12/15 The Ft. Lauderdale Stakes – Grade II
GP Race #9 1 1/8m Turf Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
1 Danke Schon Nakamura Stables Gaffalione T
If ever there was a horse than was difficult to weigh up then it would be this one. He went from being beaten eleven lengths in a grade two to winning a grade two to then losing in a grade one by ten lengths….now thats inconsistency!!! If you took out three terrible efforts in the BC Turf, the Hirsch Turf Classic and the Dixie then you would have a very good horse who had won two graded stakes in a fairly light career. He is drawn well and at his best could run well but its impossible to be confident about his chances.
2 Minnesota Moni The Sidley Stud Franco G
This winner of ten races, mostly stealing much lower grade races he looks like he is really hitting his straps at the end of his five year old season. The stable has been on fire recently and this one is a good example of the stables fortunes coming from winning little races at the lower tracks to winning the grade three River City Handicap last time. He was really game that day and the time for this trip was very good so with the perfect draw you have to think he will be continuing the stables surge in form.
3 Kiss The Snake Nakamura Stables Landeros C
The second stable runner and by far the most consistent of the two. A stakes winning sprinter on the dirt he has been campaigned in route races this year with just one win back in April in the grade three Ali. He has placed in four other graded stakes and ran well for a long way in the JC Gold Cup so he has been doing pretty well but most importantly has his first ever race on turf today. HRP can throw up some strange results with first timers on the turf when they are this sort of class and with some stunning grass works coming into this he may just be the dark horse in the field.
4 Sean Hannity Estero Farms Juarez N
The four year old had a very good three year old campaign but has been lightly raced this year but has managed a grade two win and placings in three others. He was bought in July by the stable and has only raced once which saw him pretty disappointing in the Arlington Million when a seven length tenth. He looks by far the best of the two stable runners and comes here pretty fresh which may be an advantage at the end of the year.
5 Penitentiary D J C Racing Stables Lopez P
A consistent sort he has only won three times in an eighteen race career but has a few good performances to his name and should give a good account as usual. He ran one of his better races of the year in the Smith Handicap when a close third last time and has been working pretty well so must be in there with a punchers chance.
6 Decibel Threshold Leparoux J R
Won the GP Turf Handicap at the beginning of the year over this course and distance and has put up some good performances since without winning again. He ran well to be a one length fifth in the BC Mile last time out after disappointing in the WO Mile and this is his pet distance so he may just take some beating from an OK draw.
7 Xmas Snow Maxmillion Farm Jaramillo E
The three year olds are drawn out a bit but both of them have shown enough that the weight advantage may be enough to see the usual result. This one won the Commonwealth Turf last time and had also won the La Jolla Handicap and finished third in the DMR Derby. He is working and running similar times to the older horses and comes from the turf master Maximilian Stable so probably has a great chance of winning atleast once more before he gets to the season of death as a four year old.
8 Mist Maker Crocker Ggs Sanchez Jef
This one was a real KYD hope but failed to make the field. He did run well to be fifth in the Preakness and also ran second in the Queens Plate but it wasnt until he was switched to the turf that he really made his mark. In his first attempt on teh grass for a long time he won the grade one Sword Dancer and then ran pretty well in the Shadwell Turf Mile before disappointing in the BC Turf. Its hard to weigh him up here as horses can tend to throw an improved run first up on turf after a dirt campaign but he has worked strongly and run well enough to expect a bold showing.
9 Lets Do It Big Boy RNP Stables Hernandez B J Jr
No-one was more thrilled than I as this one that was bought cheaply as an outside chance in the BC Turf ran a great race to end up third. He was tried on the dirt last time so we can forget that run but anything like his BC Turf run and he would go very close here. The draw may be against him but he is a tough sort who will be strong over this trip.
10 Midwestern Slang Gdp Inc Albarado R J
Bought for just $1.000 back in June this is a winner of over $2,000.000 who is in as good a form as ever as he proved last time out on the BC Mile. That was a stunning effort but no surprise considering his class. The wide draw will make it very tough for him but have no doubt this is a classy horse who comes from a stable in great form has a winning chance.
SUMMARY
This is a great end of season turf race with plenty of chances. Interestingly some of the best horses in teh race have difficult draws so it evens it out and really makes it about luck in running rather than who is the best. The three year olds will be strong as always and you have to respect the wide drawn Lets Do It Big Boy and Midwestern Slang. think Decibel who has the course in his favour will take some beating today but it is very hard to settle on the one runner to beat them all.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
