The Hirsch Turf Classic (Grade 1)- $600.000 Purse
BEL- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Half on the Turf
October 1, 2016
The starting gate will be full to capacity for Saturday’s 14th running of the annual Hirsch Turf Classic, held at BEL. It is a race that has huge implications for next month’s BC Turf, and that is the reason everyone will have their eyes glued to this race, even if they don’t have an entry in it. Three times in the history of this race has the winner ended up also picking up a win in the BC Turf. It happened in the very first running, in 2003 when a horse named On A Whim for Cincinnati Racing scored big wins in both this race and the BC Turf, and then never raced again. That would be strange if one didn’t really know how things ended up with that trainer. Anyway, more conventional heroes that pulled off the double were Tried And True in 2005, then Premier Khana in 2013. As we look at this race, we see last year’s winner, War Scent, looking to win the Hirsch for the second year in a row, and if so, it would also be the third straight win for his trainer, Mb Stables. J R Velazquez and V Espinoza each have two wins, leading the jockey board for the stake. We have a field to be excited about, so let’s take a look!
#1- Fear The Feathers (Up And Up Racing, ridden by F Prat)- Purchased on the fourth of July while you were watching fireworks for just $50.000 from Our Athletes after struggling mightily earlier this year. The new trainer fixed him up just right, and just five days after buying him, he was picking up a win in the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes, and he did beat War Scent along the way. After the win, he was sent to the Sword Dancer where he faced many of these he sees again, and was within a length of a win in the fourth place run. Rain could be a concern for him, as he didn’t look good on a recent off track run, but that was when he was simply struggling, overall.
#2- Inspector Jacque (Kopites, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- Nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets in our virtual world, when at odds of 845/1, he placed second in the Kentucky Cup Turf, narrowly missing out to the victorious Grande Sournoise. He will get a chance at revenge on that one here, but we should not expect him to go off at such a price again. It would be amazing if he could follow that up with a win here, and if it rains, he actually doesn’t know anything else. He’s only raced on an non-off track one time.
#3- Full Speed Ahead (Night Rider Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- The five year old gelding is still looking for his first win of the year, although he has been in the top three for four of his six races, all of which have come at the graded level. He is typically a closer, but past performance lines are showing that he tends to keep coming up a length short, regardless of the distance. We’ll need to be watching for him in the stretch, but he’s tough to put on top.
#4- Sunny Gabe (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- This three year old has won four of his last five races, all coming after the trainer purchased him from LionKing Stables for $200.000 and returning him to the grass. Of those wins, none were bigger then his most recent start when he went north of the border to score a win in the $500.000 Breeders Stakes, which is for Canadians. As nice as that race may have been, it is not going to help Sunny Gabe get into the BC Turf, so this becomes a critical race for him as we know he has the potential.
#5- Five Daddy Darling (Night Rider Stables, ridden by L Saez)- It will be the 36th start for this six year old gelding, but none will be bigger if he wants the 37th to be in the BC. Only this year has Five Daddy Darling been running at the graded level, and his lone stake win was against LA-breds in early July. He followed that up very nicely with a runner up in the AP Million, and then in his last race he was not a factor in the Sword Dancer at SAR. We know he has the potential, but he’s probably one who has to have everything go his way in order to get a win here. If it rains, history shows he is not one to pick.
#6- War Scent (Mb Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- Looking to become the first horse to win the Hirsch Turf Classic two times, and they would come in succession if so. Last year, he did not add his name to the list of winners here that went on to win the BC Turf, but he still finished a strong third in that race. This year, however, has likely been a disappointment, as he has only one win, and it was in an optional claiming event. His five graded races this year have seen him be very competitive, and within a length of victory three times, but he has not picked one up. Perhaps the scent of this race will rekindle the winning spirit.
