Spiral Earns BC Ticket with The Fourstardave Handicap Win

By Nynl Stables on August 23, 2020

The Fourstardave Handicap (BC) (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Inner Turf
August 22, 2020

The annual running of the Fourstardave Handicap seemed as though it would be a wide open race, and with such a major prize awaiting the winner, we knew there could be plenty of excitement. The Mb Stables trained Spiral seemed as though he would be one of the better horses in this field, and he would be hoping to return to the BC in 2020. As a three year old, he competed in the BC Turf, and did not do very well. After coming out on top here at the Spa, Spiral will be a BC runner again, doing so in the BC Mile just as long as Mb Stables opts to enter him. It was an important win, too, because it allows him to put the disappointment of his last start here last month to bed quickly. Mb Stables is now a two-time winner of the race, having also done so in 2018 with the late The Hand Youre Dealt. Jockey L Saez is a first time winner. Congratulations to them! The race was won in a time of 1:32.58, a middle of the road time for the race when looking at its history. Here’s a breakdown of the race!

(¼ Mile- :23.40)- A few of them break well out of the starting gate, with it looking like the Nakamura Stables-trained Sunday Phunnies would be the one in front, but Hefner, from Mb Stables, stayed right there with him early on. Also, Lunar Blaze, out of John Henry, who we picked to win, got off to a good start, and between these three none of them would have the edge. They’d run side by side by side as the run into the turn began. Stalking them while moving to an outside lane would be Threshold’s Nice Dive. Charleys Glance would do his stalking on the top three while on the rail for Maxmillion Farm as stablemate Regret Nothing ran within a length to his outside. Siberian Prince was next, and three lengths out for Sir Daniel Martin. Next in line came City of Bones, from John Henry and to his outside was our eventual winner, Spiral, from Mb Stables. At this time, he had five lengths to make up and was running in the fourth lane. Duke Or Earl, the massive longshot from Gdp Inc was in close proximity. It was well back to the trailers, Devilish Details (Mb Stables) and Red Cup (John Henry).

(½ Mile- :46.49)- The three horse battle for the lead becomes only two horses as we make our way down the backstretch as Lunar Blaze no longer is able to stay with the top two. Hefner has a head in front of Sunday Phunnies, and each of them look comfortable on the front end. Lunar Blaze is third, but falling into the clutches of Nice Dive and the advancing Spiral, who cuts two lengths off her gap to the front over this portion of the race. She is now fifth, as each of the Maxmillion horses drop back into the field a bit. Siberiam Prince loses a little bit of ground as well as Duke Or Earl moves up some. No changes further back.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Completing the backstretch trip and moving their way around the turn, two horses grab your attention more than any of the others, and not surprisingly, they end up being the top two finishers. Spiral was clearly gaining ground on the top two, especially once they hit the midway point of the turn, and at the top of the stretch, he was within a length from the lead. He was being shadowed well by Duke Or Earl, a horse that always seemed to be a length behind him for much of the race. Being a big longshot was not going to stop him as he had plenty of power in this stride. We also see Charleys Glance looking racey again, and trying to regain some of the ground that he conceded in the backstretch. Hefner was clinging to that lead but Sunday Phunnies was hanging within a length, with Spiral to his outside. Red Cup, who had been well off the pace swung out wide and was getting ready to make a bid.

(Finish- 1:32.58)- In the stretch, Spiral just kept on working hard, and this allowed him to eventually pull away from the rest of the field by a length in the closing moments as he secured the victory. It was tight for second as both Hefner and Sunday Phunnies were trying to hold their spots, but Duke Or Earl kept on coming, and Charleys Glance was coming on well, doing all he could while running in traffic. Duke Or Earl just gets the headbob at the wire over Hefner, keeping Mb from the 1-2 finish. Sunday Phunnies holds fourth over Charleys Glance, and Lunar Blaze is sixth. Red Cup couldn’t make that much progress with his late move, and is seventh, ahead of Regret Nothing, Siberian Prince, Devilish Details, City Of Bones, and Nice Dive.

About The Winner- Spiral, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by L Saez, is a four year old gelding by Dumbell Press and is out of Michael Blackson. He was bred in Florida as a third quarter two year old by Team 7 Illusions, and acquired by Mb Stables in September 2018 for $12.000 in private sales while he was still unraced. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fifth in 11 starts, his fourth stake win, and second graded win. His career earnings are now $1,060.980.

Horse Name

Owner Name

Jockey

Odds

Fin

Time

SRF

Spiral

Mb Stables

Saez L

10.50

1¹