It’s now mid-February and time to begin looking at the top three year olds in the game that have their sights set on the KYD. This is the initial top ten and I expect quite a bit of shuffling over the course of the next several weeks. This week’s Top Ten finds BC Juvenile winner Beach Dandy (Joshua Stables) as the number one ranked 3yo. Winner of his last four starts which included GR1 wins in the Hopeful as well as the BC Juvenile solidifies his standing.
1-Beach Dandy (Joshua Stables)BC Juvenile winner and winner in four of five lifetime starts earns the top spot this week. He earned a 96 SRF speed figure in his BC Juvenile win. He has done little wrong and appears to have the right running style to compete as the races get longer. He will make his 3yo season debut this weekend in the Risen Star.
2- Fear The Dragon (LionKing Stables)he moves into the number two spot off of his impressive Lewis Stakes win at SA in which he earned a 98 SRF speed figure. The question is can he continue to carry that speed as the racing distances increase. It will be a tough asking but anxious to see how he handles it.
3- Opus Force(Mb Stables)is undefeated in three lifetime starts. He captured the GR3 Lecomte in his most recent start and has improved in each of his starts. He made a powerful late move in the Lecomte on his way to a one-half length win earning a 95 SRF. Will face some tough rivals this week in the Risen Star but he should be a force to reckon with.
4- Questionable (Mb Stables)BC Juvenile runner-up was closing late in the GR3 Lecomte in his last start. Though he has only one win in six lifetime starts he has faced the best of company. After taking the GR1 Pharoah he just missed by a neck in the GR1 BC JUV and was within a length of his stablemate Opus Force in his last start.
5- Red Cup (Our Athletes) a very consistent one here as he always seems to be in the thick of things. He has been in the money in six of seven lifetime starts. He was very impressive in his last start at SA in the GR3 Lewis ST behind Fear The Dragon earning a career high 96 SRF.
6- Chai Bay (Serenity Stables) already has run in ten races just breaking his maiden at SA on January 1st, he has two wins and six place finishes. However he looks to be coming into form having won his last two starts his most recent the 9f GR-3 Withers at AQU. He earned a 93 SRF in the 9f Withers as well as in the GR-1 Pharoah St where he came within a length of Questionable the BC Juvenile runner-up. Will have to continue to improve to compete with the top contenders but has potential.
7- Bo Knows (Smokey Stover) the GR1 Champagne winner had a solid effort in his first 3yo start of the year in January in the LeComte. However he looks to be a bit behind other top contenders at this stage. However if he can return to his 2yo form he will become a serious threat. That 98 SRF in the Champaign pops out at you. But the question lingers can he return to that form? One has to wonder if the off track affected him in his last two starts though he has run very good SRF figures on an off track before, so still some questions.
8-Shake It Up And Go (John Henry) Looked very good getting up in time to take the Smarty Jones at OP in his last start earning a 94 SRF. This is another one who always seems to give his best effort and is always in the thick of things. He came within a neck of the top two ranked horses in the 1m RP Special Mile in December. He looms a definite threat to shake up the entire top ten.
9- Chrystal Believer (Maximillion Farm) GR1 LA Futurity winner has been very competitive in all his starts. He has faced some of the best this past fall earning very good SRF figures in the process. At this point he still appears to be a tad behind the top tier runners.
10- Ranger (AER Stables) GR3 Davis Stakes winner in his last start has not shown overly impressive SRF figures however he has finished no worse than 2nd in five lifetime starts so he has shown some heart. Three year olds at this time of year are known to blossom overnight so he bears watching.
Others contenders waiting in the wings:
Dreamscape, Camp Hollywood(f), Devil’s Tower, Not To Be Denied, Quenched, Rainstorm, Sacotra Island
Categories: TC 2015-2020