#7- Classic Cliche (Blushing Meadows, ridden by P Lopez)- Late in May, Classic Cliche picked up a big win in the $200.000 Snow Chief for CA breds that was part of a very good Spring for him. Since then, he’s been up against much better, running in races such as the Grade 1 BEL Derby and the Grade 1 AP Million, but he would not be able to pick up a check for the trainer in either. The three year old is about to run as long as he has ever run, and we will see how much of a difference that makes. He won his only off track start, but that was a while ago and only against a few.
#8- Sinissippi Eagle (Eastern Equine, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Here is one that is simply due to return to the winner’s circle. After starting his career strongly, he has only won once in his last sixteen starts, dating back to 2014. That came in March of this year, and was a good race to win, being the Grade 2 GP Handicap. Previous trainer Grimley saw that as the time to sell, and Eastern Equine picked him up for $140.000. Until his strong close in the Sword Dancer in his last start, it may have been fair to wonder if he still had it, but he was great in the Sword Dancer, is overdue for his next big win.
#9- Big Daddy Z (Australia Wide, ridden by T Gaffalione)- He made his stake debut at the beginning of September in the Grade 2 DMR Derby, and he did not disappoint as he won the five horse event. Prior to that, he had been very consistent, and has hit the board in all but one start. Today, however, is not the DMR Derby as he faces a much stronger overall field. Also, and perhaps more importantly, this is the longest that he has ever run as he stretches out another three furlongs. I believe this change will be for the positive, but this is still a tough assignment. He has never raced on an off track.
#10- Chrystal Pip (Mb Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- This Pip Boy colt had a superb career running for Chili King Stables, where a win in the Haskell was among the many highlights, but it would be May of this year where he would change hands thanks to a $600.000 private sales transaction. Mb Stables kept him on the dirt, and he would win two out of three races, being the Man O War at BEL and The Gold Cup out at SA, both of which are Grade 1’s. Those two wins show that turf or dirt, Chrystal Pip knows how to win the big one. With this placement, we can see where Mb Stables has his new focus. He should be fine if it rains.
#11- Admirals Aces (Grimley, ridden by M Franco)- The three year old gelding has picked up two wins in nine starts, and every time I write about this horse I can’t stop talking about what he did in the FL Derby. That still holds true even now as several in that race have continued to win big races, even this month. Since moving to the turf, Admirals Aces has a win and a place. This is the longest he has run in his career, and he faces tough company, but that may be just how he likes it. Never raced on an off track.
#12- Grande Sournoise (Drabfantasy, ridden by D Moran)- Heading into his last race, the Kentucky Cup Turf, it really did seem as though Grande Sournoise was poised to win a big race. Now, with that in the books, we will see if he can make it two in a row and this race figures to be much more difficult then the competition he faced at KD last month. The trainer might like the weather forecast and the high probability of rain given that Grande Sournoise picked up that win on good turf. There’s no reason to think he can’t run with these, but the winner is going to be the one that steps up and runs the race of his life, or close to it.
#13- Bombastic Kathology (Oval Express Farms, ridden by F Pennington)- There is probably not a more inconsistent horse in the game. When Bombastic Kathology runs his best race, he can beat anyone out there and due to it in convincing fashion, just like he did in the Manhattan Handicap in June. The field let him get away there, and went on to wire the field. Unfortunately for the trainer is that he just doesn’t do that enough, and when he doesn’t win, it seems like he is way back in the field. The good news is that I am writing about his race. He seems to show up when I am covering his starts.
#14- Show Ya Oysters (Mm Racing, ridden by J J Castellano)- The gelding has had a busy three year old season as he gets set to make his 11th start of 2016. In that time he has simply shown that he loves to keep going right back out there, with four wins this year, and only failing to hit the board on three occasions. Most of these races have been ungraded stakes, though he has made one attempt at this level before. In his most recent race, he was victorious in the $150.000 West Point at SAR, doing so in an HRP-rout of four lengths. This will be the longest race of his career as well. Only once has he raced on an off track, and this will be on the one year anniversary of the race. It didn’t go well, but he’s had a year.
Prediction: 4-11-13-12
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
