The Manila (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds
One Mile on the Inner Turf
July 4, 2025

For the first time in its history, the Manila is being contested at SAR, thanks in part to the earlier opening date of the summer meet at the Spa. This is the eleventh time that the race has been held, running at BEL for nine years before moving to the Big A last year. 2023 saw the purse increase from $100.000 to $250.000 as well as becoming a graded race for the first time. Yes, there is a slight reduction for this year’s purse, but we’ve seen worse when it comes to that. The winner last year was Martyparty’s Crickets, a horse that would later appear in the BC Mile. After starting this year with a graded win, Crickets has been quiet on the track since. We have seven in the race this year, let’s meet them now:

1- Moonligtonthewabash (High Voltage, ridden by P Lopez)- High Voltage had very high hopes for this gelding after claiming him for $28.000, immediately putting him into graded races. He has not won one yet, but there are a pair of seconds, including in the Grade 1, $1,000.000 American Turf on Derby Day at CD. He did not follow that up well, and while it’s probably too early in his career to say this, he shows signs of being a horse that you never know what it’s going to get you. High Voltage hopes for the best here.

2- Shake It Up And Go (John Henry, ridden by M E Smith)- John Henry is doing exactly what this horse’s name suggests here in the Manila. Up to this point, Shake It Up And Go has only run on the dirt, and only once has he run more than seven furlongs. After a disappointing outing here last month in the Grade 1 Stephens, it’s off to see if improvement can be had on the turf. There are no public grass works for the Twin Towers colt, but obviously he would not be here if promise was not seen in farm works. I have to lean towards more known turf commodities, though.

3- Minding Q (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Broke his maiden at FG in his fifth career start back in February, but is still looking to return to the winner’s circle. He has picked up a couple of checks at this level, running fourth in the Grade 3, $600.000 Transylvania Stakes and then third in the $100.000 Murphy Stakes. Didn’t show much here in the Pennine Ridge here last month like his stablemate did. Speaking of that stablemate, let’s move on.

4- Darrow (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Appears to be the better of the two Mb Stables entries. I would say that with more confidence, but it has happened on many occasions where I have said that about multiple Mb entries in a race and it’s the other horse that pulls it off. Still, there is a lot to like about Darrow, with four wins in eight races, an appearance in the BC Juvenile Turf, and just missing out last month in a photo at the Pennine Ridge, settling for second. Had a great work at AQU a couple weeks ago in anticipation of this.

5- Man In A Box (Nakamura Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- He’s had a few chances at the stake level, and ultimately got the job done six weeks ago in the $100.000 Murphy Stakes at PIM, with an impressive wire to wire, two length victory. It’s important to build on a race like that, and Nakamura Stables hopes that here in the Manila, his gelding can continue that momentum. That could have begun in the race prior, too, as even though he was fifth in the Transylvania, he was only beaten by a length in that $600.000 race.

6- Hail Justice (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by D Davis)- Looked great when he broke his maiden at SA, winning by three lengths. His three races that have followed have been at the stake level, running third in a pair of ungraded races, such as the $275.000 Audubon at CD last time out. His lone graded opportunity was not pretty, but whether that was because he was up against much better in the Grade 1 American Turf, or simply because he is horse that does not like it wet is still something that remains to be seen. He won’t have to worry about rain here on Friday.

7- Street Sounds (Bigchief Stables, ridden by L Dettori)- Picked up in the auction in December for $75.010, and broke his maiden nine days later. He’s been hit and miss in ungraded stakes since then, with the good being his win in the $100.000 Cinema Stakes and the bad being a dud in the Cutler Bay down at GP. If we make that a throw out, then naturally he looks a lot better, and he will be well rested here for the Manila. He’s out of the late Follow Trajectory, and his own trajectory still remains to be seen. I think this race is very pivotal for him.

Prediction: 4-5-6-1

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES