The Stephens – Grade I

7 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $400.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st   King Pigeon   Delta Farms   Elliott S

I had a feeling that this one was better than his form suggested but i never expected that he would overcome gate 11 in a field packed with this much talent. HRP can be a fickle mistress though and whilst the horse outside him broke last and stayed there this one managed to get out of the gate and find a nice position in behind the speed. With a furlong to run he had made up good ground but the win would only come in the last stride as the gelding got home by a nose. Bred by the trainer this is a remarkable effort in only his fifth start and he really could be anything going forward. He looked today like he may stay a mile whereas he had looked like and out and out sprinter before that so Delta will have plenty of options going forward and with the BC beckoning plenty to look forward to.

2nd   Public Information   D J C Racing Stables   Davis D

If the winner was a little bit unexpected then the runner up really was an anomaly. Having said that we all know that at HRP for some reason when your stable is firing everything seems to run better and that is certainly the case for DJC today. The trainer has had some rough luck for a while now so certainly deserves this change of fortune and this one out ran his previous form by several lengths to very nearly get another big win for the stable.

3rd=   Aladdins Genie   Mb Stables   Saez L

Started out favorite for the champion trainer and ran the perfect stalk from the gate but just got run down in the dying strides. lets face it the first six were covered by little more than a length and the first four by a neck so it isn’t like he disappointed he just didn’t have any kick left after being so close to the pace early on.

3rd=   Disciplinary   Nakamura Stables    Wilson E J

The fastest finisher out of the first four home his late run only failed by a neck and he looked a shade unlucky. This was a much better effort from a horse that has been largely disappointing and one can see that his third trainer is getting a handle on him and he may just start winning big races soon.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES