In both the Grade 3 Thunder Road at SA and the Grade 3 SF Mile at GG, he ran third and was within a half length. There are a couple of races on off tracks in there as well where he was not that good. Perhaps, a change in scenery from California to Canada will result in just the little bit more luck that he needs.

#7- Green Rush (Pennsville Farm, ridden by D E Centeno)- An experienced runner making the 26th start of this career right here. In it, he has six with wins, with half of them coming in graded stakes. Green Rush was able to run in the BC Mile in the fall, and while he did not have a great finish, his form has bounced back this season . Two starts ago, he was the winner in the Grade 3 Appleton, knocking off 2019 King Edward winner, Hefner, among others, in the process. Turns out consistent SRF’s, and has done well carrying as much as 128 pounds in the recent past. He’s a great choice among the older horses.

#8- Detained (Gdp Inc, ridden by J Lezcano)- This gelding was claimed at the beginning of February for $25.000, in what was at the time a drop in class from the allowance ranks by the prior trainer. Gdp Inc was not deterred, and ran him in an ungraded $75.000 stake, where he was third, and then ran second in an open allowance at CD. He has had a couple months off since then, and in that time, Gdp has been focusing on the grass. Here, he will run on the turf for the first time.

#9- Sneaky Little Stover (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by A Beschizza)- Much like Detained, Sneaky Little Stover was also claimed for $25.000 recently, this one coming in late April. Prior to the claim, he had mainly been a turf sprinter, and was good about picking up some sort of purse. Team 7 Illusions had different ideas, and moved him sprinting to the longest distance possible, and also doing so in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap. On soft turf, he ran third, and hopes to improve that here. He is working extremely well right now with an eye opener happening at BEL on the 6th.

Prediction: 3-7-9-1

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES