The Lang Stakes
 PIM Race #11 6f Dirt Stake
Purse $200.000 For Three Year Olds.

1 Blowberg Estero Farms Velazquez J

These three year old races get interesting at this time of year because we see all those failed TC hopes trying to find their niche as they explore different trips and surfaces. This one falls into that category having competed in four TC points races over longer trips and now coming back to sprinting which saw his last win. That win was in the ungraded Notebook and he gets a 2Lb penalty for that victory last November. He actually did pretty well in the route races this year finishing third in the Withers and a close seventh in the Wood Memorial so clearly there is a touch of class about him if indeed sprinting is his game. I liked his 1.10 and 1 work over this trip recently and i can see him getting a comfortable stalk from this gate and opening up down the stretch.

2 Healthy Status First Class Stable Pimentel J

This is another who has covered just about every base from sprinting to routing on both surfaces so its hard to try and track his form into this race. He certainly showed in the Woodstock last time that he can act over this trip but has a tendency to get back and will have to try and stay closer today if he is to mount a winning challenge.

3 Cucamonga Tiratzo Centeno D

Whilst others have been dotting around distances and surfaces this one has been sprinting all of his career. Its strange when you consider his work times arent as quick as some of the horses coming back in trip but he has the form in sprints on the board so must be considered. He ran a cracker in the grade three Hutcheson stakes last time when beaten just a neck into second and with a good draw and an inform jockey he would be a big chance for this sort of race especially as he gets in penalty free.

4 Table Rock John Henry Bejarano R

Another who has been sprinting all his career he flew home in that Hutcheson stakes to be sixth beaten just a length but he has to make up some ground on Cucamonga and gets a 2Lb penalty for his win in The Simcoe last August. He could be good enough if he lays up a bit closer today but the race form says he cant win.

5 Pangong Mb Stables Talamo J

Yet to win a race on dirt his last win came in a turf allowance but of course that means little here at HRP and his 1.10 and 1 dirt work time is as good if not better than his rivals who look more like dirt racers. Coming from Mb Stables you have to respect his chances and he certainly has the work times if you forget his free track maiden win and defeats on dirt previously.

6 Del La Hoya D J C Racing Stables Gaffalione

He took a while to break maidens and gets a rotten draw here considering he would have to improve anyway to beat these.

SUMMARY

You have to respect Pangong on his work times but it is only them and the fact that he is trained by Mb Stables, beyond that he will have to go to beat a couple of these. I think Blowberg will welcome the return to sprinting but he will have to get out of the gate if he is going to beat Table Rock and Cucamonga who are more used to sprinting than him.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded