Silverbulletday Stakes [KYO]

1 Mile 70 Yards Dirt Stake Purse $150.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st        Western Espresso      Nakamura Stables     Castillo I           3/4        1:39.83

The daughter of Con West, a one race winner picked up for just $10.000, marched into the KYO picture with a dominant all the way win to bring her record to three wins from five starts. She was pressured in front but managed to assert in reasonable splits which allowed her to save something for the run home, and she held them all off without really looking pressured. This is her first significant win on this surface, and she certainly handled it well enough to suggest the KYO could be on her radar.

2nd       Balance That Budget    Rock Creek                 Husbands P   3/4         1:40.01

Once again showed that consistency is her forte with a strong finish for second. She lost ground after halfway and had to make a second effort which ultimately cost her the race but when clear she ran on like a filly that will enjoy even further than this. After a similar effort saw her third in the Starlet last time she is knocking on the door of the KYO but just needs some racing luck to see her into the top spot.  

3rd        Cailleach          Jerry Garcia Racing            Geroux F           1/4        1:40.16

I had this ex-claimer pegged as an each way chance and she put in a fine effort to finish third. I thought the wide gate would let her go to the front, but she settled in behind the speed and from there with this gate it was always going to be a tough race for her. She kept on really well for third and it will be interesting how she does if she gets a good draw next time.

4th        Lucky Delite    The Sidley Stud                   Franco M           no          1:40.24

The final paying spot went to The Sidley Stud runner who used the steadier pace to sit up on speed today. There’s a good comparison to be made in her last two starts over exactly the same course and distance which shows us pretty clearly how the race engine and the horses interact with each other. In her last start a fast early quarter saw her 4 lengths off the pace through the first half but as the time merged with this race over the second quarter she ran on to finish third in the Untappable looking like a closer. In this race with a slower first half, she was up on the speed but when the race times merged, she fell away a bit tamely like a non-stayer ending up fourth. Though the races were run in similar overall times she ran better when coming from off the pace than she did on speed today which will be valuable information for the stable but is also worth noting for the rest of us.

5th        Contangle        Nakamura Stables              Bejarano R       nk          1:40.26                 

6th        Hot Bobbygum             Williams9         Hernandez R M      1/4        1:40.31                 

7th        Sizzling Shark          Emerald Racing Inc    Santana R Jr   1/2         1:40.39                 

8th        Iron Hooves          Angelos Stable             Reyes A A         hd          1:40.50                 

9th        Pretty Pretty Good      La Canada Racehorses Cedillo A    1          1:40.54                 

10th     Dearest Lady         Royalty Stables                   Murphy O   1/4         1:40.87                 

11th     Boldly Unbold               Mb Stables      Velazquez J R          nk          1:40.95

12th     Trickyster                        Williams9          Pinto M                 1:41.00

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded