The MD Sprint Stakes – Grade III
PIM Race #10 6f Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $150.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
1 Prince Of Wales Chili King Stables Lynch F
This five year old has a pretty good record going long but sticks to sprinting most of the time and has run some cracking races. A winner of the Pelican Stakes on seasonal debut he then ran a cracker from a wide draw in the grade one Triple Bend fading late to be beaten just a length into sixth. He was pretty disappointing in the Fleet Sprint Handicap last time but tried to go with a very fast pace s maybe there was some excuses. His works are fast and he gets an inside draw to work with but he will have to be at his very best to win today.
2 Curse Mb Stables Bejarano R
Three year olds should start to dominate these races about now as the weight allowance kicks in and the works times are very similar between the age groups. This one is a decent sprinter and won the Buffalo Man in the mud over this trip at the end of last year so may find things to his liking today. If the three’s are as good as last year he will go close but i am not sure he is quite up to this just yet.
3 Saturday Khartoum Rousee Velazquez J R
A lightly raced and consistent sort he is clocking up a decent record with only 11 starts under his belt. The winner of two ungraded stakes this year he was only seventh in the GP Sprint championship in between but didnt run badly from a horrible wide draw and that may have been a better effort than it looks on paper. A very nice work last time suggests he is in top form and if he handles the wet he may be a strong contender for the win.
4 Viking Fuse Delta Farms Castellano J J
A solid sprinter who hasnt exactly broken into the big time he is an honest sort who is sure to give a good account of himself. A very good fifth in the GP Sprint Championship he ran pretty well in the mud last time when third in the Commonwealth and has done enough to put him near the top of the form tree for this race, A good draw will help his chances and he looks a shoe in for the top four.
5 Freak Storm Mo Mentum Farm Espinoza V
Looked to have found his niche last year when winning the Nearctic and then running very well to be fifth in the BC Turf Sprint. After that success he has been suffering a little, not winning in his last 5 starts but running pretty well in his last two. Only beaten a half length in the San Simeon last time it os a surprise to see him on the dirt today but a 1.10 and 2 work may have convinced his trainer to try again on this surface. An accomplished sprinter he could do well if the change of surface works for him.
6 Cherry Vodka Keikowin Racing Smith M E
This four year old has an impressive record of Ten wins from sixteen starts but all of those wins have come at overnight level. There’s no doubt he knows where the winning post is and he gets a chance to have a go at a stakes race today and he has a punchers chance at success.
7 Dust In The Wind John Henry Pennington F
Had a good season last year winning the grade two Phoenix and placing third in the BC Sprint so it was pretty surprising to see him running for a tag at the end of the year but less surprising that he was claimed, John Henry won that claim and then put him in the Palos Verdes to win that claim back. He was taken back and stormed home to be seventh just two lengths behind the winner and then ran a pretty solid race in an optional claimer last time when only beaten a nose in a fast time. He is certainly better than a claimer and if he runs up to his BC form will go close to winning.
8 Give Your All Mb Stables Albarado R J
A dual grade one winner he has been slumming it this year claiming two easy wins in little allowances but it is pretty easy to see he is much better than that. A 1.10 and 1 work puts him right in this and now he is racing at the correct level i expect a bold showing.
9 Insect Mb Stables Ortiz I Jr
Another grade one winner he was just behind Give Your All in both the Phoenix and the BC Sprint last year and i see no reason why he should change that today. He was a gutsy winner at this trip in an allowance last time and should be right in it today.
10 Happy Medium Night Rider Stables Pimentel J
Fairly lightly raced he has a good record since being claimed for just $16.000 last season. A close third in the grade one Malibu he was again close up in both the Fool Handicap and the Fleet Sprint Handicap this year putting him right around the top runners in this race, He has been drawn widish in his last three races and has failed to see the finish out so a wide draw again today suggests the same may happen.
11 Devil Water Pan Farms Karamanos H A
Has run over a variety of trips and surfaces but more recently has been seen in the sprinting ranks thanks to some speedy work outs. A win in the Marion Stakes at the end of last year saw him get sold a couple of times before arriving at Pan Farms where he ran eleventh in the Triple bend and then a very good second in the Commonwealth. He has good wet track form and the rain may be his best chance of winning this from a difficult draw.
12 Valiant Phan Angelos Stable Maldonado E
He has been in very good form recently but at a lower grade than this and may find things tough from the 12 gate. An on pace runner i would expect him to get catapulted to the lead or very near it and it may get tough for him if he is tested to get there. He was a good winner in the Lyman Stakes last time so is by no means out of it but in a tight field his best chance may come with rain.
SUMMARY
If the rains come then there are plenty of wet trackers in this race to make it pretty competitive whatever the weather. I rather like Give Your All for this but its a very open affair and will take plenty of winning.
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