Bruce D Stakes – Grade I
AP Race #2 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $300.000 For Three Year Olds.

This being a grade one it is a great opportunity for some of the lesser lights to poke their nose into the BC reckoning and the race has certainly fallen under the radar as only seven runners have turned up to contest it. Known as the Secretariat Stakes prior to this season, it seemed to attract bigger fields but maybe the change of name caused a few to overlook it. Whatever the reason these three year olds do not feature a graded stakes winner between them which has to be unusual for a grade one race and it may just turn out to be the only chance some of them will ever have of competing at this level.

Here is how they line up:

1         Dreams Of Men      Serenity Stables        Cedillo A

This one ended his juvenile year in good form winning three of his five races and capping it off with a smooth victory in the Central Park. His three year old career didn’t start of with the same gusto as he was well beaten in both the Lecompt and the Transylvania and things weren’t looking to good for the son of Chai Bay. Things however took a turn for the better in the MTH Stakes where he bounced back to his best with a game third beaten just a quarter length and then he ran pretty well in the BEL Derby last time out when seventh. This is no world beater but this grade one isn’t overly strong and a repeat of his MTH Stakes run may well be good enough.

2         Sinissipi Magic       TwinTowersRacing          Saez G

I learned a long time ago never to write off a runner from this stable who seems to be able to get a bit more out of their horses when faced with big challenges. On the balance of his form you would have to say he doesn’t look good enough but he has worked a sub 1.35 mile and has the best draw in the game to work with. Write him off at your peril.

3       Kings Poker        Wood Duck Stables         Fukumoto D

You would have to say that this one has this race at his mercy and it will only take a monumental tactical error to see him beaten. The only horse in the field with triple digit speed figures he looked a real prospect notching up three wins in a row before a battling third from a wide gate in the grade two Read Stakes. The trainer hasn’t got the wide gate to worry about this time so there wont be any excuses and he would be the top pick and probably the most dangerous should he take the points and move onto the BC.

4       Insist On Perfection          Maxmillion Farm            Franco M

The turf king will have noticed this race and targeted it a while back and they have two runners here and both have a realistic chance of upsetting the favorite. This one is the more traditional router and showed in the Kent Stakes last time on an off track that he has the class to race at this level. The trainer spent $220 to bring this one back to the yard so i would expect him to be very competitive.

5       Fearisque           Maxmillion Farm            Jaramillo E

A sub 1.35 mile worker he raced over five and a half furlongs last time when closing late to be 5th in the Quick Call. There is no doubt that trip may have been on the short side for him and he showed when taking a big ticket maiden over a mile that he can be effective over further. The turf king will be looking to dominate the race with his two entries and could easily do so.

6          Sevens Vb             La Canada Racehorses           Beschizza A

With all the talk of the Turf King and the rest it is easy to overlook this one but a glance at his form and work times makes him a viable prospect for a win here. A strong third in the AP Classic against older horses last time and a sub 1.33 winning time under 122Lbs in the War Chant before that say that this one is a real prospect here. Add that to a decent mile work and all you have left is the wide draw. If he can overcome that he can win.

7         Broad Brush         Mb Stables          Bahen S R

Beat Sevens Vb fairly comfortably in the Cinema Stakes and on that form he would be a very good winning chance. He was pretty much a no show in the BEL Derby last time out though and that performance does but a bit of a dark cloud over his form. Previously he had been consistent so it may be worth writing that off but i do worry that he hasn’t got the required class gene. The trainer will have to work with the outside gate but he can win given some race engine luck.

SUMMARY

At first glance this isn’t a strong field but there are a few prospects here that could easily grow into a win like this and be a force going forward. I rather like Sevens Vb to be the type of horse that could do that but with two turf king runner’s, one from Mb that beat my selection in The Cinema and a promising one in Kings Poker i say that with very little confidence. Good luck to all.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES