07/06 The BEL Derby Invitational – Grade I
BEL Race #6 1 1/4m InTurf Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.000 For Three Year Olds.
With the three year olds so dominant at the BC this race has become quite the guide for the BC Turf and Turf Mile as it brings together some of the best three year old turfers in the game. This is how this years race looks:
1 Dead Madness John Henry Maldonado E
Bought for just $40.000 after a maiden win last year he has proved a shrewd investment for the owner winning three more races including a black type last time out. That win was in the Tale Of The Cat where he sauntered home five lengths clear and went down into plenty of black books in the process. With works in the 1.34 region he is just the sort that could win this and then make the older horses suffer at weight for age.
2 Wired Up Rampage Stable Rosario J
Took three average efforts in maidens to learn what it is all about but has won his last two including the Cinema Stakes last time where he was a fairly comfortable winner. Its difficult to place him in this field but he looks like the trip will suit and he has the draw everyone wants so he has every chance of making it three in a row.
3 Arkenstone Mb Stables Velazquez J R
Another that looks set to make the older horses suffer he was an impressive winner of the Black Gold Stakes back in March but has since had to cope with off tracks and may be even better than his last three very good efforts. The winner of the grade three Transylvania Stakes he then stormed home late in the American Turf to run a close second. Its only possible at HRP of course but then he turned his running style upside down and very nearly won the PEN Mile last time out just getting rundown inside the final furlong. His works and his form say he will be among the favorites here and with three runners the story recently has been pretty repetitive in these 1K races.
4 Feathers Not Dots Team 7 Illusions Carmouche K
Won his maiden and an allowance nicely enough but has failed to step up to this grade in between and i just wonder if he lacks the edge to take a top race like this one. He gets a great draw to work with but that may be his best chance.
5 Hollywood Gem Estero Farms Pennington F
He was building nicely winning his first two races of the season but then his trainer decided to go for the TS Turf Sprint and the five and a half furlongs proved to be a bit sharp and brought his winning run to an end. His last start saw him fourth in the PEN Mile only beaten a couple of lengths and the way he was staying on suggests he may be at home over this trip. His works are strong and he has the help of the turf king Pennington today which will certainly help his cause.
6 Cherra Grans Team 7 Illusions Beschizza A
Of the two entries from T7 from their signature sire Cherokee Sunset this one looks the strongest and will certainly be a few peoples choice as the winner. The winner of a couple of statebred dirt races he has improved since being switched to the grass and after a close second to Arkenstone in the Transylvania he avenged that defeta in the American Turf when enterprisingly ridden to score by a cosy three quarters of a length. The only worry is that 3 of his 4 wins have come in the wet but he has acted on better ground so i dont think that will be a problem.
7 Diplomatic Leader D J C Racing Stables Gallardo A A
The trainer is known to take a punt in these big races and now and again it can come off and this one isnt a bad option if you are looking for bigger odds. He ran a cracker in the grade one Jaipur last time out leading for much of the way and ending up second but with that and his BC Sprint effort being career highs it looks like he may be a sprinter rather than a router. Oh my, did i just say that, sorry i forgot we play HRP and if DJC can find an instruction then there is no reason why he cant run a race over this ten furlongs.
8 Laffin Jamie High Voltage Gaffalione T
He is right in among them finishing a length back in third in the American Turf and then charging home for third in the Pennine Ridge last time. That form is right in the ball park for this race and along with his easy win in the Palm Beach would have to be a big chance. His works arent overly impressive but he has done the work and finds a fair enough draw to try and give his trainer a first grade one success.
9 City Of Bones John Henry Bejarano R
You could have claimed this one for $40.000 when he won a maiden claimer at the end of last year but that sort of option will never be available on him again as he has become one of the leading turfers of his generation. He took a couple of races to get fully wound up but then he exploded in the San Francisco Mile and followed that win up in the PEN Mile. With a 1.34 1/5 work he will be unbeatable by the older horses and if he can take this race today i will be bold enough to say he will win the BC Turf.
10 General Ferro Mb Stables Contreras L
With the webs of form so interwoven that by the time you work it all out there is pretty much nothing between most of these runners. He is another fly in that web. With good overnight form he wasnt setting any tracks alight but that all changed in the Pennine Ridge last time when he made all and repelled all challengers in the style of an improving horse. This son of Ferro is working like a champ but then they all are so I can only really take form as a guide and that isnt much help either. So he goes into that pile of possibles with the biggest hurdle he has to overcome being the draw.
11 Face Your Fears Mb Stables Gutierrez Mario
And yes another one to go into that spiders web of form and works that just adds to the pot of possibles that can win this. Second in the Palm Beach, fourth in the San Francisco Mile and then the head winner of the MTH Stakes like his stable companion General Ferro the draw may be tough and may be the difference between a one length ninth and a one length win but ith a bit of that Mb magic he could easily come out on top.
12 Call Me Godd Sir Daniel Martin Smith M E
Just when i think i have found one that i can write off then i look a little harder and i see a 1.34 1/5 work for the mile and a close third in the grade two Whittingham over this trip and find yet another one that has a chance if he can overcome the draw.
13 Devils Tower Smokey Stover Colon L H
The winner of last years BC Juvenile Turf finds himself in box 13 and not in the sort of form he was in at the end of last year. Having said that of course a third in the MTH Stakes beaten just three quarters of a length puts him less than a length behind good enough form to win this so it wouldnt take much of a squint to see him return to winning form. An interesting foot note might be that his two best wins in the BC and The Pilgrim both came from wide draws and he hasnt performed so well when drawn in so this draw may not be such a bad thing.
14 Spotted Kingdom Chili King Stables Prat F
We have to get all the way to gate 14 to finally find one that hasnt got tangled in the web of form found in all the others. The trouble is his works and his form just dont seem as sharp as these despite taking the ungraded Cup and Saucer last year.
SUMMARY
Here we have ten horses that when you cross reference their form and works come out about three inches apart. Not an unusual problem at HRP and to be fair any ten of these could run in an all aged grade one and probably beat the best of the older horses. So who is coming out on top today? A pin may be just as much use but i am going for City Of Bones to take the win and go on to BC favoritism.
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
