Another weekend of racing has passed, and believe it or not the order has changed a bit for the Classic and Ladies Classic. This week I will also introduce the dirt Sprint divisions. The distance Turf divisions and Dirt Mile will debut next week as Super Saturday is this upcoming Sat!
Classic
1. Game On Dude (Awesome Again), Baffert: Big test this week in the Awesome Again. Still not a big fan of the jockey switch, but Rafael Bajarano is no slouch and honestly is a better rider then Chantal Sutherland.
2. Ron the Greek (Full Mandate), Mott: If he wins the JCGC, then he would have 3 G1 wins at 3 of the most imporant tracks in the US. That's pretty big if you ask me.
3. Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno), Ritvo: Jumps up two spots this week. While going into the BCC not running since September isn't ideal, I'm actually okay with it. He loves to run when he's fresh and Kathy knows this horse. She'll be able to get him ready for the big race in November.
4. Fort Larned (E Dubai), Wilkes: This was a tough spot to drop him, but Saturday is not going to be an easy race for him.
5. Golden Ticket (Speightstown), McPeek: Won the little battle between him and Alpha, but it was only good for 3rd in the PA Derby. Despite his sprinter dad, something tells me he's better longer then shorter. If he wasn't going onto turf, Dullahan would have been in this spot instead.
Others Considered
Macho Macho (Macho Uno)- The WV Derby winner came up short against Handsome Mike. Don't think he's a true Classic contender this year, but will be one certinally to watch in the future.
To Honor and Serve (Bernardini)- Teetering between two races, he'll def make his ranking debut next week in one of the divisions pending the outcome of the Kelso.
Dullahan (Even the Score)- The same goes for him, but it sounds like they are more leaning towards the turf races then the dirt.
Off all together: Alpha (Bernardini)- He really is the new Stay Thirsty. Brilliant in New York, not so much everywhere else.
Ladies Classic
1. Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course), Brown: Okay you have convinced me, I watched her race and she's going to be awefully hard to beat. This is going to be her hardest assignment to date, and while she will get a good pace, can she overcome possible challenges?
2. Royal Delta (Empire Maker), Mott: I am not ready to give up on her. With that being said, last year's Older Females outside of Blind Luck and Havre de Grace where awful, with the both of them out of the race she was able to win with ease. This year, it's her, Awesome Feather, Love and Pride and It's Tricky. Add in Questing and My Miss Aurelia for the 3yo fillies, and it's going to be an awfully hard time for her. Hopefully a good showing in the Beldame will put her back into the winning conversation.
3. Include Me Out (Include), Ellis: According to Horse Racing Nation, Love and Pride could come out and face her in the Zenyatta. This will be her toughest test to date, but if she can handle that then she has a big chance in the LC. My 1 concern about her is that the East Coast fillies are just too good this year. Still they are coming cross country where as she is in the comfort of her own backyard.
4. My Miss Aurelia (Smart Strike), Asmussen: The 2yo Champion from last year was able to run down the now former #1 3yo filly in Questing in a thrilling Cotillion. However, that was at a mile and sixteenth. The LC is a mile and an eighth which is more up to Questing's advantage. Both her and Awesome Feather are still undefeated, one of them heck even both will/could come out of the race with a blemish on their records.
5. Questing (GB) (Hard Spun), McLaughlin: A big reason why It's Tricky is not on this week's list is because honestly, this girl is much better at 9 furlongs then she is at 8.5 furlongs. And that's saying something. Yes she lost to My Miss Aurelia, but her jockey took her out of her comfort zone by slowing the pace which allowed Aurelia to stay in the race longer. She needs to blitz them from the beginning to have any chance at the end. The other thing is that she was giving weight to MMA. Luckly, Santa Anita is more speed friendly then Philadelphia is.
Others Considered
Love and Pride (A.P. Indy)- If she defeats Include Me Out (if she's going that is) or wins the Beldame at home, then next week she could very well debut here.
It's Tricky (Mineshaft)- I'm going to put her here for now, because I still think there's a very good chance she goes here. With that said, both races she's under consideration for are going to be very tough for her.
Via Villagio (Bernardini)- Not sure if she's good enough for the LC, but could be an interesting horse.
In Lingerie (Empire Marker)- There's just something about her that I like, but she's turning out to be a bit of an enigma. Just can't put my finger on it.
Sprint
1. Amazombie (Northern Afleet), Spawr: This is truly going to be a West vs East showdown. The defending champ debuts in the top spot off his win in the Bing Crosby. He heads to this weekend with eyes on defending his what was formally known as the Ancient Title championship. Hasn't finished out of the Top 3 this season.
