Sorrento Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
DMR- For Fillies Two Years Old
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
August 3, 2019

Two year olds will be on display this Saturday at DMR as we run the 16th edition of the Sorrento Stakes. These stakes are always exciting since two year olds generate so much chatter between trainers on the forum. Last year, the race was won by Sharp Suit, a filly who has gone on to have a good career and recently won the Eight Belles at CD. Overall, last years field has done a much better job then the 2018 Sanford field as three year olds (as was noted a few weeks ago), with four runners having strong seasons though none would be considered a major breakout star. 2017 winner Beat To The Punch ended up running second in the BC Distaff in 2018, but never ran in another race afterwards. So, history can tell us there at least one of these fillies will go on to do something great, and perhaps half the field will be productive horses with several stakes winners. Others will fade out of the spotlight, but on Saturday it’s about where they are now. Ten fillies go to post, so let’s have a look!

#1- Risen Day (Fractious, ridden by T J Pereira)- One of three in the field that comes out of the $100.000 Debutante at CD in late June, and in that race Risen Day ran third. Since then, one is to imagine there has been significant testing taking place on the farm due to a lack of public works since then. This race should not play out much differently, so she will be a factor here, too.

#2- Relax (Mb Stables, ridden by V Espinoza)- She is a perfect 2-for-2 to start off her career, and that includes winning the Debutante five weeks ago at CD. It would certainly look very good and promising for her to have back to back stake wins early in her career. For the trainer, he’d love to have another Beat To The Punch in the wings. Well, I am sure he has several, but there’s plenty to like with this one.

#3- Uzume (Aer Stables, ridden by Ru Fuentes)- Starting in an ideal post, check. Ten percent jockey, check. Two year olds as the jockey’s strength? Bonus. Going into the starting gate, all of the trainer’s biggest concerns and discussion points seem to be addressed. Uzume runs in her third race, and first since breaking her maiden a couple days prior to the Debutante having been run. She was a $150.000 unraced private sales purchase, so the expectations are high and this is her first real chance to back up that confidence.

#4- Southern Ideology (Childs Play, ridden by A T Gryder)- Broke her maiden in her second start, coming in mid-May at GG. This will be her first race since then. She has a great conformation, but I am admittedly a little concerned about that July 5th work. It came at ALB, so that alone may be enough to not worry, but it’s a second slower then most of her rivals. Perhaps something was being tested, so plenty of reason to not be concerned from the trainer’s perspective, but enough to look at alternatives when going to the betting window.

#5- Zoom Shes Gone (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- Both of the trainer’s entries are by Calm Command, which is worth a mention. Zoom Shes Gone broke her maiden on the undercard of the Debutante, and now joins her stablemate and race winner from that race to see if she can beat her, as well as everyone else. Plenty of reason to like her works and her conformation suggest she may like longer distances going forward.

#6- Starlite Mission (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by E Maldonado)- Like Southern Ideology, Starlite Mission comes into the race off a maiden win that happened in the middle of May. For her, it came in the mud, as well. An off track is not a concern for this race. Right now, the works are in line with the rest of the field so in the inevitable close finish at the wire, she should be in the thick of it.

#7- Cp Great Moon Queen (Childs Play, ridden by J A Allen)- There has been no lack of racing for this one, as she will already make the fifth start of her career. At the beginning of June, she turned in a great effort to narrowly miss out on winning the $150.000 Astoria, running second. But the Schuylerville saw her be a disappointment. For the record, The Belle Tolls, who’s name I love, was the winner of both races. She was last seen working in SAR.

#8- III At Ease (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by N Arroyo Jr)- There’s probably a story behind the name of this horse that I can’t figure out. But I was interested to see that he is by Zigmund, a horse I owned and liked several years ago. III At Ease is looking for win III, and it would come off the heels of taking the Stillwater, run in slop, at SAR last month. She’ll be in that tight photo we all expect at the wire, too.

#9- Pyrat Princess (Allinthegate, ridden by Mar Garcia)- The trainer has one excellent prospect with The Belle Tolls, but would love for Pyrat Princess to add to that. She’s won of three, breaking her maiden in her last start, which was at EMD. Her works are great, no problems there, but she really hasn’t raced against much yet. We’ll see how she adapts here.

#10- Skygazer (Rampage, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- After winning the Sorrento last year, the trainer hopes to be the first to win the race in consecutive years. Skygazer is by the same sire, Virtual Realism and is the third horse that comes out of the Debutante. She ran fourth, and only missed by a length. Worked nicely here a couple days ago, making her biggest challenge in this race starting from this post.

Prediction 1: 6-7 horses within a length at the wire.
Prediction 2: 3-8-2-5

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES