DMR Mile – Grade II
DMR Race #7 1m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $150.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
1 Decision In Five Nakamura Stables Gryder A T
Draws into a good gate for him here, the same draw that saw him a close third in the Pegasus World Turf Cup. Whilst that effort and many of his races have been beyond the mile he did run second in the grade one MM Mile back in April and showed enough early pace from the wide gate to lead the Read Stakes last time over nine furlongs. If he holds the rail and a loose stalk today he should run well.
2 Apocalypse Rising Gdp Inc Hernandez J J
A consistent sort who has improved nicely recently and this looks a good race for him to keep that going. Drawing the perfect gate he hasn’t been so lucky with the draw but its worth noting that when he has drawn well recently he has won and that includes a huge late finish to take the Forbidden Apple last time out. He should be right in the finish.
3 Moonlight Special Allinthegate Desormeaux K J
A three year old working 1.34 and 2 is usually enough to win a race like this regardless of previous form. A winner of 4 from 8 he hasn’t been in this sort of grade but again that doesn’t usually matter. A great draw to continue the run of the three year olds.
4 Serpiente Party T Boy Racing Prat F
You cannot knock the sort of career this horse has had winning 12 races out of 24 starts and two of those coming in ungraded stakes carrying a penalty which is far from an easy thing to do. I have a feeling this one is much better than his exposed form and could be the dark horse in the race.
5 Vegas Host Nakamura Stables Cedillo A
The second entry from Nakamura Stables he is a well traveled ten race winner who seems to run well on any surface and at any trip. He seems a little hit and miss at times but has been good in his last two and is working as well as ever so should not be written off. He won the Red Bank at grade three over this trip in 1.33 flat last year so has it in the locker if things go his way.
6 Atomic Eclipse La Canada Racehorses Rispoli U
Here we have another three year old who is working faster than the older horses and gets the weight allowance making it likely that he will be in at the finish. A winner of four from nine he was very tough from a horrendous draw in the California Dreaming last time and this race looks set up perfectly for him to run big.
7 Plucky Ben Arindel Pereira T J
A good sort and hard working but looks up against it in this field. Working well enough to have a chance but his recent form says no.
8 Going Gone John Henry Franco G
Everything about this ones form says winner but he will find it tough against the three’s in this. A close sixth in the BC Mile last year his win this year came in the MM Mile from a terrible draw when he made all to win in a sub 1.33 race time. That was a super effort but then he took on the three’s in both the Shoemaker Mile and the Read Stakes and found a couple too good. He certainly is the best horse in this race on the balance of form.
9 Tonys Aprill Thrill Mb Stables Fuentes Ru
Bought for $75 after winning a claimer at the free track he went straight to the United Nations to end up an amazing second and then backed that up with a third in the National Museum of Racing. This is one of those almost unbelievable catches from Mb Stables coming from nothing to be a top turf prospect in a matter of months. His works say there is more to come and he could be the top three year old on works and his last couple of starts.
10 Koda Estero Farms Van Dyke D
Another that was bought after winning a claimer this one hasn’t made the same impact as Tonys April Thrill but is nevertheless a lot better than a claimer. He may be a little too slow for this trip but as he has a wide gate the wide gate speed push may help him to eep up early. A long shot but not a no hoper.
11 Time Warrior Paradise Stable Espinoza V
I really like this horse but it seems whoever assigns the draw does not. He has managed to overcome his imposed handicap in his last two starts and was huge last time out when taking the American Stakes from a typically poor draw. He is up against it again today but if the race engine allows him to go back and then gives him a clear run he could just spring a surprise win.
SUMMARY
I really like Time Warrior but this will be tough to win this from the car park. The three’s look tough with Tonys April Thrill working like Pegasus whilst the best of the older horses is probably Going Gone. So much will rely on the pace but i am hoping for a tear away leader and Time Warrior swooping from the back.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