2. Emcee (Unbridled's Song), McLaughlin: With the defeats of Questing and Alpha last weekend, all of a sudden he might be Godolphin's best horse. Out of a 1/2 sister to a G1 winner at 7 furlongs (Awesome Humor), he won the Forego in his last and was 3rd in the Vanderbilt.
3. Poseidon's Warrior (Speightstown), Reid: The Vanderbilt winner defeated Justin Phillip and the formentioned Emcee. His biggest issue is consistency, before the Vanderbilt he had finished off the board in 2 of his 3 starts. Now granted one of them was on the turf against possibly the #1 turf sprinter in the US (who won't be going to the BC once again), so that could be forgiven. Still he'll have to show that his Vandy win was no fluke.
4. Justin Phillip (First Samurai), Asmussen: Although the begging of the year didn't start well for him, he has gotten stronger as the year has gone on. 1 win this year so far, but his past 3 starts have been in the money all three times including a runner up finish to Poseidon's Warrior in his last. Justin's biggest problem is that he needs to finish it off, he's talented enough to win a G1 race, he just has to get it done.
5. Camp Victory (Forest Camp), Mitchell: Even though he's more of a synth/turf specialist, he did win at SA last year on the dirt. The winner of the Triple Bend, he was third in the Pat O'Brien in his last race. Going against Amazombie is one thing, but with 3yo filly Renesgotzip also possible for the SA Sprint Championship, who knows what's going to happen to him.
Others Considered
Sean Avery (Cherokee Run)- Last year's Vanderbilt winner returned to the racetrack a resounding winner in a listed stakes. His biggest issue is that he has a history of soundness issues and well honestly I thought the Vandy would be the last time we would ever see him. I'm glad to say I was wrong about that, but hopefully he stays healthy.
Trinniberg (Teuflesberg)- In what was the strongest 3yo division well... it's been turned upside down now. He did rebound from his poor King's Bishop to finish second in the Gallant Bob in his last, but arch rival Currency Swap wasn't so lucky.
Fort Loudon (Awesome of Course)- From the same breeder/owner that brought you Jackson Bend and Awesome Feather. 2nd in the King's Bishop after finishing 5th in the Amsterdam to Currency Swap. Defeated Trinniberg in the Carry Back in Florida.
Filly and Mare Sprint
1. Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band), Bradley: In what is another tough division, this is a little bit more clear cut. She's already defeated both Switch and Musical Romance in the Humana in May. She had an injury that kept her out for the summer, but it wasn't an issue when she returned a few weeks ago in the PI Masters. While doubtful she heads that way, she could easily do well in the Sprint or Dirt Mile as well as she was second to Boys at Toscanova in an Allowance earlier this year.
2. Dust and Diamonds (Vindication), Asmussen: Also defeated Musical Romance, and added Turbulent Descent to her list as well when she won the Gallant Bloom on Saturday. I actually saw her on DelCap day when she won the Dashing Beauty where she put on a flat out clinic that day. She hasn't done much wrong in her career having not finished out of the money.
3. Switch (Quiet American), Sadler: The 2 time runner up in this race is due. While she has only won once this year, it was a graded stakes over a good group of horses. At 5, the BC will prob. be her farewell to the track. However the good news is her female family has a great successor in Questing.
4. Contested (Ghostzapper), Baffert: Rebounded in the Test from a very poor Mother Goose. However, in that race she had to do something that she had never done before and that's come from the back of the pack. This won't be an easy race for her, but a good showing could put her in a spot to be the top Female Sprinter for next year.
5. Winding Way (Malibu Moon), Gaines: Although there is a chance a win might be taken away from her, she is a very talented filly. After a terrible break in her last race, she was able to overcome the start to grind out the win. That was pretty impressive considering she prefers to run up front in the early stages. She hasn't raced on dirt yet, but her little sister is Kauai Katie who won a G2 at Saratoga this Summer.
Others Considered
Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper)- runner up in both the Prioress and Gallant Bloom, spent last year as a bit of a world traveler where she won races in Kentucky, France and Canada.
Emma's Encore (Congrats)- Although she somewhat struggled against older on Saturday, she did surprise everyone in her previous two starts the Prioress and Victory Ride, the latter where she upset then undefeated Agave Kiss.
Musical Romance (Concorde's Tune)- It's not that the defending champion having a horrible year, after all she did win the Princess Rooney. It's that she's been unfortunate to run into Groupie Doll 3 times this year and losing all three times. While she and Switch should swap places, I put the latter where I did, because honestly I trust her more then I do the former.
It's Tricky (Mineshaft)- She could make her debut on this list next week should it be decided to keep her and Questing apart.
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