Seabiscuit Handicap (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
DMR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
November 25, 2023

This Saturday at DMR, the top race of the day will be the 20th running of the Seabiscuit Handicap, and there will be ten horses heading to post to try and win a race that has seen the likes of Barbarino and Five Spirits win in the past. The race had a higher purse back in the day, so it may have drawn stronger fields overall. When held at HOL, the purse was $400.000 but gradually decreased. It seemed like it was headed back up for the last two years, but the return to $200.000 this year represents going back to the low point for the race. In 2022, Maxmillion Farm won the race with Devil Made Me Doit, a highly successful horse but it may go down as his last win. The gelding is still active but has not raced since June. Maxmillion will not have a horse in the field this year, but let’s meet those that will now!

#1- Area Code (Choppy Inc, ridden by J Valdivia Jr)- Likes to get out on the lead early, so we should be looking for that again, especially with being on the rail. This is a well-earned stake debut for him, as he has been very consistent throughout his career and has been taking on better as of late. Plus, it’s good to see Choppy Inc back at this level. His 99 SRF in his last race shows that he belongs here, and I hope to see him running in many more race like this.

#2- Genetic Code (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by V Espinoza)- When I saw the list of entrants, I figured that at least one of these were by Penal Code, but that is actually not the case. Genetic Code is by Gene Pool, a son of Fire N Fury. The wins haven’t really been there for him, doing so just twice in twenty starts, and the recent race results are not exciting. But look at who the trainer is. TwinTowersRacing is a master of getting horses that don’t seem to be running well, figuring them out, and getting them to run big ones seemingly out nowhere. In fact, when it comes to that specific quality, I don’t think there’s anyone better in the game.

#3- Kidding (High Voltage, ridden by C Figueora)- Claimed by the trainer for $15.000 in August, and off of that he would win an allowance on yielding turf at AQU. The 29-race veteran has been in entered into ungraded stakes a couple times but did not cash a check in either of them. He’s passed through a few barns, and each time it seems as though trainers make an add adjustment. For Kidding, it’s the loss of a shadow roll, something that had been added by his prior connections. It seems as though every time a new barn did get him, they entered him higher each time right off the bat. So, certainly the horse gives people a lot of hope.

#4- Moonlight Special (state Breds, ridden by E Maldonado)- A well accomplished horse with nine wins over thirty starts, accumulating over $600.000 in earnings over that time. Last year was good for him, with two victories that included the Grade 3 River City Handicap in November. He was sent to the Pegasus World Cup Turf off of that but did not run well, which has led to a disappointing season. The results aren’t terrible, mind you, but there’s a lot of entry fees being spent there to only earn $32.000. Some redemption could be very possible here.

#5- Cucamonga Sin (Asgar, ridden by R A Vazquez)- The PA-bred has raced against State Breds in three of his last four races, with two of them being in states where he was able to hit the board. He’s won two of fourteen overall, and each of them are against PA-Breds as well, going back to early last year. When not against State Breds, the results have not been there, and an allowance result from CD in June will not excite. However, perhaps the soft turf had something to do with it and that will not be a concern here. Works say he’s as good as anyone else here, but it’s time to show that in a race.

#6- Buffalo G (Nakamura Stables, ridden by A Ayuso)- Last year, Buffalo G was able to take part in the BC Mile, but the performance in the race will not go down as a career highlight. Statistically, 2023 has been very similar to 2022 for him, as he has made just about the same amount of money with the same number of wins, but the BC was not in the cards for him. Last month, he was second in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker at AQU and should be considered one of the top contenders here. This race could potentially put him over $1,000.000 in earnings.

#7- Viking Havoc (Riggins Racing, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- Starting between two horses that have a combined 73 starts and over $3,000.000 in earnings, we have Viking Havoc, who’s only raced five times. Riggins Racing purchased the gelding for $60.000 shortly after he broke his maiden at the start of the October, and later in the month led him to a win in an optional claimer at GG. The four-year-old deserves a chance to show what he can do, and the trainer gives him a strong test. Fortunately, Viking Havoc doesn’t know any better to be star struck by those on each side of him in the gate.

#8- Aerialist (Mb Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- Last year as a five-year-old, Aerialist was as good as he has ever been, winning four races which would be highlighted by the $1,000.000 Grade 2 KD Turf Cup. That clinched his spot in the BC Turf, where he ran third. That string of success would likely render his 2023 a tad disappointing, since has only won one of eight though it was a nice score: the Grade 2 Fort Marcy in May. We last saw him in late September, where he was fifth in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile. Altogether, he has the strongest resume of anyone in the field but does not seem like the one to beat. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean he still can’t a piece of this or to remind everyone that he has won over $2,200.000 for his career.

#9- Quick Rhythm (Angelos Stable, ridden by J Torrealba)- The gelding had a decent career in overnights before he was claimed by Angelos Stable for $16.000 in August. In their first race together, Quick Rhythm made a strong impression by winning an open allowance right here by two lengths, at a mile. He would be cut back to a sprint after that, and while the result was not terrible, it did suggest that he likes going longer. Not only will he be doing that again, but he will be running in a stake for the first time.

#10- Tokugawa (Fractious, ridden by U Rispoli)- Three days before Quick Rhythm was claimed, the same fate was had by Tokugawa, but it came for a $40.000 tag. At that time, he had won just once over ten starts, but things have clicked with Fractious as the gelding is now a perfect three-for-three while running in his new silks. That did include the $80.000 Lure Stakes last month, and he is not a stranger to running at the graded level, either. He just has never been in this good of form when he has.

Prediction: 6-10-8-7

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES