9/29/23
12 SA Chillingworth Stakes (GIII)
$100.000 3yo&Up F&M 6 1/2f Dirt 3yo 121lbs Older 123lbs
To SoCal and a Friday graded affair for the ladies as nine are set to go to the post for the Chillingworth Stakes (GIII) a six-and-a-half-furlong sprint on the main track, here at SA. We all know that Mb rules the stakes and I think this is a spot where he does just that and will key Sioux Flower in this one. She looked great winning the Beaumont (GII) at KEE back in the fall but has had a rough time of it lately… still, he knows when they are right, and I’ll take the rise back to graded types to prove she is back in form. I’m going to give the lightly raced Sweet T a shot here as well. The horse just never runs a bad race and looks primed for the step up to stakes company. Spb Racing is a new barn of unknown origin, but winning at 13%, I’m guessing not a newbie… either way, let’s see how this one goes, and can she bring home the first graded win for the barn.
COZMAN 2 / 3 Willie’s Green Card 2 / 6
9/30/23
2 GP Princess Rooney (GII) [BC]
$200.000 3yo&Up F&M 7f Dirt 3yo 118lbs Older 123lbs
SoFla is the place and the speedster spinsters will be on display as we have a full field of twelve set to go seven panels in the Princess Rooney (GII), here at GP. I think it’s hard to get past Devils Bride in this one, and a repeat of that win in the Test (GI) at SAR would be just what the barn wants. She was a solid third in the Prioress (GII), also at the spa, and I just can’t go against her in this one. Points Of Grace had a big win in the CT Oaks (GIII) and the lightly raced Mb charge looks to be getting better with every start. I’d also give Mirepoix a look in this one, especially if she can repeat that Skipat race, or if it comes up wet.
COZMAN 10 / 9 / 6 Willie’s Green Card 10 / 9
9 AQU The Vosburgh (GII) [BC]
$250.000 3yo&Up 7f Dirt 3yo 121lbs Older 124lbs
We stay with the sprinters buy the gents get the call to post for The Vosburgh (GII), again going seven furlongs and it’s a full gate with one hoping to get in, here at AQU. I’m going to take Demon as the top selection in this one. His two seasonal wins came back to back in the Aristides at CD and the Nerud (GII) at BEL. He was a solid third in the slop at this distance in the Forego, and I think the seven panels fits him well. The second spot could go any number of ways, but I’ll take the lightly raced People Paradox… only four starts, two wins, and he looked good in both the maiden win and that Bold Venture (GIII) victory, at WO, in his most recent. Put a bunch of them in the tri-key and you may have something.
COZMAN 9 / 2 Willie’s Green Card 9 / 2 / 4
10 AQU The Bloom Hcp (GII)
$250.000 3yo&Up F&M 6 1/2f Dirt Hcp Weights
A short but talented field of sprinting spinsters will spell The Bloom Hcp (GII), a six and a half furlong dash over the main track, here at AQU. This looks like a wide open affair as three of the five are looking for their first win of the season, but all of them are running well. I’ll put Chatta Code on the top of the field off of her win at FL, taking the Arctic Queen at FL. She has two seasonal wins and a bunch of on the board finishes, and that may do the trick. Dolly P is one of those non-winner types, but she’s been close in a bunch of races, some of those vs. tough, graded foes, so I’d give her a big look in this, as well. She was second in the Ashland (GI) at KEE vs top-types, so anything like that would make her a factor.
COZMAN 9 / 2 Willie’s Green Card 9 / 2 / 4
12 AQU The Hirsch Turf Classic (GI)
$500.000 3yo&Up 1 1/2m inTurf 3yo 121lbs Older 124lbs
As a wanna-be writer, it just doesn’t get any better than this… Joe was a great writer and a great horseman… a true proponent for all equine matters. So it warms the heart to see such a great group of turf specialists ready to go the marathon distance of a mile and a half in The Hirsch Turf Classic (GI). I really don’t know which way to go in this tough group but let’s give Fear Me Not the slight age… I’m not a big proponent of 3yo vs older, but Mb has given this one new life, switching him over to the green stuff. A second in the BEL Derby (GI), same in the SAR Derby (GI), both by a nose, then a nice win in the DG Derby (GIII)… he sure does look the part. Killer Instinct is another that has reincarnated on the weeds, running second in the AP Million (GI) then won the KY Turf Cup (GII) and that’s enough to get my attention. I will not be surprised by any outcome… this is a solid, deep, classy group… take your pick.
COZMAN 2 / 4 Willie’s Green Card 4 / 7 / 2
2 CD Ack Ack (GIII) [BC]
$400.000 3yo&Up 1m Dirt 3yo 121lbs Older 124lbs
You can tell the BC is coming as horses begin to meld into their perfect distances, and we catch a top-notch field of mile types in the Ack Ack (GIII) here at the twin spires. Sexy Black was sixth in last years BC Dirt Mile (GI) but the 6yo gelding seems to be at his best right now, winning three graded stakes from his seven seasonal starts, including the Met Mile (GI). He was third in the CT Classic (GII) last out, but I think this is his best distance. I’m going to put Neon town in the second spot as he’s been lights out since switching barns back in April. Three stakes wins, all at a mile… well, you get where I’m going with this choice. This is going to be a tough tough race…
COZMAN 1 / 8 Willie’s Green Card 11 / 8 / 2
10/1/23
3 WO Breeders Stakes
$400.000 3yo foaled in Canada 1 1/2m Turf 123lbs
North of the border we go for a group of CA-bred sophomores going the marathon mile and a half on the lush Toronto lawn in the Breeders Stakes, with a nice purse to go along with it. I am taking Zakouski One as the top choice as he won over this track vs Alw types, then took the American Derby at CD before a last out third in the NMofR (GII) at SAR. Those last two were on wet sod, but I think he can win this on anything. I’ll go to the rail and put Down Royal in the second sport… he closes from the back of the pack, which can be troublesome (as we all know) but if he can run back to that win at ELP, I think he could be a handful here.
COZMAN 4 / 1 Willie’s Green Card 1 / 4 / 3
https://simracingform.com/2023/09/26/weekend-stakes-coverage-09-30-23/amp/
Categories: Grade I, Grade II, Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP