Colors – Grade three

CD                Race #4                  6f                          Dirt                      Graded Stake

Purse $250.000  For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Journey East               Serenity Stables          McKee J                           122           

This stable has thrown a lot against the wall since they returned to full time training, and this is one of the ones where it looks like it may have stuck. A five-year-old that had been plying her trade at lower grade for Simmer Down Stables she was bought for $12.50 in a claimer and immediately switched to the dirt. In this game strange things can happen when a horse is bought and/or switched surfaces and whilst she may have looked like an anomaly when she took the Roxelana last time after coming out of a cheap claimer on the turf, the way she won made it look like she was always a dirt sprinter. In fairness to this very good player, it wasn’t such a surprise to see her step up in grade and change surfaces. She has a dirt sprinters confo and although that doesn’t always mean they are, in her case Serenity clearly saw an opportunity. Add that to the nice blood lines and you have an intelligent purchase and a premeditated gamble that was undertaken with some skill.

She gets a good draw here to add some more money to a growing pot of success.

2 Blue Velvet                   First Flight Stable        Ortiz J L                            122        

Look to have gone off the boil in her last two but there were excuses and at her best she would be a contender in this open contest. Her best form seems to be on the turf but she has sprinted well enough on dirt to believe it doesn’t make too much difference to her. It is tough to see her beating a couple of the better ones here but there is no reason that from this decent draw she cannot cash a smaller check.                              

3 Devil Slayer                 Maxmillion Farm         Rosario J                         122       

A grade three winner last year when she dead heated for the ONT Fashion she has been close enough in her three starts this year to suggest she can run a race here. Beaten just two lengths when fifth in the grade one Vinery Madison last time she had previously only been beaten a nose in the Hurricane Bertie and those two graded stakes runs look good form for a race at this level. A five-year-old now she looks to be at her best and though that may not be a grade one type level I feel this race is in her wheelhouse.

4 Hunt The Stars           John Henry                     Corrales G                     122     

She hasn’t won for a while but has been running well in good races and is well placed in this sort of grade. Her third in the Raven Run as a three-year-old puts her right in this contest over a trip that is well within her scope. Her works are as consistent as her form, and she is a sure thing for the exotic bets with a win chance should things unfold for her from this mid pack draw.     

5 Aghast                            Mb Stables                     Santana R Jr                  122     

Mb Stables is not mucking about here entering two that have proved up to grade one level in a grade three stakes race. Of course, as a race without penalties and a good prize on offer this is exactly the type of race a good one can show up in and this is without a doubt a good one. Her form flip flops a bit; she was beaten a half inch by Devil Slayer in the Hurricane Bertie but then had that horse a length back when third in the Vinery Madison. That is a pretty normal swing at HRP but overall, this mare has a better book of form, so you have to Favor her a little here.                             

6 Thousand Hours       Mb Stables                     Gaffalione T                  122       

The second from the stable this four-year-old was considered a KYO hope as a three-year-old but didn’t kick on after failing in that race although she did win the Raven Run when taken back to seven furlongs. I will be honest I would consider this horse better over further than this, but I have seen 12-furlong horses win 5-furlong stakes races so the trip shouldn’t really be a consideration when trying to find a winner at HRP. She is classy and that can count for a lot and though she has been running as more of a closer I wonder whether the trainer or the race engine will do something a bit funky with her today. She is the big question mark in this field.

7 Chase The Money    Avenue Z                          Geroux F                         122          

Behind a couple of these in the Hurricane Bertie she does look to have something to find on her form, but I can see one way she could surprise. She is a deep closing type and being drawn wide will almost certainly go to the back. IF there is a suicidal pace set by someone and IF traffic becomes an issue there is a scenario where she rushes home wide for an unlikely win.

SUMMARY

This one looks like it sets up nicely for Aghast who looks just to have the edge over Devil Slayer.                       

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded