The HOU Ladies Classic – GIII
1/26/20
HOU Race 8 1 1/16M – Dirt
Purse $300.000
Four Year Olds and Up Fillies and Mares

Here we are for this years running of the biggest race in the state of Texas the Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston Race Park. This is the start of the year for most of the best fillies and mares as they aim towards the Breeders Cup latest this year. Let’s take a look at the field.

1. Cannolo (11-4-1-2 $1025.100), trained by Mb Stables

First runner in the field here and she is a grade one winner and a very talented runner. This is her second start for Mb Stables and the only other race was a sixth place finish in the Breeders Cup Distaff. The layoff may have freshened her up and I think she will be ready to run a big race in here.

2. Book Of Aggravation (15-3-4-4 $467.420), trained by Estero Farms

Next filly in the field here and she is another graded stakes winner in this field. She has only ran once since September and that was a second place finish in an allowance race at Turfway. She should be better this time around and she may be ready to go in this race.

3. Stamford Bridge (7-3-3-0 $190.490), trained by Dynark Stables

An extremely lightly raced eight year old right here and she is coming into this race off of a huge six length win in a Louisiana bred stakes race. She dominated that field but this is a whole other class of runners here. I don’t know if she is good enough to win but it would not be the biggest shocker if she did.

4. Z Command (15-5-3-3 $2462.000), trained by Smokey Stover

And here we have the Breeders Cup Distaff winner and also the champion three year old filly from last year. Since Smokey Stover purchased her he has gotten her to two grade one victories and if she can run those type of races in here she will be the one to beat without a doubt.

5. Wheel Day (11-3-4-3 $132.050), trained by Savage Racing Stable

Next runner in the field here and she will be coming into this race off of a win in the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper at Gulfstream Park. She ran very well that day and won easily but this is a big jump up in class for sure. She will have to run a big race to have a shot.

6. Lucky Pivot (12-4-1-1 $240.640), trained by Serenity Stables

Once again we see another graded stakes winner in this field. This filly won the grade three Iowa Oaks last summer. In her last start she was third in the grade three Bayakoa Handicap but it was only a four horse field. She will need to get back to her form from last summer to get a piece of this race.

7. Blue Caviar (14-6-1-3 $850.600), trained by Waldo

Another graded stakes winner in this bunch and she ran very well pretty much every time she ran last year. In her last start she was a very disappointing thirteenth in the Breeders Cup Distaff. That was just a bad race I think and she is set up to come back and run a big race in here.

8. Nude Beach (14-5-2-6 $426.460), trained by Aer Stables

Final mare we take a look at here and she is coming into this race off of a win in the grade two Falls City Handicap which was a four horse field but she did win easily that day. She has a tough post in here and she will have to run a career best to get the win in this spot.

Summary

A very great field has been entered up for this race and I can see most of these having a great shot at winning. My top pick has to be Z Command the Breeders Cup Distaff winner because she is the class of this field. Good luck to all in the field.

5-1-7-3

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES