The Tempted (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
AQU- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
November 4, 2015
There will be some good racing on Wednesday at the Big A with two big races for two year olds, and here we will look at The Tempted, which features the fillies. Running just a few days after the BC, this race presents a good opportunity for those who may have just missed running in an event such as the BC Juvenile Fillies. It’s a good purse and a win here will certainly catapult the winner, and perhaps a few more, to me running against BC runners in their next start. It’s the fourth running of the event, and last year’s winner was a Model American filly named Love Me Do. However, instead of pointing her career upwards, trainer Downwind Stables opted to cash in, and would sell her a month later for $200.000. She has since gone on to have a fairly good career. Downwind will have a chance to defend his title here as a field of eight heads to the gate. Let’s meet the field!
#1- Summer Sampler (Downwind Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- Trainer looks for the repeat tempted win with this Holly Summer filly. On the track, she’s won two of her three career races, but nothing that’s going to particularly jump out at you. The first win was the maiden victory at ELP, then she defeated two rivals in a TX-bred allowance at RET. This is a big jump up for her based on that, but if you look at the work times you can see clearly why the trainer is hopeful of a big run here. She uncorked a beauty of a work about two weeks prior to this race at SA. She’s going to have to bring that to the race track, and she’s done what she’s needed to do so far. Big test for her, but very capable.
#2- June Star (Nakamura Stables, ridden by J Alvarado)- The Sven (by Swarley) filly is one of three in this race who have already eclipsed $100.000 in career earnings. June Star has plenty of experience running against the best, with a third place run in the $250.000 Astoria in her favorite month, which was a race won by Notarized Kate. Later, she would be victorious in the $100.000 CA-bred CTBA Stakes, which is one of the three wins to her credit thus far. Despite the summertime potential, June Star was taken off the Juvenile Fillies trail and sent to a MTH turf allowance. She won that race, easing what were likely concerns about the distance. We’ll see how she does here as a win will certainly put her running against the best again.
#3- Spider (Blushing Meadows, ridden by E Cancel)- After taking a shot at getting into the Juvenile Fillies Turf with his filly, Blushing Meadows sends his favorite Spider to the Tempted. In four races, she has one just her maiden race at DMR in July. Off of that, she was entered into the Grade 1 DMR Debutante over Labor Day weekend and finished fifth. After that if off to the turf for the Grade 3 Miss Grillo at BEL, and she would be seventh of 12. While she was in the mix in both of those races until the end, it appears she needs to pick it up a bit. A recent work shows she might do exactly that considering how well she handles the final two furlongs on the 18th. That was on the turf, and if this doesn’t go well here, don’t be surprised to see her return to the grass.
#4- Morgan Le Fay (Paradise Stable, ridden by C H Velazquez)- For the most part, the Noble Warrior filly has run against CA breds, but her biggest win to date came when she left the west coast. In late June, she was victorious in the $100.000 Debutante, a race in which she defeated June Star. At that time she won two of three races, and seemed to be poised for a good run when she entered the CA-bred Generous Portion Stakes in late August. She was made the favorite, but she was not up to the task and finished last of them all. Paradise Stable has rested Morgan Le Fay since then, and will be hoping that this patience pays off and her career can be kickstarted back in the right direction here.
#5- Checks In The Mail (Jackrussell Farms, ridden by J J Castellano)- There is plenty of talent in her blood, being by Laffin Policeman and also having Jolly Be Great on the mare side, and Checks In The Mail will need to realize some of that potential to have a shot in this one. At the beginning of September, she captured the $75.000 Sorority Stakes at MTH while still being a maiden. That field wasn’t necessarily the greatest, so the more impressive run of hers is actually her third place finish in the Grade 2 Matron at BEL in mid October. In theory, this is an easier race, but in reality it will be just as difficult. Her last public mile work was a while ago and could have other reasons for why it was what it was, but that alone will not cut here. Hopefully the trainer sees more potential for her to get the distance in farm works.
#6- Quest (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by A S Arroyo)- The combination of sire Crown Quest and mare Brodeur have teamed up to produce a couple foals that looked as though they were on the verge of stardom, but could not quite get over the hump and become a graded stake winner. This foal is on a quest to become the one that can finally earn a graded win for this pairing. Quest has indeed been promising, with wins in her last two starts, including a sloppy allowance at BEL in the beginning of October. She will have to pick it up a little from these performances in order to make the successful jump into graded competition.
#7- Stolen Secret (Alydar Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- It really is a shame that this filly could not take part in the BC Juvenile Fillies, as she is a victim of the way the points system is set up. She has been great so far in her career, but her biggest wins have been handcuffed by the FL-bred restriction. She has four wins overall, one of which was the $200.000 Vixen, and the other the $300.000 Susan, which are each part of the FL Sire Stakes down at GP. With those wins, the trainer had one chance to get her into the BC, and sent her to the Grade 1 Frizette at the beginning of October. Unfortunately, Notarized Kate was there, which of course meant there was a sloppy track. On the off track, Stolen Secret was never able to showcase her true ability, and therein went her only chance at getting into the BC. Motivated by that, Stolen Secret is on a quest to show the world her talent here and get a check in the mail.
#8- Show The World (Threshold, ridden by M Franco)- Threshold takes an aggressive shot here with this filly who is still a maiden and only has one race to her credit. That was a third place finish at BTP in September. There is very little that can be seen here, with only one public work since July, a six furlong turf work at PRX which doesn’t necessarily impress. It’s safe to say that the trainer has more that he sees with farm works that leads him to have faith here, and she does have strong bloodlines. Her name is applicable, time to do it if you have the ability.
Prediction: 7-2-6-4
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
