KY Jockey Club – Grade II [KYD]
CD Race #5 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Two Year Olds.
With the BC assigned to the past we start to look towards the TC of 2021 and with none of these runners going in any of the BC races we get a chance to weigh up the best of the rest. Will the 2021 KYD winner be in this field? lets have a look and see.
1 Contradiction Aer Stables Bridgmohan S X
I am liking what this one has done so far in some cases with no favors from the draw. His impressive maiden win came from wide and he then faced another rotten draw in the Iroquois but the race engine or instructions beat him that day. In his last start he got a much better stall position and ran out a smooth winner of the Street Sense over this trip. With the perfect draw for a sit and stalk he looks to be ready to add to a growing reputation.
2 Time It Vb Estero Farms Hernandez R M
My biggest fear for this one is the trip and whilst the draw will help him get home i still have my reservations. A good third in The Hopeful after racing on the speed he did the same last time in the Champagne over a mile before getting run out of it. He was beaten less than a length in the end as seems to be the norm in these two year old races and whilst he certainly has shown enough to win this and his conformation says he will stay this trip i still worry about his strength at the end.
3 Hard To Forgive Night Mare Racing Gaffalione T
After a great maiden win and then a strong victory in the Funny Cide he looked a chance in the Champagne last time only to be given a wide draw and getting the usual wide draw story. Taken back he made late ground like most of the field but it was a massed finish with blocks all over and he ended up last albeit only three lengths off the winner. I am expecting a much better run from the draw today and would have to rate him a winning chance.
4 Fauci D J C Racing Stables Corrales G
A gradual improver he is working like a stakes winner but only has the one maiden win from five starts so far. If that win gave him confidence he may run a big race at good odds here so he is definitely one to watch out for.
5 Gilgo Beach D J C Racing Stables Mena M
Similar to his stable mate with one win from five starts he hasn’t had too many favors from the draw in his career so may be better than his bare form suggests. In a race where i doubt more than a few lengths will cover them all there is no reason he can’t get some of it.
6 Into Pieces Mb Stables Davis D
He was looking good after a second win came in the Hoover Stakes but then he suffered the wide gate race engine in the SAR Special where he flew late like most did and ended up a length off the winner, again, like most did. Throwing that effort out he went to the grade one Hopeful with a better draw but was very disappointing in the end finishing last. That run caused the champion trainer to geld the horse and then he ran his last start in the Breeders Futurity where he looked more enthusiastic in finishing fourth. There are signs in his form lines that he could run well here, especially that last start, but he doesn’t stand out in a talented crowd.
7 Strider Joshua Stables Bejarano R
Another one who’s form seems to ebb and flow with the draw as opposed to ability he has won well twice but sandwiched between those is a poor effort in the AP Wishful where he was drawn wide. His recent work says he will stay the trip but i am not convinced on his race course efforts so there is a bit of an unknown.
8 Bespoke First Class Stable Saez G
Started off with two game wins before a good effort to be second in the AP Wishful. I am not sure what went wrong in the Breeders Futurity last time when he fell way off a fast pace only to fly home far too late. So many of our two year olds have form like this where a combination of draw and instructions make them look woefully inconsistent but in reality he was only three lengths off the winner in his last start and made up a ton of ground in the second half of the race. A chance if the race engine allows it from this draw.
9 Test The Party Code Mb Stables Velazquez J R
The second stable runner and this one is far less exposed than his stable mate. Bought for $250 we know this must be a serious horse when Mb Stables shells out that sort of cash although i must admit the price looked a bit high when you look at the form and works. I am however often proved wrong by the Mb magic touch ! A winner of two over six furlongs he stepped up in trip for his last start and had a rotten draw when finishing second in the Street Sense. Not drawn well again today i am not sure he can turn that form around with Contradiction.
10 Angelino Nakamura Stables Ryan S
His works and form say no chance but this season Nakamura has often pulled off the impossible and they would have to do it again with this one who gets no favors from the draw.
11 Acapulco Bay Smokey Stover Garcia Mar
Another trainer that has had a strong season this one broke trough with a maiden win on his fifth start and is working like that win has improved him a bit. The draw will make it tough but he has looked an on pace runner to date and if he gets a soft lead may do well.
12 Dial It Chuck Arindel – Scratch –
13 Freakin Out Delta Farms Graham J
A bit of a shame that this gelding who is unbeaten in three starts gets the car park draw in his attempt at a four timer. The wins have come in much lower grade but he has been winning with ease, this is his true test and it will be interesting to see how he handles it.
SUMMARY
All of these two year old races seem to end up with 3 lengths covering the field and i doubt this one will be any different. So draw is huge but they still need to get the trip to win so that’s where we start when trying to pick a winner. I think Contradiction will get the trip required and will fight out the finish with Hard To Forgive and Into Pieces.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
