Unusual Heat Turf Classic
SA Race #8 1 1/8m Turf Stake
Purse $200.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward Foaled In CA.
1 French Style Royalty Stables Dettori L 123 —
Led the BC Turf for a long way before battling into sixth, that is pretty good form for a State bred ungraded stakes race so his chances are obvious. Third in the DMR Handicap and second in the Hirsch prior he is a late bloomer who could still be improving and represents a very good winning chance.
2 Key Ambition Czech Out Farms Maldonado E 125 —
Gets handicapped with a penalty and despite the great draw that may be enough to see him tested here today. A consistent sort he will give his best, but I am not sure with the extra weight he can be part of the finish.
3 Sweep The Soviet Wood Racing Stable Prat F 123 —
Just average in past years he hit form late last year winning his last three races. At HRP horses tend to be great early and poor late or poor early and great late in their lives, (this is a generalization as there are plenty of examples of those that start good and stay good and the opposite) and this may just be one of those that starts winning good races later in life. I like the direction his works have been heading and he could be the dark horse in this.
4 Nashwa High Voltage Contreras L 123 —
Despite some decent works you would have to say that on racetrack evidence he may be out of his depth here. He has bounced around a few stables so maybe this stable has found the hidden attribute that will see him realize his potential, but I think I will wait and see today.
5 House Of Games Spankys Barn Van Dyke D 123 —
A consistent type in lesser grade he was claimed last summer, and the trainer has been busy trying to find the magic key with this one. There are plenty of decent works that say he has the ability if the puzzle can be finished so this is another I will be watching very closely.
6 Animal House Night Rider Stables Smith M E 123 —
There’re a few decent performances in this one’s record including a good third in the International Turf Cup last September so he comes into the reckoning here. I am not sure he is the winner, but a top three finish is definitely on the cards.
7 Tokugawa Fractious Rispoli U 125 —
The draw monster has worked it’s evil here on Fractious putting both the stable runners into the car park with the two widest draws. Having said that, both have a real chance and we have seen the wide gate been advantaged enough to know they aren’t out of this race at all. This fairly lightly raced five-year-old really improved after being claimed last summer winning three on the bounce before a great effort in the grade two Seabiscuit Handicap where he dead heated for a close second. He was just fair in the San Gabriel last time, but his recent body of work certainly brings him into the top four even with a penalty.
8 Miami My Amy Fractious Gutierrez Mario 123 —
Claimed from Mb Stables after winning at GG, this one had won the San Francisco Mile and had run some great races at the grade one level and looks a good claim. I would hope that with the wide gate speed push he will get out front and dictate the pace and if he does that, he could well be tough to get past.
SUMMARY
Well on paper this looks like French Styles race to lose as he looks a shade better than his rivals here. Miami My Army looks second best although there are a few here that may have lesser form on paper but are working strongly and this is the time of year when results can sway with late improver’s.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
