The Forbidden Apple – Grade III
SAR Race #7 1m InTurf Graded Stake
Purse $175.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward.
1 Hollywood Capo Nakamura Stables Velazquez J R
This horses last win was in the Shadwell Mile last October so it is fair to say he hasn’t really moved on from his first grade one win. He has however run some solid races this season with a decent second in the MTH Stakes last time telling us that he is nicely placed here to try and go one better. His works remain pretty good and he has the perfect draw for the same sort of run as he got in the Shadwell so whilst he may not be the stand out he may have been in the past he is a very good chance.
2 Vengeful Nakamura Stables Alvarado J
Drawn along side his stable mate and in many ways he is the opposite but the same. He was a promising three year old but never really delivered but plenty of pateince have seen him start to show improvement at age 5 and now he has won his last two including the Bensalem Stakes last time. He is coming from a different place than his stablemate but his chances are very similar and with a great draw i would expect him to make his presence felt.
3 Commanding Officer Winning Link Stables Davis D
Though his last two efforts have been disappointing three back he was a very good winner of the Appleton easily accounting for Hollywood capo on rain softened ground. A good second in the Thunder Road suggests he can run in the dry too and as he too has those works in the ball park and the sort of form that says he could win then he must go in the hopper with a chance of being pulled out.
4 Mr Skittles Night Rider Stables Santana R Jr
This trainer has a habit of getting cheap claimers to run very well at graded stakes level but in truth this horse is just running the same times just in different races. Winning a cheap Starter Allowance at GG in 1.32.52 he went 132.81 in the grade three American Stakes last time and only failed by a head to win. Such is the lack of a true class structure but it does seem that horses that maybe have some sort of class value written in to their code can do that and this horse certainly falls into that catagorey. Front running has been to the key to his recent success so i would expect him to try and make all here and he doesn’t seem to have a lot of pressure inside him so that may work out well.
5 Banshee Star Calia Stable Ortiz I Jr
This eight year old is a grand old battler who has served the game well in his 58 races. A grade one winner in 2018 he slipped down the ranks eventually ending up in claimers last year where his current owner picked him up for just $16. The trainer put him back to turf routes and he has gone right back to his best and in fact is having his best season for 4 years! Second behind Commanding Officer in the Appleton he won the Poker Stakes last time recording a speed figure that he was running in 2017! He gets a weight penalty for that win and that makes it very tough here but i really hope he wins because there is nothing better than an old timer winning against the odds.
6 Hawaiian Lord Our Athletes Ortiz J L
Consistent at the lower levels his trainer upped about ten spots in grade to run in graded company in his last two so must think there is more to him than meets the eye. There is certainly something there but not enough visible to this pundit to take a gamble on him this time.
7 Ags Cherokee RNP Stables Lezcano J
Sold three times in 4 months i am left wondering why that is considering his form is pretty good and his works fast enough to make him worthy at this level.Sold by Mb Stables after just one race he won the King Stakes carrying a penalty and made all to do so so there is certainly evidence there that he is good enough to get involved in the finish. The only thing that really ruins his chances is rain as he has been terrible on off tracks but with some sunshine he must be a chance.
8 Spiral Mb Stables Saez L
He has run in BC races for the last three years and is a grade one winner over this surface and trip so gets in here in a very good spot. The trainer has been holding back a few of their older horses and is just now launching them on a campaign to get them into the BC and this one looks on course after a very good win in a big ticket allowance at WO last time. The draw is a question mark but there is no doubt that at his best this horse would win by a good few lengths.
9 Ptyrannical Arindel Franco M
Won the Kilroe Mile and just got nosed in the Makers Mark before disappointing a little in the Shoemaker last time. There is no doubt that he has some of the best 2022 form for a race like this and has recorded some of the best recent turf works as well. The draw of course is a question mark but along with the horse inside him he brings the best form for a midweek grade three.
10 Invade The Storm Saratoga Stud Gaffalione T
This one has promised a lot but for me just hasn’t delivered what i think he could be capable of yet. He ran a very nice third from a horrible gate in the Arlington Stakes last time after a decent win prior so we could be seeing some of that promise come to the fore but he will have to have some help from the race engine to make this gate work for him.
12 Gran Man Gdp Inc Castellano J J
#12 Gran Man is starting in PP11.
A nice type who won nicely enough last time but this is no ordinary grade three and i think he will find things very tough from the car park.
SUMMARY
A real nice race to spice up the mid week racing. You have to feel it is between Spiral and Ptyrannical but they both have bad draws so it makes things a bit more open. Nakamura’s two will be competitive from the inside gates and my heart wants to see Banshee Star run home by eight lengths but it is hard to get by the top two.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
