11/26/22
8 CD KY Jockey Club (GII) [KYD]
$400.000 2YO 1 1/16 Dirt 120lbs
We stay at the Twin Spires and look at a group of ten two year olds set to go a mile and a sixteenth in the KY Jockey Club (GII), an important prep for the 2023 KYD. Pink Shark was fifth in the BC Juv Turf (GI) and comes back on light rest and back to the main track for this one. He closed well at SAR to be fourth going six panels, and looks to be a hard runner, so let’s give him the slight edge. I also like Napples here today. He’s never run a bad race and looked good winning at a mile over the AQU oval, and that could be good enough.
Here’s The Field –
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Neon Town | Broken Spoke Stables | Elliott S | 120 | 8/1 |
The vet came to deliver the most unkind of cuts, but he’s a racehorse now. Broke maiden by two against a nice group at AQU, so they dive into the deep end of the pool today. He’s never been worse than second, so…
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Twirling Candy | Fractious | Hernandez R M | 120 | 6/1 |
Broke maiden at SAR back in the summer, then tired to be fifth at AQU in the Champaign (GI), but I’ll give him some slack there as he set the pace to deep stretch and it was a wet track. He could be tough today.
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Stake The Claim | Nakamura Stables | Centeno D E | 120 | 12/1 |
Broke maiden at CT then had a pair of up-the-track finishes before running second in the Tin Cup at FL, facing NY-bred types. I think he’s going to have to show more if he wants to be in the middle of this one.
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Pink Shark | Arindel | Saez L | 120 | 9/2 |
Broke maiden at SAR back in Aug, then won the Nownownow stakes at MTH before his fifth place effort on BC Day, those last two starts coming on the weeds. He comes back to the main track, but he’s run well on both surfaces, so I’ll give him a chance to be in the picture.
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Bold Ruler | Fractious | Jimenez A | 120 | 10/1 |
Broke maiden at first asking, running be over the AQU oval, then was seventh in the Gold State Juv, facing Cal-bred stakes company. This is another step up in class, but he looks like a nice colt and he could be any type.
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Azov Battalion | TwinTowersRacing | Franco M | 120 | 8/1 |
Broke maiden at first asking and has been close in a trio of Alw races, so it’s up the ladder. He seems to like the longer distance, and he’s another that is switching back to the main track after a pair of sod races. Let’s see how that plays out.
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Apache Chief | Iolaus Racing | Davis D | 120 | 7/1 |
Broke maiden at LAD in his second start, then took down Alw types at PID in his most recent trip to the gate, so it’s off to stakes company. He closed well in that PID win, so this may be a spot for him to get it done.
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Poolside Brave | Nakamura Stables | Murrill M | 120 | 12/1 |
Broke maiden at MNR at first asking, on the sod on the free side of town. Closed well, looked good doing it, but he’s going to have to prove to me that he’s this caliber of horse. As bad as I am at the baby races, he’s probably the one to beat.
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At The Gates | SCR |
Early Scratch
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Napples | Mo Mentum Farm | Velazquez J R | 120 | 9/2 |
Never worse than second in four starts, winning two of them, including breaking maiden at GG then winning by two vs. Alw company at AQU going a mile. The distance seems to fit him, so give him serious consideration today.
COZMAN 4 / 10 Willie’s Green Card 4 / 7
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE TRIPLE CROWN
