The Peter Pan (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
BEL- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
May 8, 2021

It’s the weekend between the KYD and PRK, and as we wonder if the hound will howl again in the winner’s circle next week, we get a race at BEL which is always an exciting one to keep an eye on. The Peter Pan will often feature several horses who missed out on the KYD for various races, but can result in getting us horses that we will be talking about in big races later on in the year. The gate will be full with horses who had KYD dreams, but will settle for running at BEL this Saturday. Last year’s winner was Silent Commander, for Serenity Stables, a horse that ended up running in the BEL, Travers, and BC Dirt Mile, though has not won since the Peter Pan. Time to find a winner for this year. Let’s meet the field!

#1- Pier Pressure (Gdp Inc., ridden by E Cancel)- The trainer has high hopes for this colt, one that has two wins in eight career starts. He was given one shot in a KYD prep, which was the Wood Memorial at AQU last month. Pier Pressure did not handle the pressure well there, being a non factor, and he has had a few races this year where he has not shown up. Needs to find consistency, and that can start right here.

#2- Booster (Nakamura Stables, ridden by V R Carrasco)- This will be the debut for Booster in Nakamura silks, as he was picked up for $200.000 in private sales a week after running fifth in the BG Stakes. There may have been some hope that he could get into the KYD, as he ran second in the Rebel, but was not able to get in. Might prove to be a great pickup in the long run, as he never seems to run badly.

#3- Sublime Performance (Patterson Stables, ridden by Ru Fuentes)- All but one of this colt’s races have been on the grass. The one time that he tried the main track was two starts ago, coming in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes, where made up ground late to be fifth. He’s been pretty good on the grass, but right now Patterson still wants to see if there can be sublime performances on the dirt.

#4- Shelter At Home (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This is a horse that knows how to win, doing so in four of his seven career starts. Unfortunately for the trainer, neither of those were in his two derby preps: the Davis Stakes and the TAM Derby, where he failed to cash a check in either. He’s never lost while sprinting, but for now at least, D J C hopes that success will transfer to longer distances.

#5- Test The Party Code (Mb Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Did not make the cut for the trainer in the KYD, but Test The Party Code looks like a tough entry here in the Peter Pan. He is an experienced runner, making his 11th start here, and he finished third in both the Sham and the Southwest. That’s where the strong finishes stopped, so he would take a back seat to others in the stable, but should fare better in this race.

#6- Tormented (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- A winner of four out of nine races thus far, highlighted by two ungraded wins. Those each were sprints, with one coming on the grass, and the other on the turf. He was moved into graded competitions and into routes simultaneously and has two middle of the pack finishes to show for it, coming in the San Felipe and the SA Derby. This is a good landing spot for him after that.

#7- Community (Patterson Stables, ridden by A Beschizza)- Broke his maiden in his last start, his third, on the grass at GP in late February. Has not been on the track since then, and he has generally been lightly raced for his career. This is a big jump forward, so likely there has been some recent improvement behind the scenes.

#8- Two Buck Chuck (Nakamura Stables, ridden by K Carmouche)- Claimed from Panionios Racing for $35.000 last December, and has made two starts since then. Looked very good in the $100.000 El Camino, winning that mid-February stake at GG, but in the Grade 3 Ruby Stakes, he was unable to take the next step, fading in the stretch. Will need to show some improvement off of that race.

#9- Cossack (Patterson Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- The third horse in the race for Patterson Stables, and it will be his second graded start. After breaking his maiden, he was entered into the Grade 1 FL Derby, a tough assignment, and he would end up finishing in the middle of the field. At the time, it looks like he will not have bute for the race, which will put him back with the only lasix that he had when he broke his maiden.

#10- Tequila Rise (Nakamura Stables ridden by D Davis)- Along with Patterson Stables, Nakamura Stables brings three, so these two account for half the field. Tequila Rise will run as a gelding for the first time and did pick up some points for the KYD chase: running fourth in the Lewis Stakes, and third in the SUN Derby. Still looking for a big win, though, with two victories in eight starts, with his allowance win being for only a $14.400 purse.

#11- Dutty John Crow (Night Rider Stables, ridden by M Franco)- After starting his career with two wins in three starts, Dutty John Crow was on to the TC preps. That would not go well for him, though, failing to finish near the front in either the Risen Star or the LA Derby. Bounced back well by running second in the mud at the Coolmore Lexington, but it was too little too late for the KYD.

#12- Patriot (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by Mar Garcia)- Finished in the middle of the field in the Jerome on New Years Day, and was sold four days later for $125.000. With Mo Mentum Farm, Patriot did manage a win in the Runyon for NY-breds, but his late running style was only good enough for seventh in the Wood Memorial. Should do better here.

Prediction: 2-5-11-12

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES