Bowling Green – Grade II (P2)
SAR Race #7 1 3/8m InTurf Graded Stake
Purse $250.000 For Four Year Olds And Upward.

1 Calling All Angels D J C Racing Stables Pennington F 123 —

Aimed at the TC as a three-year-old, he finally switched to the turf in July last year and though he didn’t win, he did run a super race in The Secretariat to be a very close third. He has won two this year including The Dangers Point, the one before last, but as a closer he is finding it hard to find any consistent form. He is working well and maybe the inside gate will help him stay a little closer to the front early on, but there is a real danger he falls back and gets buried, so he will need some race engine help to find a path.

2 House Of Games Spankys Barn Saez L 123 —

The six-year-old was bought from Barcelona Farms last year and has really done well for his new owner winning the Elkhorn at grade two back in April. He was a bit flat in the Manhattan last time, but his works say that was just one of those glitches and we should probably ignore that form. Best on the speed, he has a great gate to do that today and he should be a big part of this race.

3 Flaming Hot Mb Stables Lezcano J 123 —

Claimed for just $25.000, he has shown how different a horse can be when bought by Mb Stables by taking the Muniz Memorial Handicap in his first start for the champion trainer. He found the mile a bit sharp in the Poker Stakes but then got back to winning ways over 12 furlongs last time out in a CD overnight. Working like lightening, he will love this trip and if he can get to the front may be far too hard to peg back.

4 Animal House Night Rider Stables Dettori L 123 —

Took the Chorleywood over this trip last time, so is in good form and whilst he hasn’t quite risen to star status, he has been a solid stakes horse for a while now. That sort of consistent effort is very important in an open race like this, and he could represent some decent value for each way backers.

5 Brooklyn Winning Link Stables Hernandez R M 123 —

Took the Snow Chief and The VA Derby as a three-year-old, but has struggled to step up from those efforts as a four-year-old. He hasn’t run badly but tends to find a few too good at this level so he will be up against it again here.

6 Fire And Ice TwinTowersRacing Gaffalione T 123 —

Gets a pound for the nose he was beaten in the Muniz Memorial Handicap by Flaming Hot so you would expect those two to be very close again today. He didn’t go well on the off track in the Forester Turf Classic but bounced back last time with a good effort in The Manhattan to be fourth a nose better than Master Of Disguise. With the Mb pair being likely favorites for this, the fact that he is certainly on a par with them reflects what a good chance he has in this race.

7 Master Of Disguise Mb Stables Velazquez J R 123 —

He is having a good year although he has been sparsely raced this year with just the three starts. In one of those he won the Man O War and in the other handicapped by a wide draw he was fifth in the Manhattan. That form looks right on the money for this race and being a horse that has won at the trip he could well start favorite for this.

8 Neds Influence The Sidley Stud Gutierrez Mario 123 —

The stable has been in form recently and this five-year-old battler should be ready to give them another good run. Really consistent, he won the San Luis Rey before being a shade one paced when fourth in the Elkhorn, two further good efforts in both the Whittingham and The BEL Gold Cup put him right in this although on the Elkhorn running, he has a bit to find with House of Games and also Martinez through the BEL Gold Cup.

9 Fedorov Fractious Franco M 123 —

Working like a champion, his form doesn’t read as good as some here but that may be down to his flitting around different trips recently. He made all to win The Kingston easily last time on an off track, so that form may be a little suspect if the track stays dry but if he runs anywhere near his works then he may be a surprise package. There are a few that would like the lead here, so being wide he may have to work to get it but if he does and he can back them up then he must have a chance.

10 Cazadero Mojica Racing Prat F 123 —

A consistent six-year-old he has run well enough to be good enough for this field, but a wide draw doesn’t help his chances. Ran well to be a close third in the San Francisco Mile, so is in decent form and is just another who has a chance if things go his way.

11 Martinez Royalty Stables Lopez P 123 —

Finally in the car park we find The BEL Gold Cup winner. A soft ground specialist he is no one trick pony as he proved in taking the SAR Derby as a three-year-old on a dry track. I would say he may be a little under the radar for this race and had he been drawn in the top five would be confident of him just about winning, but with this gate he may end up getting too far back and then it’s in the lap of the Gods.

SUMMARY

A tough race to call as most of them are these days. There are three or four on pace runners so the early pace could be strong and with so many of these longer races going to the front runners it may be a fierce competition up front. Mb’s two look very strong and carry the right sort of form into this, but I still like Martinez to get involved if he can overcome the draw.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES