9/13/2020

  1   EMD    Longacres Mile (GIII)

    $100.000    3yo&Up      1m  Dirt        3yo 118lbs   Older 124lbs

Out to the Great North-West and a field of twelve for the Longacres Mile (GIII) and boy to we have a group here that will make you scratch your head.  Claimers stepping up, graded combatants that are down on their luck… it’s a read hodge-podge.  I’m going with one of the later as my top choice and took Silent Commander at the top pick.  How can you take a horse that was tenth and eleventh in his last two starts? Well, one was the BEL and the other was the Travers, and if he can run back to his win in the Peter Pan (GIII) I think he cruises home today.  I’ll go right next door and take First Down Dash as my second choice.  He’s been running big all season, showing very consistent form and no reason to go against that here.  There’s a pair of $1,000.000+ earners in here as well, with People Doubted and Eclipse My Knowledge, and to ignore either is probably a bad move.  It’s adds up to be a heck of a horse race. 

Here’s The Field –

No wins this season, although he has been close in a few lower end stakes races.  Was last of seven in the Seagrum Cul (GIII) at WO in his most recent effort.  He’s going to have to find some of that old magic or it will be another long day at the race track.

Claimed in Jul for $14.000 and won his first race back for the new stable, at the same level.  So they are jumping him up to stakes company again, which he hasn’t seen in quite a while.  Can he get back to that kind of form again?

He was tenth and eleventh in his last two starts, but when you take into account that it was in the BEL (GI) and the Travers (GI), you have a bit more forgiveness in those results.  He won the Peter Pan and had a couple other major on-the-board performances, so this looks like a spot for him to get back to the winner’s circle.

A win and three seconds this season in only five starts, so he’s been competitive in most of his races.  Was last in the Commonwealth (GIII) at KEE, but throw that out and he’s right on the money.  I’d give him another big look in this one as well.

It’s been a long year for this 5yo as he is 0-for the year and sold for $200.000 prior to beating one in the Bowling Green.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s been running with some top-notched company ad this is a step down, but he has to show more.  Can his class carry him here?

Tried graded horses last out and that didn’t go so well.  Had hit the board in three straight including an Alw win at FG, but just never go under way at all in his most recent.  He will need to turn it around in a big way to be part of this one.

Pulled the upset last out to make it two in a row, taking the Shared Belief at DMR by a head at 23/1 odds.  Won a $30.000 claimer at WO prior to that, but he seems to be running big right now.  Can he pull off another upset here?

5yo gelding has had a time of it… was eleventh in the Pegasus (GI) and SA Hcp (GI) then won the TX Mile (GIII).  He’s been hit and miss in his last pair as well… when he’s good, he’s good, but when he’s not, it’s ugly.  Who do we get today?

Stable-mate to the eight and had his back to back streak snapped when they went big game hunting in the Whitney (GI) where he was last in the field of twelve.  This is softer but there is a bunch of old class in this race so he will need his best to be in the thick of this one. 

Was claimed out of a $12.500 race in his most recent where he got home in front by a quarter length.  That was two wins in three starts, but he’s never seen the likes of these.  I would have to guess he will be a long-shot today. 

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES