The Nerud (Grade 2) (BC)- $250.000 Purse
BEL- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
July 4, 2021

The starting gate will be full for the eighth running of the Grade 2 as twelve horses strive to get very valuable points for the BC Sprint, which is now just about four months away. It’s the second time that three year olds will not be able to take part, making the older horses pretty happy not to see them. The purse for this race has been in a steady decline since initially debuting at $400.000, then falling to $350, then $300, and now for the first time, $250.000. Last year, the race was won by Smokey Stover’s Con Artist, who would retire from racing after running fifth in the BC Sprint. He’s gotten busy otherwise, and is up to 75 foals as of now (June 30), and will probably have more by the time this race takes place. Let’s meet our runners for this race,

#1- Insist Always (Mb Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- A consistent gelding, finishing either first or second in twelve of his fifteen starts. However, the vast majority of his races have been on the grass, including his last, which was a strong effort in the Grade 1 Jaipur here last month, placing second. The question is obviously can he translate that into top races on the main track. We shall see.

#2- Hang Around (Nakamura Stables, ridden by V R Carrasco)- This trainer and jockey hook up again at BEL as this gelding makes the 21st start of his career. He’s been very consistent during his career, and he seems to live up to his name. However, as I look for that one race to really be excited about that he won, I’m coming up a little empty. Every horse needs their signature win, and for Hang Around, that’s the Grade 3 Cartier. A win here would certainly top that.

#3- Not Trippin Now (Gdp Inc, ridden by G Saez)- After tripping, and being downgraded to the free track to break his maiden, the gelding has been determined not to trip up again, and like Hang Around, he has since lived up to his name. He comes into this race on a three race winning streak, including the Grade 1 CD at that very track on KYD day, and then here for the Grade 2 True North on BEL weekend. The form is great on this one, and should certainly be one of the top choices of the field.

#4- Bodemister (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- This horse has been hit and miss throughout his career, with four wins in 19 career starts. More than likely, this is a horse you will see in the second or third positions, placing second in the Grade 1 Jerkens Memorial and Grade 2 Phoenix within the last year. Hasn’t been quite as good this year, though was third in his last start, though three lengths out, in the Grade 3 Runhappy.

#5- Cp Fascinating Moon (Axeman, ridden by F Pennington)- In April, Cp Fascinating Moon won the Grade 3 Commonwealth, but he has hit rock bottom since then. A month later, he was a distant eighth in the Grade 3 MD Sprint Stakes, and would be dropped into an $80.000 afterward. He was just as bad in that, again a distant eighth. But that race also saw him get claimed, and he will make his debut with Axeman. Can he bring back the horse that won the Commonwealth?

#6- Its A Laugher (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by J K Court)- This gelding does not win a lot, and that might be a reason why he has passed through so many barns during his career. However, Maxmillion has hung on to him and has been rewarded with primarily a handful of second and third place finishes. That includes running second in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, right here, last month. You could fairly say he has done everything but win in 2021. He would seem to be due, but can he be trusted?

#7- Night Creature (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- We were initially going to see Night Creature in the Suburban, but after drawing the far outside post for that race, the trainer had second thoughts about that race, and places him here. There’s a three furlong different between the two races, and while that race would have been more in line with where he’s been running, there’s no reason to think he can’t be effective here. Since the 2019 Bashford Manor, he’s only sprinted once.

#8- Tallmadge Star (Our Athletes, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Ran second in the BC Sprint last year, but after struggling a month later, prior trainer Oquinn Farm opted to sell him off. Our Athletes would acquire him for $200.000, and Tallmadge Star has effectively bounced back, running first or second in each of his four starts. Comes here on a similar path as Not Tripping Now, running in the CD and the True North, and was second to that very rival each time. Perhaps the third time will be the charm.

#9- Trippi Bay (Gdp Inc, ridden by M Franco)- The second of two runners saddled by the trainer, and another that seems to be a true sprinter, something that I am favoring here against those with more experience running long. His biggest successes have been running in PA-bred stakes, winning one, the McKenney Handicap, in late April. I prefer the trainer’s other entry, but this one should be in the mix.

#10- A Beagle Named Boo (John Henry, ridden by S R Bahen)- There has been no booing this gelding ever since last September, as since that point, he has won four out of his six starts. Those aren’t all against the best in the division, though, but he did turn a 100 SRF in winning the Grade 3 Kona Stakes at SA in mid-April, so he certainly belongs in this field. Raced about three weeks ago, and was third in an unofficial stake, given the quality of the open allowance field. He’s had several chances, further back, to run against the best, experiencing hit and miss successes. So, with his form at a high point, this is a great spot.

#11- Dangerfield (Mo Momentum Farm, ridden by J Stein)- I might not end up giving the horse much respect by not picking him, but he certainly deserves consideration after winning his last three races. Two of them come in overnights, but the third was much better. In that, he came from off the pace, at seven furlongs, to win the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes. Following that up win a strong performance here will certainly start allowing him to get more credit at the top level.

#12- Izzy Mandelbaum (YME Stable, ridden by D Van Dyke)- The trainer did not get much luck in the post position draw for either the Suburban or the Nerud. This five year old gelding has been consistent over his career, placing first or second in ten of his thirteen starts, but only this spring has he been running at the stake level. That resulted in two of his off the board finishes, but he recovered well last month to win the $125.000 Aristides BC, which also represented a return to sprinting for him. Should like this distance, just not the post.

Prediction: 8-3-2-10

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES