8/13/22
1 WO Bold Venture Stakes (GIII)
$150.000 3yo&Up 6f Dirt 3yo 119lbs Older 123lbs +penalties
Sprinting gents will be headed post-ward on a small card here at WO on Saturday and the Bold Venture (GIII) may shape up to be a one sided affair. I’m better the farm and the piggy bank on Ginger Clean today. He just looks like The One in this group, as he hasn’t missed a check all season and was six-for-eight last year. He hasn’t won since Jan but he’s been kockin’ on the door in a bunch of graded races, and I think today is the day he gets the door to open, again.
Here’s The Field –
He has four wins last season and closed out the year with a win in the Autumn (GII) over this track. This year, a whole different story… 0-fer although he does have a pair of thirds, including the MD Sprint (GIII) on PRK Day. He’s going to need his best and that calls for a big improvement.
A solid performer that was rolling along getting check after check until the Nerud (GII) race where he flashed some early speed and tired to be tenth in that field. Can he bounce back? I think so, as he was only three lengths back, and he may have some odds.
Lightly raced three year old makes his fourth trip to the starting hate and he’s been perfect since chancing hands for just $15.000 back in May. He broke maiden at CD then won an Alw race at ELP on a wet surface, so he certainly looks the part of a racehorse.
Was claimed for $20.000 and crushed a NM-bed stakes group, taking the Cole Stakes in wire-to-wire fashion. He did that in very quick time, so it’s up to the graded foes… it will interesting to see how he does vs. this group.
Does he ever run a bad race? no… no he doesn’t. He’s been on the board in twenty-two of thirty lifetime, and hasn’t missed a check this season. I like that late move in the Smile Sprint (GIII) where he really looked beaten when they turned for home, only to run second… he’s tough.
He’s been running with softer than this, although he was third in the SRP Stakes back in May. He’ was sixth last out vs starter company up in SAR, so he’s going to need to step it up in a big way if he takes home a check in this one.
He’s put some serious cash in the bank, winning some big races… but… and the but is the tough part. He just doesn’t seem to be his old self and has been up the track in three of his last four starts since changing hands. He improved a bit last out to be fourth in the Smile Sprint (GIII) at 99/1 odds. Can he build on that improvement?
He’s been a real up-and-down sort, but was a near-miss second in the Runhappy (GIII) at BEL two back, and closed will to be fourth beaten a half-length over this surface last out while facing ONT-bred stakes company. His best could put him in the middle of things when they turn for home.
Lightly raced, this being his eighth trip to the gate, and he’s been around for a check in most of those starts. Broke maiden three back, just missed vs. Alw types then was third in the Barrera (GIII), both at SA. I’d give him a hard look for part of this one, as well.
The good news is he’s been tough in his two prior races, but both of those were at PEN in free races and he was struggling a bit prior to those. He was fourth beaten a length in the Pelican at TAM back in Feb… can he find some of that today?
COZMAN 5 Willie’s Green Card 5 / 2
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
