The Iselin Stakes – Grade III
MTH Race #8 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $250.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
1 Lions Reward Smokey Stover Rendon J
By the stables standards this is no monster three year old but a 1.36 and 1 work for the mile is as fast as anything here and he is the one carrying less weight and with the perfect draw. It seems this season that anything Smokey runs can win so this one will be a winning chance even though he hasn’t done anything on the race course so far that says he can beat the best of his rivals. Don’t get me wrong this gelding has won two nice races and ran well enough when fourth in the Sexton Mile to make him a winning chance which ever stable he was from. Keep an eye on the odds and if he is better than 5/1 throw you Disney Dollars down.
2 Champion In Action Night Rider Stables Geroux F
The class of the race as far as achievement goes he is approaching the 2K in winnings mark and has 9 stakes wins to his name including a grade one. He started off the year in great form winning two stakes races off the bat but has found it a bit tougher in his last three starts although has been far from disgraced. If he is at his best from this great draw he should just about win but at seven he may just need things to go his way these days and isn’t the sure things he would’ve looked earlier in the year.
3 Artesianic Mo Mentum Farm Silvera Ru
A real consistent over nighter his works are that of a stakes winner but as yet his form isn’t quite there. Claimed for just under $50 recently he ran well in the ungraded Hard Spun Stakes to suggest he is better than a claimer and if any stable can find his improvement curve ten it is this one. A tough sort who may just be the dark horse in the race,
4 Speter Nakamura Stables Murrill M
Another real consistent sort who looks to be finding improvement at a time of year that the four year olds usually do he took the Cornhusker last time after a big effort in the Salvator Mile so looks like he is coming good at the right time for a race like this. The small field will suit his style of running and i expect to see him late on the scene and powering home.
5 Red Divos Alliance TwinTowersRacing Saez G
Only a winner twice from thirty two starts it is hard to see this one being a win contender especially with most of his recent form being on turf. Having said that a closing fifth in the Mineshaft earned him a 98 speed rating on the dirt so it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the stable could work their magic and get this one into the top three.
6 Crimson Dragon TwinTowersRacing Gonzalez Ru
Looks the better chance of the two stable runners but does have the widest draw to contend with. Though he hasn’t made the top three in his five starts this year he hasn’t run badly and a recent 1.36 and 1 mile work suggest that he is finding the improvement that four year old find at this time of year. He could be the one to spice up the exotic bets and it wouldn’t take too much imagination at HRP to see him turned into a dashing front runner and speeding from the gate to lead all the way and win by two.
SUMMARY
I hate to say it but the three year old looks well placed here to take the win for the younger generation but it isn’t as clear cut as it would’ve been a few years ago. The four year olds have seen their improvement code kick in in recent weeks so i expect Speter to be a huge chance to win with maybe Crimson Dragon doing something a bit special.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
