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The Vanderbilt Handicap Brings Interesting Group to SAR

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7/31/2021

  9   SAR     The Vanderbilt Hcp (GI)

   $350.000      3yo&Up        6f   Dirt        Hcp Weights

When it comes to sprinting on the east coast, they don't get much bigger than the Vanderbilt (GI) and we get a nice group of seven headed to the gate for this six furlong dash.  There's some real intrigue in this one as a host of the lot come into this dash off of wins at a mile or more.  My top choice is John Deere, and he is a sprinter in every way you can think - the defending BC Sprint (GI) champ has been sold since that triumph, but he is still running hard on both the sod and main track.  He just seems the logical choice.  I'll take General Obvious as the second choice as he's is another with sprinting success and that may be enough to make him a big factor.  He's been first or second in ten of twenty starts... I like consistency.   

Here's The Field -

1
   That Funky Monkey    Maxmillion Farm    Court J K   117   8/1

Has one win on the '21 season while facing two-turn-types on the SA lawn, at the Alw level.  He's been close in a couple of recent graded races, one on the turf and one on the main track... so it's shortening up in distance to see if they can get him back to the winning ways, but this is a tough group and he will need his best to be part of this.

2
   Seven Towers    Threshold    Bejarano R   119   8/1

Won two in a row including the Fleet Sprint (GIII) at OP and at a big price, but just didn't run a lick at SA last out when ninth in the Tirple Bend (GII).  Can he bounce back from that one and get back to his prior form?  He really hadn't run a bad race in a while, so let's give him a chance to turn it around today.

3
   Puppet Master    Spankys Barn    Rosario J   (+1)118   6/1

Another that has been on a diet of route races and even ran second going the marathon distance in the Tokyo Cup (GIII) at SA.  He also knocked out a stakes win at AQU going a mile and three-eighths so the move to this sprint is interesting to say the lease. 

4
   General Obvious    Mb Stables    Cedillo A   118   5/1

It's a recurring theme as this one got the job done last season in the native Dancer going a mile and an eighth and kicked off this year with a win vs. Alw company at the same distance.  His last two were at a flat mile, and he just missed vs. high-end Alw horses at CD in his most recent.  The big barn knows their horses. 

5
   John Deere    T Boy Racing    Cabrera D   121   7/2

His story is well known, being tagged from a $25.000 claimer only to go on to BC Sprint (GI) history... so there's no doubt that he can sprint with the best of them.  His last two were on the grass down at LS where he just missed in each, settling for the runner-up purse... is this a place for him to find some of his old glory?  It's now or never in my eye.

6
   Awkward Tremor    Asgar    Davis D   119   5/1

Comes into this one with a three-race win streak where he has been taking care of business down on the bayou, beating LA-bred horses, both sprinting and at route distances.  Can he make the leap up to this type of competition?  I think you have to give him a shooters chance in this one. 

7
   Thundering Speed    Patterson Stables    Bahen S R   117   8/1

Nabbed out of a $37.500 claimer at a mile and a quarter where he showed good speed and won by a whisker and won prior vs. similar, one of those on the grass, one on the main track.  They obviously like him as they jump right into the deep end of the pool.

COZMAN   5 / 4          Willie's Green Card     5 / 4        

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Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES