CC Rapid Transit ($125.000 Purse)
CD- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
November 16, 2024

There was no shortage of entries for the CC Rapid Transit on Saturday, as fourteen horses will be taking part. To be eligible, a horse had to have started for a claiming price of $16.000 or less since January 1, 2023. Weights for the race will vary between 122 and 126 pounds carried. The CC Rapid Transit first appeared on the schedule in 2004, and on many occasions the purse was less than $100.000. Last year’s race was won by the late Jacks and Queens. It would be the final win of his career, as he ran into June of this year under the guidance of Alydar Stables. Let’s take a look at those taking part this time around! Previews by me this weekend will be below my usual standard due to time constraints:

1- Public Sector (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R A Vazquez)- Claimed for $16.000 in August after an extensive career of running on the grass. He’s made one start with D J C thus far, which was a win in a $25.000 claimer at KEE on the main track. He’ll carry 122 pounds for the race.

2- Nardwuar (Asgar, ridden by A Beschizza)- He was claimed for $10.000 last September, and was still inexperienced at the time. With Asgar, he’s won three of eight, including a $100.000 CA-bred stake, the King Glorious Stakes, last December. Last ran in August in an allowance and was unspectacular.

3- Send The Check (Alydar Stables, ridden by C Landeros)- This one has been running on the turf for over a year, which includes before he was claimed for $14.000. His last three races have been starter allowances, with a top result of second at DMR.

4- Ai Prince (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by G Corrales)- Claimed for $12.500 in January, and he has managed one win and three seconds since then. That led to being placed in stakes recently, and while the ungraded stakes went well, the Grade 3 Perryville did not. This will be more his cup of tea,

5- Blue Blood (The Sidley Stud, ridden by R Santana Jr)- Ran well in maiden races before he ultimately got that win. Ultimately, he was claimed for $14.000 in May, and has made two starts, neither of which were impressive. Was flat in the $50.000 Randall at HST last time out, so this will be a tough assignment.

6- Uncle Bo (Night Rider Stables, ridden by R Bejarano)- Became eligible for this race last month, when he was put up for an $11.000 claiming tag at FL. He was not claimed and finished second in that race. The eight-year-old gelding has been hit and miss recently, as his two races before the FL start were quite poor.

7- Only Way Is Up (The Sidley Stud, ridden by D Cohen)- The trainer has had high hopes for this one after claiming him for $10.000, which were justified when he won the $125.000 Hall Memorial Stakes at ELP right after. He had been moved into the graded ranks afterward, but they were too much for him. This is a good spot to rebound.

8- Dunkin Run (Angelos Stable, ridden by A Jimenez)- Won for the first time in a $12.500 maiden claimer in April, and has never failed to finish out of the top three since then. This includes three wins, with a starter allowance win at PRX last month being one of them. He gets his coffee and shoots out of the gate, typically.

9- Game On Dude (Invicta Group Llc, ridden by L Saez)- Picked up by the trainer in private sales for $10.000 in June, and has two wins in four starts since then. That includes a starter allowance at SA last month. He was put up for an eligible tag last November, a race that he won, and he has been very consistent ever since.

10- Bunter Hiden (Mb Stables, ridden by J L Ortiz)- Began the year on fire, with three wins and four in five races. Two of them came with the FL-bred condition, though he also took a starter allowance at SAR in July. Mb Stables picked up in the most recent auction for $60.000, and he has run in a couple of PRX starters since, hitting the board in each.

11- Baw From The Boot (Asgar, ridden by F Geroux)- Just barely eligible for this race, as he ran for $15.000 tag in a maiden claimer back in January 2023. He’s moved through a couple of barns since then and ran in many LA-bred stakes and typically finishing in the top three in them. Comes here off a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes at WO.

12- Sweaty Raj (Spb Racing, ridden by J Loveberry)- This three year old gelding knows how to get a piece of the purse, hitting the board in 13 of 16 races, including every time that he has started for Spb Racing. The trainer picked him up for a $15.000 claiming price, and Sweaty Raj has mostly run in starters or small ungraded stakes since.

13- Lake Ruataniwha (The Freakshow, ridden by Mar Garcia)- The gelding has four wins over his last six starts, finding success both on the grass and the main track. Last time out, he went a mile on the turf at SA and scored the win. This will be his stake debut.

14- Hickory Smooth (Mb Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Hasn’t been quite as consistent recently as those near him in the starting gate, but he has been running in what are likely tougher races. Last won in January, which at the time was his third victory in a row, and was five out of six, but has found winning harder since then.

Prediction: 4-12-8-9

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded