Falls City Handicap (Grade 3)- $500.000 Purse
CD- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
November 24, 2022
CD has given us plenty to be thankful for on Thanksgiving, with two appealing Grade 3 events. Here, we will look at the Falls City Handicap, which provides the largest purse offered on the day, a generous $500.000. It’s the second time that the race has run for this amount, being elevated from $200.000 last year. That race was won by Blondewithhandcuffs, an Il Miglio Fabro mare that is still active. Mb Stables was the winning trainer, but he is no longer the horse’s owner. For this race, we have a field of six, and the weights for this handicap will be between 118 and 120 pounds, so nothing that out of whack. Here’s a look at those going to post for this, the 20th running of the race.
#1- Shining Moments (RNP Stables, ridden by A R Rodriguez)- This filly has had a glorious career, with eight wins in 25 career starts. However, she has been lacking any shining moments as of late. She particularly struggled in her last two starts, a pair of graded stakes running a mile on the grass, and has not had a strong showing since placing second in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap, right here at CD. That was also the last time that she has been on the main track, and there is a lot in common, condition wide, about that race and this one.
#2- Venezia (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by M Franco)- There are four three year olds in this field, and Venezia is one of them. She will carry 120 pounds thanks to her win in the Grade 2 Mother Goose at BEL at the end of June. We have not seen her back in the winner’s circle for any of her three races since then, and she was soundly beaten when taking on elite company in the Cotillion. Her last start showed some improvement, but she is due for a good run again. The time is now for her.
#3- Neon Moon (Smokey Stover, ridden by L Saez)- The trainer paid a big price to acquire this filly in February, and recent performances are starting to justify the $300.000 price tag. That said, it’s doubtful that Smokey Stover’s attention was for her to just be productive with hitting the board in high level optional claimers. Her last race, where she was second in the Grade 2 River Run at KEE may show that she is just beginning now to take those next steps forward.
#4- Forever Phooey Party (Arindel, ridden by E Jaramillo)- It’s the third start for this five year old mare under Arindel’s guidance, after the trainer picked her up in a $62.500 claimer. She has had a strong career, earning over $800.000, but does that race mean that her career is on a downward spiral? Well, we got our answer, and that answer is no! After winning an open allowance at SAR for Arindel, she went on to place second in the Grade 1 Spinster. The party is still going on!
#5- Sister Crespi (Nakamura Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Earlier this year, Sister Crespi cashed a check in the KYO by placing fourth in the race. Over the summer, she continued to race well, hitting board in both the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks and the Grade 3 DEL Oaks, but since then, she has not been a factor. That even got the trainer wanting to experiment with her on the grass for the first time ever in her last start. As she bounces back here, the trainer must be confident that whatever recently sidetracked her has been settled.
#6- Drilldownfortruth (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- All four of her wins came in a five race stretch from September of last year to February this year. That got her to the KYO, but she did not finish ahead of anyone in the race. As the year has moved on, she’s hit the board twice in her last four starts, but could still use a positive jolt forward when facing the type of opposition she seems here. This may be a good spot for it. Always seems to be a heavy longshot as of late.
Prediction: 3-4-2-6
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
