2/25/23
3 AQU The Stymie 
$125.000 4YO&UP 1m Dirt 123lbs +penalties
The Big A is the locale for The Stymie, a one turn flat mile for the older gents, and we get an interesting field here today. I’m going to give the nod to Evgenii off of that win over this surface when facing Empire State-class, in his seasonal debut. Another like that should make him tough to get past. Hand Cannon is the class, and you can’t ignore that in this field. He just missed when third in the PA Derby (GI) and has been facing high-end graded foes since then. He could find this softer spot to his liking, that’s for sure.
Here’s The Field –
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Two More Wishes | D J C Racing Stables | McCarthy T | 123 | 6/1 |
Private purchase for just $12.000 then came back to make the first start for the new connections a good one, running second over this surface vs NY-bred Alw types. They must have like what they saw because now it’s up the ladder. He’s won five of twenty-three and has been on the board in six other races, so he knows how.
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Hand Cannon | Fractious | Worrie A S | 123 | 9/2 |
Three wins last season and put away some nice cash… he was also third in the PA Derby (GI) so he’s been with some nice horses and held his own. Closed out ’22 with a fifth in the San Antonio (GI) at SA and didn’t do much in the Pegasus World Cup (GI), but this is much softer, and it could be just what he needs to get back to the winner’s circle.
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Granduer Beach | TwinTowersRacing | Cancel E | 123 | 10/1 |
Claimed for just $5.000 and made an impressive start for the new connections romping in wire-to-wire fashion vs Alw types at HOU, at 99/1 odds. He cruised home in that one, so why not take a chance… he certainly looks like he’s in fine shape and ready to take on the world.
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Stolen Thunder | Night Rider Stables | Carmouche K | 123 | 12/1 |
Claimed for $20.00 back in Aug, made one start for the new connections running eighth in the PA Derby (GI) and has been shelved since. Steady string of am gallops and I think I’ll have to watch one to see where he’s at.
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Calling Ole Sam | Nakamura Stables | Houghton T D | 123 | 10/1 |
He’s been beating up on lesser, so they go after stakes company today. He’s won three of his last four, lower-end Alw and sAlw types, but he’s winning by daylight, and this could be a spot where he moves up and brings home a nice check.
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Evgenii | Arindel | Moreno O | 123 | 6/1 |
Matched his ’22 win total getting the job done over this track and beating NY-bred Alw types going a flat mile. Forwardly placed in that one, which is his normal style, so we see if he can build on that start and move it on up. I think he deserves a look.
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Genetic Code | TwinTowersRacing | Vargas J A Jr | 123 | 10/1 |
Had a pair of turf starts where he was seventh in the Nearctic (GII) and just missed vs Alw horses at FG, then was fourth in his ’23 debut, passing a few late to be four vs. high-end OptAlw types at SA. His best would put him in the middle of things, so let’s see what he’s got.
COZMAN 6 / 2 Willie’s Green Card 2
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
