Fleur De Lis Handicap – Grade II [BC]
CD Race #10 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $250.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.
These races for older horses tend to get packed out just because people are looking for fair chances for their older horses but they tend, like this one, to become highly competitive and hard to win. Here is how the twelve runners line up.
1 Pink N Bold Iolaus Racing Davis D 119
This filly had a decent enough three year old campaign winning the Melair and the MTH Oaks but hasn’t been tested so far as a four year old running strictly in overnight grade. Her runs have been solid enough, wining two of three, to suggest she can make this step back into graded company with little loss of momentum.
Works are good, draw is great, weight is fair, lots of positives around her chances.
2 Techno Cheryl The Sidley Stud Bejarano R 119
This five year old has been around the block with 30 races for 8 wins and has been a solid performer at this level since her two year old days. Fourth in this race last year she should again be competitive but i think the tale of the tape is that she carries the same weight as she did last season which i think suggests there hasn’t been any significant improvement. A great draw she will be in this race.
3 Flawed Justice YME Stable Jaramillo E 118
A four year old that has moved quickly through the grades and is very competitive here off bottom weight. I don’t think she has a huge turn of foot but she has a high cruising speed and if she can get a decent spot in transit i think she may be in the top three.
4 Querencia Smokey Stover Bahen S R 119
Another decent slogger probably her best form for a race like this would be her two length seventh in the grade one Apple Blossom Handicap. She has won a nice Optional claimer since then so whilst she isn’t a big name she is just the sort for races like this.
5 Envy Mo Mentum Farm Gonzalez Ru 119
Sixth in the BC Fillies and mares turf beaten just a length so there was perhaps a bit more expected of her this year and as yet she has been a little disappointing. A fair third in the Trillium last time may be suggesting she is ready to start winning again and her works certainly suggest the ability s still there if she gets a bit of luck in a packed field.
6 Forever Phooey Party Night Rider Stables Zayas E J 119
Took the Beldame last year as a three year old but like a lot of four year olds do she has struggled a bit since losing her age weight claim. She ran well enough to be second in the Doubledogdare but was a shade one paced in the la Troinne last time. This is the right level for her and it has a wide open look to it so she should give a good account.
7 Coconut Princess Rampage Stable Rosario J 119
Another that has been kept back a little after some good stakes runs as a three year old. She won a decent CD allowance last time suggesting she is ready to come back to this grade and her works suggest there is a big run in her.
8 Gold Futures TwinTowersRacing Ryan S 121
Has to hum top weight around here thanks mainly to her Santa Margarita win in April. She is a solid sort but the wider draw and weight combination will be tough to overcome. Having said that she is a better dirt filly and four of her last six have been on turf so her form may not look as good as it is.
9 Pocono Fashion Nakamura Stables Carrasco V R 121
Not surprisingly this one shares top weight and is very close to Gold Futures after being beaten just a half length by that one in the Santa Margarita. Third in the BC Distaff last year and the winner of the grade one Cottillion she deserves every pound here and is the clear class choice. However as is always the case her form is interwoven with a few of these and she doesn’t always come out on top so it will be tough with the weight and the draw.
10 Beldame D J C Racing Stables Bridgmohan S X 119
Gets in here with a competitive weight but a poor draw however she may just be good enough to overcome it. Third in the Mother Goose last year at this time of year she has been running well in top company since including a win in the Rampart. She coped with the draw in the Rampart so with a bit of luck she can do it again today and her works are strong enough to suggest that she is up to this.
11 Cp Skeleton Moons Greyfriars Stable Arrieta F 121
Beat Beldame in the Allaire Distaff Stakes last time but is worse off at the weight today after that nose win. Her form doesn’t look that much better than everything else’s so its a bit of a mystery as to why she gets joint top weight today but couple that with a wide draw and the task looks like a big one. She has gone right up on the pace when drawn wide before so she will need some luck to not use up too much early on but if she can slot in and run some sensible fractions she would have a chance of running well.
12 Ragin Redhead Wood Duck Stables Velazquez J R 118
A consistent type recently bought at auction, the company she has recently been keeping reflects in her bottom weight but you don’t have to go too back too far to find some black type form most notably when winning the FL Sires Stakes – My Dear as a two year old. One feels this is a bit of a fact finding mission for the stable but the wide draw may give them more questions than answers after the run. A punchers chance.
SUMMARY
A very even race so it may pay to look to the big trainers here and using that tactic i came up with Querencia from Smokey Stovers Stable. Envy and Forever Phooey Party look well weighted on their best form as does Beldame if she can overcome the draw.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
