Home › STAKES ARTICLES › Grade III › Seven Sophomores at the Surf in La Jolla Handicap

Seven Sophomores at the Surf in La Jolla Handicap

By on

8/9/2020

 6     DMR      La Jolla Handicap (GIII)

      $125.000        3yo      1 1/16m Turf        Hcp Weights

To the left coast and down by the surf for some Sunday stakes action, we catch a nice field of seven sophomores ready to go a mile and a sixteenth on the lush DMR lawn in the La Jolla Hcp (GIII).  It’s a fairly evenly matched field in my eye, but I landed on Moving Pictures off of that last out stakes win.  He gets a one-pound penalty for that, but it’s a pound… no biggie.  He loves the grass and looks ready to fire a big one today.  I’ll put Raleigh In Doubt in the second spot off of that solid effort in the Kent Stakes (GIII) at DEL last out.  That’s his lone turf start and he could improve off of that one. 

It looks like an open race, so let’s see who can get the job done here today.

Here’s The Field –

1
   Dawning Drei    Fractious    Gutierrez Mario   119   6/1

Had a pretty nice 2yo season but not quite as much success this year with a single win at the Alw level, but his stakes efforts leave you a bit wanting.  Fifth last out sprinting in the My Frenchman at MTH and it doesn’t look to get any easier today.  The distance seems to be a bit more to his norm, so maybe he wakes up from the rail.  

2
   Influencer    Maxmillion Farm    Cedillo A   119   10/1

Had two nice races on soggy footing then ran last of ten at SAR in The NRM (GII).  That was back over to firm ground, and maybe that just isn’t his thing… or maybe the stakes gig is just a bit deep.  Either way, I think you have to look at a few others in here, despite the strong barn.

3
   Napoleanic War    Mb Stables    Franco G   119   8/1

Another that fired a less than enthusiastic race last out when seven in the Vigil Stakes (GIII) at WO.  Now, he was on the main track and still only got beat a length that afternoon.  He’s been on the board in all three of his grass races, so maybe…

4
   Moving Pictures    Nakamura Stables    Velez J I   120   5/2

Picks up an additional pound of impost here after wining the Toronto Cup at WO last out.  He went wire to wire in that affair and certainly has a front-end want.  Can he carry the speed here today?

5
   Laces Out    Running Farms    Fuentes Ru   119   12/1

Purchased from the June Auction for $8.010 and failed at the $14.000 claiming level in his first start for the new connections.  That was at today’s distance on the ELP grass, so it’s hard to get on his bandwagon here today, although he has a series of quick am gallops. 

6
   Raleigh In Doubt    Ekli Stable    Desormeaux K J   119   7/2

Nice run at DEL trying the turf for the first time and ended up third in the Kent Stakes (GIII) at a mile and an eighth.  He won a NM-bred stakes back in March, so he has some ability and he may grow off of that first turf effort. 

7
   Red Headed Spirit    TwinTowersRacing    Hernandez J J   119   4/1

Consistent type that was a runner-up in a FLA-bred stakes at GP back in Mar.  He’s usually around when they hand out checks, and I’m sure the connections would like to do the same in this one.  He shows a win and two placings on the grass, but has been on the main track of late.  Maybe the change puts him over the top here.   

‹
›

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES