Bowling Green – Grade II
1 3/8 Mile Inner Turf Stake Purse $250.000 Open 4 Year Olds And Up.

Mb Stables won’t mind getting beaten all day in lead up races when he can still take the two of the three graded stakes races at SAR today. I must admit this one was far from expected at least from me but HRP can be a bit like guessing which crypto to buy, you have to look for trends. The trend here was there for all to see and i pointed it out in the write up. The form was not good enough but the work times, especially the 1.34 flat mile work said that he was heading up a steep improvement curve and if anyone knows when to put a horse in a race like this when that happens, it is Mb Stables.

Lets see how the top four raced:

1st       Trumbull Valley        Mb Stables           Saez G

Went to the front set a fast pace and kicked on enough at the end to hold on by a comfortable length. He tried to do the same in an ungraded stakes last time but even though he led in a much slower time that day he could not hold the finish of L Train. Today that same horse that beat him finished six lengths back in 7th, inexplicable to an extent but L Train had a wide draw today and was much further back early on.
So on form i am not sure i could see this horse winning this easily but that work time was the key and he ripped up the form book to beat some of the best veteran turfer’s in the game. His next race will tell us just how good he is but this was a really solid performance and he wont have to travel much further up the improvement curve to be a force come BC time.

2nd        Raj Action Packed           Arindel           Court J K

I thought this great eight year old would go to the front from his wide draw but the fast pace ensured he didn’t make it and he ended up running just behind the pace. He gave his all as usual but could not get to the winner in time but lost nothing in defeat. This evergreen gelding just keeps on running great races.

3rd        Hammerfest         Smokey Stover        Alvarado J

He dropped back after holding a decent position through the first part of the race but came again at the end to finish a creditable third. He is a grand sort but just lack the pace and maneuverability of the top ones and despite being able to work sub 1.34 times for the mile he cannot seem to get competitive at the right times. Having said that he has won 7 races and will continue through the season as a big threat in these long distance races.

4th        Slo Mo         Maxmillion Farm          Hernandez C J

Stayed on nicely for fourth for the turf king and has come a long way since competing in claimers last year. He doesn’t win often but continues to be competitive at this level.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES