The Seek Again ($100.000 Purse)
BEL- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
May 22, 2021
A new stake has appeared on the schedule this year, and a field of eleven will head to the gate, making The Seek Again already successful as a race. It allows older horses to run a mile on the main track at BEL, a track that is a couple weeks away from being the center of attention here in our virtual racing world. Until then, we still get races like this one to keep us excited. This now would normally be the part of the introduction where I talk about the past winner, but without one, let’s just get right to those who seek to become the first Seek Again winner.
#1- Ice Wall (RNP Stables, ridden by T McCarthy)- This is a horse that needs some positive momentum. They finished off 2020 so well with a string of second place finishes in top races, including the BC Dirt Mile, but it has been a struggle since then. Recently, the horse has not done better than sixth in his last three. A drop down was needed, since moving to the grass for his last start was not the answer.
#2- Bell Boy (Rampage Stable, ridden by J Rosario)- Here is one of those horses who does well in overnights, but does not answer the bell when given a chance to run at the stake level. He has had three chances too, but not only has he not won one, he has not even been close. This year, he has two out of three wins, which follow along with that mentioned script. Is this the race where the story on him changes? The trainer is hoping it is!
#3- Burning Approval (Mb Stables, ridden by D Davis)- There are three horses in the race who have surpassed $1,000.000 in career earnings, but Burning Approval has done that twice, making just under $2,400.000 in his lifetime. That came in an incredible stretch in 2019, where he won the Travers, PA Derby, and others while later running second in the BC Dirt Mile. But, times have changed, and he has only run once since placing third in the Cigar Handicap last December. That was in an allowance in March, which he won. Him running here makes me think the trainer still isn’t quite won over that Burning Approval is ready for the big boys again, and wants this to be the race where he shows that he is ready.
#4- Plenty Supercharged (Yates Racing, ridden by K Carmouche)- Spent most of his career running for Fractious, but in the beginning of March, he was sold off to Yates Racing for $40.000 in private sales. He’s run three times since then for his new owner with three races in a four week period, and the second one being a $20.000 claimer makes me think Yates had some reservations about the purchase at first. That has obviously changed now as he runs in the Seek Again, after running second in an optional claimer. Most importantly, he’s had some time to rest since then.
#5- Strat (Gdp Inc., ridden by M Franco)- Comes into this race off of breaking his maiden, and for Strat, that came in his sixth career start while running at GG. He jumped around a little with his finishes before that, and there have been several add combinations recently used. Also interesting, is that his win came after the trainer moved him from the dirt to the turf, and now he is back on turf. He works very well, and he seems like a wild card here. I can’t pick him, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he won, either.
#6- Buffalo G (Nakamura Stables, ridden by L Saez)- Joined the fold at Nakamura in September by way of a $53.010 auction purchase, and has made four starts since then. He captured his debut for the trainer, which was an allowance in the mud at HAW. That moved him into stakes, and his next starts were ok, but nothing to really excite you. His last start showed that he can do better at this level, though, placing second in the Caica Electronica at the Big A at the end of the March.
#7- Wrangler (High Voltage, ridden by J Lezcano)- It will be the stake debut for this Impactful gelding, and it comes after he ran second in an allowance at SA last month. He’s won once in seven starts, breaking his maiden at TAM in January, but then not following that up well. So, it was good to see him run better in that allowance. Can’t afford to slip up again, though, like he did in February.
#8- Unfold (Angelos Stable, ridden by J Bravo)- This one has had a great career, making over $1,500.000 in earnings, but is he still able to run at a high level? That moment of greatness was in 2019, winning the BC Dirt Mile by half a length over Burning Approval. Maybe seeing that one again will bring back memories for Unfold and inspire him to a big run. His last race, coming only 12 days ago, left the trainer unhappy with how the Runhappy would unfold, but clearly to be back so quickly, that confidence is not gone. By the way, he hasn’t won since that BC win.
#9- Rhythm Priest (Paradise Stable, ridden by E Cancel)- This is not the type of race where I would expect to find a maiden, so I am surprised to see one, especially one that is 0-for-14. Sure, there are eight in the money finishes, and yes, he works well. And just maybe, going turf to dirt will help. I’ll still pass.
#10- Saturday Khartoum (Rousee, ridden by J R Velazquez)- A horse that knows how to bring it when I am covering one of his races. It’s been a little while since he’s had a great result in a big race, and it’s been a little while since I have covered one of his races. Correlation, there? Placed third here on BEL day 2020 in the Metropolitan Handicap, which is also the last time he wore a double digit silk number. A lot of things are setting up here for a big effort, aren’t they?
#11- Downward Roll (Big Jd Racing, ridden by J Alvarado)- Our outermost horse is no stranger to the starting gate, and it will be career start number 50 for this eight year old gelding. In that time, he has won 16 times, and has been in the money 37 times. After arriving at Big Jd Racing, and forgiving their first race together, it’s been an upward climb for Downward Roll, hitting the board in 11 start. After success in his “40’s”, will that translate to the 50’s? He’s run in several races like this, though in the $50-$75.000 purse range, and does well. We’ll see!
Prediction: 10-3-6-11
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
