11/15/2020

  6  DMR     Hope Stakes (GIII)

$100.000      2yo         7f  Dirt         120lbs +penalties

The youngsters will be headed to the gate on Sunday evening to set sail where the surf meets the turf, ol’ DMR, and we look at the field for the 2020 Hope Stakes (GIII) to be run at seven furlongs on the main oval.  I’m going to give Red Bullet the edge to get the job done here today.  Only four starts and plenty of room to continue his improvement, and if he can run back to that Iroquois (GIII) race, I think he can get the job done here.  Cosmic Tiger has a pair of wins over this track, including a stakes score in his most recent, so there’s every reason to believe he will like the surface, the distance… you get the picture.  It’s a stakes race and Mb Stables has an entry, so let’s not ignore that, especially since Howl Of The Hound is undefeated in two starts.  There’s every reason to believe he will run big again today.  There’s a couple others that you’d have to give a big chance, but we can’t pick em all.

Here’s The Field –

Back-to-back wins over this track breaking maiden then taking the Im Smokin Stakes in a dead-heat, both of those vs. Cal-bred.  This is open company, but he seems to like the track and the distance seems to fit as he closed well in that stakes score.  Give him a look as he may have some odds. 

Four consecutive stakes tries but he’s been off of the board in all of them.  The connections must really like him because they are back for more, even though an Alw race might be more to his liking.  I’ll look at some others.

Nice second place effort in the Sanford (GIII) after breaking maiden, was up the track at CD then bounced back a bit facing NY-bred stakes company at BEL last out.  A repeat of that race should put him in the middle of this one as well.

Undefeated gelding has won both of his starts, taking maidens at first asking in NOCal then spanking NM bred at ZIA last out, flying home to score by two lengths.  This is a bit of a step up, but the barn knows what they have and he must be given a serious look.

This one really hasn’t run a bad race and has had some tough luck in a couple of races.  Broke maiden at FL on a wet track and was second at SAR vs. Alw horses, then spoon in a pair of fourth place finishes vs. stakes company and you get the idea that this one can compete at this level.  He closed late at CD last out in that graded race and I think that is a sign that he will run big today.  

Another that hasn’t run bad but ends up 4/5/6 in his stakes races.  He broke maiden at SA in his first race, and has been in stakes races in his last three, two of those graded affairs.  If he can find just a bit more, he could get the job done.  Let’s see if today is his day.

Three wins from five starts and has a pair of FLA-bred stakes scores, so he shows ability and doesn’t pick-up weight for those wins.  Fourth last out as the luke-warm 7/2 favorite, but was only two lengths back.  He has a good closing kick, so watch for that here.

Two starts, two wins, so you can’t fault the results.  Broke maiden by three at MD then got the job done vs. Alw horses at GG so it’s another step up and stakes company here today.  He’s already proven to me a smart auction purchase for $1.000 at the June sale, and can he keep it going?

Got his second win last out down in SoFla opening up a big lead and cruising home, and was tagged out of that race for $35.000.  They go for the gusto right out of the bag and look for immediate returns.  Can he go with this type?

Closed well to grab the place vs. stakes horses up north of the border last out, and he closed a late gap to get the second place money there.  Won vs. Alw horses at SAR and broke maiden first out at EMD, so he shows some real ability.  Was favored last out and may get the money bet on him in this one as well.

COZMAN Picks   5 / 1 / 4       Scotty  4 / 1 / 6        Willie’s Green Card   8 / 4 / 5

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES