The PIM Special – Grade III
PIM Race #11 1 3/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $250.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward.

1 Booker TwinTowersRacing Cedillo A 124 —

A typical entry from this stable, untested, average form, but working the lights out and whilst seemingly in over their head you can never write them off. There are some of those HRP anomalies that make you sit up and take notice here, a five-year-old that has shown his best form this year, working like a BC winner and running over a trip that, on what he has shown so far, wouldn’t be ideal. His speed figures are always good, and I would never say never when there are two or three of the ‘glitch’ indicators on show.

2 Chais Thrill Mwn Racing Alvarado J 124 —

The winner of just one race you wouldn’t normally find that impressive but looking at a few of his place efforts he isn’t out of place in a race like this. Third in the TUP Derby as a maiden at three he also ran third in the Essex Handicap this year and I must admit he has always looked like a horse that may benefit from a longer trip and a few miles under his belt. He ran better than his tenth-place finish in the OP Handicap last time and at age five is probably nearing the peak of his improvement curve. I can’t see him winning but with this perfect draw he may be able to run in the money.

3 Virtual Handyman Riggins Racing Lopez P 119 —

In the old days a three-year-old with just 4 starts and 1 win running against older horses with the weight for age allowance would almost be a racing certainty but these days it is not so straight forward. To be fair to him he looks a lot better than a HOU maiden winner and his run in the MTB Derby last time was a real black book run. He certainly isn’t without a chance but one or two may be too strong for him here.

4 Angle Of Attack Luz International Luzzi L J 124 —

The magic five-year-old fairy dust seems to have been sprinkled liberally on this one as he has barely been tested in three wins this year including a fairly cosey win in the Ghostzapper last time. He has won 13 races, mostly at lower grade, but anything that can work a sub 1.36 work for the mile has to be respected in any race. I would say that if there is one in this race that ticks all the “HRP” boxes then it is him.

5 All Take Alydar Stables Conner T 124 —

Yes, another five-year-old, so there has to be a chance he could be in at the end, but this isn’t the same as a few of the other five year olds here. In 2022 at this meet he won the Preakness and took part in the BC Classic, so this is no late bloomer but a very good horse through a fairly impressive career. He went off the boil as good three-year-olds can when they turn four, but it does look like he is back at five with a vengeance. He won the KY Cup Classic, the time before last and then ran very well in the OP Handicap last time, beaten just a length into sixth. We know this track suits him, we know he has the class so he will be many peoples favorite to add win number three to the season.

6 At The Gates Mb Stables Franco M 124 —

Any horse from this stable has a winning chance and he is certainly good enough to give the champion trainer yet another stakes win. He won the Native Diver at the end of last year and then ran a good third in the San Pasqual on seasonal reappearance, but his last two efforts have had that “four-year-old” feel about them. His works are sharp, and he has won over this trip so there are plenty of positives, but I wouldn’t be taking short odds about him winning.

7 Target Aquired D J C Racing Stables Centeno D E 124 —

Claimed out of a maiden claimer at the end of last year his lifetime form is a long way from this class but his works are fairly comparable which as he is a lightly raced five-year-old does bring him into this on “glitch status”. I wouldn’t say no but on pure form he shouldn’t bother most of these.

8 Speightstown Nakamura Stables Gallardo A A 124 —

Not far of the $1,000.000 mark he has won 8 races and is certainly up to this sort of race at his best. He was OK as a four-year-old last year but probably better at three but now like so many others has hit the year when he is most likely to start improving again. He was an impressive winner of the San Antonio last year and then ran well in his only start this year to run fourth in the KY Cup Classic last time. He will be sharper for that run after a break and his recent 1.36 flat work time says he may be back to his best.

9 Charming Man Fractious Geroux F 124 —

A real solid sort he is yet another who is working the lights out but then isn’t everything these days. He stormed home and very nearly grabbed the win in the KY Cup Classic but was a little disappointing last time out in the Ali. Consistency seems to be his biggest problem, but he is also one of those that on his day could win this in a canter. The wider gate won’t help much but he is a mid-pack closer so if he can slot in and the pace is good enough then I can see him running on late and wide and maybe even winning.

10 Wahpekute Sioux Mb Stables Moore R L 124 —

Fourth in the Preakness last year he was a strong front runner as a three-year-old who after a brilliant win in the AR Derby wasn’t given his chance in the KYD but instead got saved for the Preakness. That plan didn’t work out, but he ran in the top grade including the BC Classic and always gave a good account. He was third in the KY Cup Classic so is right there with a few of these and last time was a game second in the OP Handicap so is clearly still in a good vein of form. I suspect the stable will use the wide gate speed push to set him off in the lead or stalk and if he gets there easily, he could well be there at the end.

11 Berlin The Sidley Stud Velazquez J R 124 —

This horse has been a revelation this year after promising a lot throughout his career. Not the best worker in the field in any of his wins he is a good advert for the change in works time correlation with racing because he is being out worked by most allowance horse at any level. But, do NOT let that put you off because the ease with which he won the Ali last time and the guts he showed to win the Challenger the time before says that this horse has every chance against any horse. If there is one here that may be overlooked it is this one.

12 Colombia Night Rider Stables Carmouche K 124 —

Right out in the car park we find another five-year-old working a 1.36 flat mile work time that used to be reserved for only the very best horses at HRP. The winner of four from twenty-four, he isn’t one of the best, at least yet, but he has got some form that says he has a chance if he can overcome the draw. He is a five-year-old, so you can’t say no but I think he may be hard pushed to get the win here.

SUMMARY

An interesting race packed with question marks. Will All Take relive his Preakness win or will Wahpekute Sioux get his revenge for finishing fourth in the Preakness the year after. Will it be a freak five-year-old or will it be an outside gate that leads all the way off a soft pace or one that flies home off a fast pace. This is a race with some many scenarios it makes your head hurt. If I had to pick one, I would go for All Take but I do rather like Berlin to run a big race too.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES