The Taylor Stakes, Purse $500.000, Grade 1, 1 an 1/4, Turf for 3+ Fillies and Mares
Today at WO there are 4 graded stakes races and this is the feature for the fillies and mares. This Grade 1 has drawn a tough field of 8 in it that are all going to do battle to take down this $500.000 purse. I am sure the owners are hoping this field will be a bit easier then some other G1 races with the Breeder’s Cup just 2 weeks away. Let’s take a look at the field and see if we can separate some of these runners :
1-Sweet Red (MB Stables)- She comes into the race having won 5 out of 13 lifetimes starts while hitting the board on 8 of those 13 starts. From June until August she was riding a 3 race win streak that was highlighted by back to back overnight stakes wins going long on the turf. She was stepped up out of those races into a tough Grade 2 race where she was closer to the pace earlier in the race but faded late and finished 8th of 11. She appears to have come out of that race well and posted a couple of solid public works and will be hoping to notch her first graded stakes win.
2-Beholder (LionKing Stables)- She has started 15 times with 7 wins coming from those starts while hitting the board on 9 of those 15 starts. She was a recent $140.000 purchase off a 6th place finish in an overnight stake. She has been in solid form since Feburary 2014 winning 6 of her 9 starts during that time frame. The highlight of that 9 race run comes in the form of a win in the G3 Gallorette Handicap in May of 2015 which was 2 races back. She was given3 months off after that win and did not respond finishing 6th of 7 in an overnight turf sprint. New owner LionKing Stables is hoping that stretching her back out will get her back to that good form.
3-Rock Warrior (Canadian Racing)- She has started 22 times with 9 wins coming from those starts, while hitting the board in 18 of those 22 starts. From June through August of 2015 she was on a nice 3 race win streak which started with an allowance win, and then was followed up the class ladder with a grade 3 and then a grade 2 win. Off those back to back stakes wins she was stepped up to the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive where she was the early pace setter but faded late to finish 4th. She has to be a bit disappointed to not be locked into the Breeders Cup at this point as she has been there the past 2 years. A win her might put her in line for another shot but it would be on very short rest. We will see what happens after this race.
4- Princess Mandy (NightRider Stable)- She has started 20 times with 7 wins coming in those starts and has hit the board in 14 of those 20 starts. She has raced 7 times in 2015 and has not won in those starts but has finished 3rd on 4 occasions including her last start. To find her last win you have to go back to August of 2014 where she won the Grade 3 ON Colleen Stakes. Since that win she has been in stakes company in every race and usually shows up with a nice effort but can’t seem to get over the hump. Maybe this start will be the one where she wakes back up and finds the winners circle..
5-Hilarity Ensues (Captnj)- She has started 15 times in her career with 3 of those starts resulting in a win and has hit the board in 9 of 15 starts. She has started 3 times in 2015 and has yet to find the winners circle but did finish 2nd in an allowance race in June. Her last win was in July of 2014 in an overnight stake going 7 furlongs on turf. She has spent most of her career racing in sprint races and this is her first time going 2 turns since her 2 year old season where she missed the board in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf. Will the stretch out help her get back to her winning ways?
6-Whiskey Wings (Team 7 Illusions)-She has started 13 times in her career with 5 wins and 9 on the board finishes. She has had a nice 6 race streak where she has 2 wins and 3 2nd place finishes mostly in stakes company. One of the wins came in an allowance race and then she won an overnight stake in her most recent start. She has spent most of her career sprinting but has stretched out a bit under new owner Team 7 Illusions. She is making a big jump up into grade 1 company and is trying to get her first graded stakes win.
7-Onorata Rodiana (Team 7 Illusions)- She has started 12 times with 2 wins and 10 on the board finishes. Both of those wins have come this year and she has a streak of 10 races without missing the money. Half of those races were in the maiden ranks and a couple others came in allowance races. Her last 2 races have been at the graded stakes level and she has responded well with a 2nd and a 3rd respectively. Even though she hasn’t won that many races due to her long streak of being in the money as well as good runs in graded races you have to keep your eye on this one.
8-Devil Wears Prada (Maverick Racing)-She has started 21 times with 5 wins and 11 in the money finishes. She is 0 for 6 in 2015 with 2 3rd place finishes however 5 of her 6 starts have come at the Grade 1 level. All of these races were on dirt and it has been a while since she has stepped on the lawn, May 31st 2014 to be exact where she finished 4th. Her last win on the turf came January 31st 2014. Her last win overall was November 29th 2014 in a Grade 3 race which was right after her 4th place finish in the Breeders Cup. Can the move back to the turf wake this horse back up?
This is a very big race for filly and mares 3 year olds and older who like to run long on the turf. There field looks to be tough with some coming in with good form and others looking to try and jumpstart their racing career again. I could see the results going a number of different directions. With that said here is my prediction: 3-1-7-8
Warbucks
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
