The Salvator Mile - Grade IIIMTH Race #8 1m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $150.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.
1 Short Order Crocker Ggs Juarez N 124 —
Back in the day this used to be a premier mile race, but it has seen a decline in recent years and survives on its reputation now rather than its reduced purse. The ace draw goes to this four-year-old that has been pretty consistent without really breaking through at this sort of level. I liked his run in the Excelsior but as a closing type from the rail draw, he will need some luck from the race engine and some good riding from his AI to pick a path to win.
2 Chagrin Falls Mo Mentum Farm Gonzalez J L 124 —
Another that works as well as a stakes winner but has struggled to put his work times in a race, he has been impressive in overnights but has yet to make his mark at this level. He is however running a trip that I think really suits him and has the right running style from this gate so I may be tempted to have a few Disney Dollars each way on him if the odds monkeys don’t look too hard.
3 Bullet Point Bears Stable Castillo I 118 —
He gets 6Lbs here which used to be worth ten lengths but is now worth about two, but that still makes him a decent chance. Consistent enough, I reckon the mile is his best trip, and he ran well enough against older horses on going he hated last time to make him a good choice from a decent draw. Never out of the first three, the only thing that may stop him winning is his jockey AI.
4 Electric Angelos Stable Camacho Sa 124 –,
This experienced six-year-old with 43 starts and 11 wins certainly gets some attention here and a draw that his running style can work with. He may not be as good as he was when winning the grade one Forego last year, but his effort in the General George says he isn’t far off that form. His best trip may be seven furlongs, but he can see out this mile with the right run and represents a good winning chance.
5 Bunter Hiden Night Rider Stables McCarthy T 124 —
Unlike his name’s sake he has been a winner in his last three outings albeit at lower grade. An on-pace type and suited by the mile, he is in good form and for that reason should not be written off. There is no doubt he has not previously been considered good enough for this level but I can’t help notice a 1.36 flat mile work after his last win which may say that some fairy dust has been sprinkled on his improvement curve and he is ready to get out of jail free.
6 Booker TwinTowersRacing Rendon J 124 —
After winning the Stymie over a mile in true HRP fashion he has raced over six furlongs and a mile and three sixteenths in his next two so coming back to his winning trip may give some value to his odds. The same can be said for the trainer who can throw them in and get some rewards and as another with a 1.36 flat mile work, a work that used to be reserved for BC winners, you have to sit up and take notice.
7 Marcus Antoninus Fractious Bravo J 124
The way this trainer is going this year you have to take notice of any runner they have and let’s face it they pretty much have at least one in every stakes race this year. This may not be the best in the yard, it may not even be in the top 100 but that still makes him as good as most in this race. Third in the Ghostzapper and a fair run last time, he is likely to lead or be on pace and should be in it for a long way.
8 Papa Nature Night Rider Stables Vargas J A Jr 124 —
He has struggled to win recently but has run some good races and may have found a decent race to again find some prize money. A good third in the Knicks Go last time, ahead of Marcus Antonius he may not be as good as he was but at six there may still be some life left in the legs.
9 Best Of West Williams9 Vazquez R A 118 —
A lightly raced three-year-old he is hard to weigh up but his close second in the Bay Shore was good enough to put him in with a chance receiving the 6Lbs. Another possible speed influence and a 1.36 and 2 worker for the dirt mile I am not saying no with an in-form AI in the saddle.
10 Alive Riggins Racing Hernandez C J 124 —
A real consistent sort and another possible speed influence from the wider gate he doesn’t look on paper to be a leading chance, but he shouldn’t be overlooked. He has some of the most consistently high speed figures in the field and despite a lot of his wins being in lower grade recently he was good enough to be on the cusp of the TC qualification last year with big efforts in the SUN Derby and the Lexington. He could be one of those that the odds monkeys overlook for this race.
11 Starfire Five The Sidley Stud Camacho S Jr 124 —
Claimed for just $3.200 last year it’s like the stable knew this one was on the list for fairy dust because he has steadily improved as a five-year-old and is now working and racing like a graded stakes winner. The obvious drawback is the draw here but with the speed push he could well find a good position in a race that may be fast through the opening quarter. He certainly has a better chance than his form suggests but then you can say that about any horse in any race at HRP.
12 Speightstown Nakamura Stables Jara F 124 —
If he runs like he did when winning the grade two San Antonio at the end of last year he could use this wide gate to set up a winning advantage. He has only had two runs this year and in both may have found the trip a little far in the early part of his season so this drop back to a mile will certainly help him. Fitter now and working like a winner it will all come down to the jockey AI and the race engine as to where he ends up.
SUMMARY
This is a very open race with plenty of early speed and the winner will be the one with the most alert AI holding the reins. With so many 1.36 mile work times it is hard to find the winner through that medium or racecourse performance so this is certainly a race where any one of twelve could win, and I would certainly be on the watch list rather than the betting one. If I had to be pushed for a choice, it would probably be boxing up Speightstown, Electric and maybe Bunter Hiden for the exacta.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
