The Gazelle (Grade 2) (KYO)- $300.000 Purse
AQU- For Fillies Three Year Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
April 9, 2016
One of the features at the Big A this Saturday will be the 14th running of The Gazelle, a Grade 1 event with major implications for the KYO. The first time the race was run, it drew only two horses. Things have certainly changed in our virtual world since 2003, and this year we have a powerful field of twelve going to post in an effort to get the 100 KYO points that the race offers. In general, Saturday is a huge day for KYO qualifying with three other equivalent races taking place, and once the day is done there is only one small qualifier left. If one wants to look at the past winners of the Gazelle and see how they ended up doing in the KY Oaks, they are quickly reminded that this is only a very recent prep for the Oaks within our game. From its first year, in 2003 until 2008, the race was held in September, and was contested at BEL. Then, from 2009 until 2012, it was a post-BC race in November! In 2013, it moved to April. Out of those three races since, the four winners (because there was a dead heat in one, of course) have finished 13th, 14th, 6th, and 11th in the Oaks. So, hopefully whoever wins this race will have better luck representing the field on the 6th of May. Here is our full field!
#1- Swarley Kapai (Grimley, ridden by E Cancel) (2 KYO Points)- After running against the boys in the Grade 2 Rebel, and only beating one of them, Swarley Kapai returns to run against her own gender here. Heading into that race, she had been hot, including winning three in a row right here at AQU, the last two of which were NY-bred stakes for $100.000 each. She then went across the country and finished third to the likes of Hawaiian Pirate and Aldonza at SA in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes. That result gave birth to the confidence to go against the boys, a decision that cost her time to gain more points for the Oaks. She is one of the favorites here, but the pressure is on to get a win. Swarley Kapai is the one to beat.
#2- Absquatulate (Australia Wide, ridden by J C Caraballo) (0 KYO Points)- The best thing that I can say about this Kruzer filly is that Australia Wide highly believes in her, and we know he has a great nose for future stars. In November, he purchased her after winning a $10.200 N1X allowance at the esteemed BTP, for $150.000. Unquestionably, he has since elevated her career with two strong performances, including a win, while going longer at SA. But still, she’s never raced higher then that, and the SRF numbers just do not seem to measure up here. There are not many recent public works that can help increase confidence. She has a shot though, because this race in general seems to lack a standout other then the one to her inside.
#3- Cypress Artiste (Alydar Stables, ridden by O Bocachica) (0 KYO Points)- Here is another filly coming into this race without a single KYO point, but she has shown promise. After breaking her maiden in August, she subsequently went on a four race winning streak, which culminated in a victory at the ungraded $100.000 Sandpiper Stakes at TAM against a quality field. Cypress Artiste tried a couple similar ungraded events after that, but has not returned to the winner’s circle. This will be, by far, her biggest test to date. Historically, she likes to be on the lead early, but things like that haven’t meant much over prep season.
#4- Halloween Candy (Harrell Racing, ridden by G L Stevens) (0 KYO Points)– She is a maiden, and it’s hard to get that excited over her here. In two starts to date, the time is now if the trainer believes she has what it takes to get in the Oaks, but still, she has never been to the winner’s circle. Halloween Candy looks a tick behind the competition when looking at recent works and her past SRF number as well. She has talent, but this seems to be too much too soon.
#5- Regal Portrait (Mb Stables, ridden by J Talamo) (5 KYO Points)- This Florida bred has had a lot of success running in her home state, winning the $500.000 FL Sire Stakes- My Dear, and also being the runner up in the $300.000 Susan. Against open company, she is still looking for that big win. She took a shot at the DED Princess (Grade 3) last November and was fourth. Since then, she has only raced twice, but nearly scored a win in the $100.000 Martha Washington. Regal Portrait has been brought along patiently, and looms as one of the horses to beat here.
#6- Reverse Process (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez) (0 KYO Points)- The second of three in the race from Mb Stables is no stranger to racing in New York. Five of her nine career starts have been while running in the Empire State, including two at AQU. Still, she has come up short when trying to advance her career into stakes, with a 4th and a 5th in her two NY-bred stake attempts. It’s been a few months since then, and her longer works show that she is a vastly improved horse, case in point her effort on March 27. Give her a long, hard look when making your picks.
#7- Technomin (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J Bisono) (11 KYO Points)- It is a little surprising that she is the only one in this field that ran in the BC Juvenile Fillies last fall. In that race, she would finish 8th. That was the high point of what was a great two year old season for Technomin, which did included a graded victory. This year, she has won one in two starts, but the win was in an optional claimer, and when she went to the Santa Ysabel Stakes at SA (Grade 3), she was never a factor. She can certainly contend here, but I would have liked to have seen a more recent work then the one in February (one that doesn’t create much confidence), to believe in her more here.
#8- Fight Song (Sccj Stables, ridden by F Geroux) (0 KYO Points)- This filly is no stranger to AQU, having run four of her five career starts here. However, it would have been better if those races had better results associated with them. Her only win still, is a maiden claiming event right here. Sccj Stables likes what he sees with his filly, and has run in two ungraded stakes here, the Busanda and the Busher, and was 8th and 5th, respectively. She is going to have to improve quite a bit from those efforts to have a shot at victory here.
#9- Track Queen (Heavens Own, ridden by S X Bridgmohan) (0 KYO Points)– A disappointing 8th place finish in the sloppy Grade 3 Honeybee at OP on March 12 led to a strange week for Track Queen. On the 16th, she was sold from Midnight Racing to Joshua Stables for $90.000. Nothing unusual there, but just three days later, Joshua sold her for a nice profit to Heavens Own for $230.000. With that large return on a short term investment, just imagine what she can go for if she wins this race! Prior to the Honeybee, she placed 10th in the Las Virgenes, so she figures to be a longshot here.
#10- Zipster (Blushing Meadows, ridden by J Alvarado) (0 KYO Points)- Here’s another horse on the rise by the talented sire Rene, although she’s never raced against the kind of field she will see today. The good thing is that she knows how to get to the front, winning two of her three career starts, though combined those wins have accounted for just $11.640 in earnings. Zipster has never raced more then five furlongs, so whether or not she can get the distance is yet another variable with her. Work times are ok with that, but I am still a little skeptical.
#11- Pink Stars (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by J Montano) (10 KYO Points)- Inconsistency seems to be the story of the career of Pink Stars. After winning her debut race almost exactly one year prior to this race, she has not returned to the winner’s circle. At times, she has run great, and did so in her last race; the Grade 3 San Ysabel, finishing 3rd, with Technomin among those she beat. She also ran very well in the Generous Portion, a CA-bred stake. Then, there were a couple of no-shows, including in an optional claimer at SA. The talent is there, hopefully she shows it.
#12- Love In The Mist (Mb Stables, ridden by M E Smith) (50 KYO Points)- Last weekend’s KYD preps proved that concerns about starting from the outside may be a little overrated. Therefore, we should not be concerned about this filly just because of her starting position. She is a strong threat here, and with her KYO berth wrapped up, this truly is about preparation for the Oaks. Love In The Mist earned that right by winning the Grade 2 Alexandra Stakes against the likes of Wicked Heat. Overall this filly who you may remember finishing 3rd in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf last year has been a star on the main track this year. She has historically been a closer, but you have to wonder a little if the trainer will experiment with tactics after what we saw last week.
Predictions: 1-12-11-5
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
