The Shuvee – Grade II
SAR Race #5 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Shes A Super Freak YME Stable Gaffalione T

A grade one winner in a grade two is always a good fit but without penalties this race has attracted many grade one winners so she is one among many today. Drawn the ace will help as she used the same gate to win the grade one Beholder back in March so that is a big plus. An Oaks contender as a three year old she started off this year very well with two strong wins and then a good third in the La Troinne and those efforts put her in with a winning chance today. Her last effort in the Phipps saw a very poor effort and a second last place finish but i am willing to put that down to the wide gate and the way the draw effects the race engine so lets forget that.

2 Hot Summer D J C Racing Stables Bridgmohan S X

Also ran poorly in the Phipps and was in fact behind Shes a Super Freak after running a very similar race. She was also behind that filly in the Beholder so has a bit to find especially as she had the same draw she has today. Having said that her works are generally better than Shes a Super Freak so it is not beyond the realms of HRP possibility that all that gets turned on its head today.

3 Drop Dead Gorgeous London Racing Prat F

A wet ground specialist his trainer will be praying for rain but also wondering whether the steep improvement that this one has been showing will continue through to a dry track. This is a very tough race for a filly that has only just won a stakes race and that was a four horse race but i just have a feeling deep down that she is one of those HRP types that can improve a dozen lengths in a couple of months.

4 Naples Arindel Davis D

This one looked unbeatable among her own sex as a three year old but the BC Distaff winner found out that 6 months is a long time in HRP time and she has looked a long way from that brilliant filly we saw last year. There is no obvious reason that she hasn’t won a race this year other than it has been a trend that the most successful three year olds always seem to struggle through their four year old season. So will she be bouncing back today? Well if she is anywhere near her best she wins by open air but she isn’t showing enough to convince me prior to this race.

5 Aligned Smokey Stover Gomez J A

The daughter of State police hasn’t really be tested but did take the Apple Blossom off bottom weight which is why she may have been avoiding the top races after looking pretty promising at three. From a stable with a ton of talent she will be many peoples favorite in a race that may well produce the new Distaff favorite.

6 Blondewithhandcuffs Mb Stables Castellano J J

This one has shown plenty of promise but the champion trainer has been sending her to the likes of LAD and TAM which suggests that she may be a bit of a conundrum, Another that really would love some rain at six years old this will be her chance to show what she s really made of.

7 Notorious Return TwinTowersRacing Geroux F

Beaten just a half length when third in the BC Fillies and Mares Sprint last year she clearly has plenty of ability but still only has three wins to her name. The trainer is well known for giant killing but this four year old who was so good at three does seem to be suffering from the same thing as Naples as far as this season is concerned.

8 Drink Me Pretty Mb Stables Carmouche K

Considering this mare was a close second in the BC Juvenile fillies, then a good second in the BC Distaff after almost winning the KYO she hasn’t really dominated as much as i thought she would. There has been some up and down races on her record but at her best she is very good and her all the way dead heat win in the Allaire Distaff last time suggests she is in good form. The draw is tough but the stable may use the wide gate speed push to get her out front again.

9 Bagel Bites Gdp Inc Lezcano J

Gets a terrible draw and hasn’t got the form to win this but there is a proviso and that is her recent works. A 1.36 and 1 is a very good dirt mile time for a filly and is nearly a second better than her previous best suggesting there has been some traveling up the improvement curve for her. It remains to be seen whether she has gone far enough but i always have a little bet on these rapid improver’s so i will be looking at her odds in the morning line.

SUMMARY

A very good race with some fillies and mares that will be strong contenders in the BC later in the year. There are a few reputations that need repairing here so i may be tempted to go for a couple of outsiders in Drop Dead Gorgeous or Bagel Bites.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES