Preparations for the Breeders Cup continue all over the country, and today there are three graded stakes here at Big Sandy which can have a say in which horses will travel to California to contest the Breeders Cup races. The Grade I Flower Bowl, featuring the mighty Sistercharlie, is the main dish for today. Let’s go to the comments:
1st race: 1 1/16 Mile. (Inner Turf) ™‘Mdn 62k Purse $62,000 INNER TURF FOR MAIDENS, FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD FOALED IN NEW YORK STATE
Lots of horses who have continuously lost in groups similar to this one, so we will go with Amazing Zero (3) , who debuted at the Spa coming from the one hole and did nicely against Winifred J., which later broke her maiden winning easily. She is a daughter of Magician, who won the BC Turf, so shouldn’t have any problems with the added ground. Market Legacy (7) is in the third race of his cycle after a ten month layoff. Trainer Christophe Clement hits at a 24% clip in this type of situation and Franco should manage a garden spot trip for her. There is still room for upside with this filly. Amos (6) has been backed up by her fans in three of her last four outings, not having been able to graduate. In her most recent, which was her first on the grass, she came from off the pace, unlike her first starts in which she displayed plenty of speed, and ended with a good rally to miss by a couple of lengths. I suspect Joel Rosario will put her closer to the pace today.
2nd race: 6½ Furlongs. ™Clm 14000n3L Purse $28,000 FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD
I will draw a line to Evan’s Nice Now (2) most recent effort. She was definitely in a group way out of her league. She is now in a position to control the pace from the start, as we don’t see much pace signed in here. Prairie Fire (1) won for more than twice the price that she is running for today less than two weeks ago. A red flag is risen immediately, but the truth is that she just needs to repeat that effort to win against these. Is Danny Gargan looking to get out before the filly starts declining? We will see. Tayler’s The Boss (8) has a nice outside post and she can stalk from a cozy garden spot position. She has been knocking at the door and, in a very weak group like this one, it doesn’t take much improvement from any horse to take a win.
3rd race: 1 ¼ Mile. (Inner Turf) OC 62500n2x Purse $90,000 INNER TURF (UP TO $15,660 NYSBFOA) FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD
Unleveraged (2) ran very well against Frontier Market in his come back race, after not having a clean start. Against this bunch he should be right on that first flight and has had a nice six week rest, preparing for this one, which came pretty light for him. He will be a very tough cookie to chew, and Lezcano and Brown form a potent team (37% effectivity). Red Right Hand (5) seems to be the fastest of these horses, and Rosario will look to steal it from the gitgo. Just as the favorite, there is the question of the added distance, but speed is more dangerous as the distance increases, so I think he will run well in here. Devamani (6) comes from running against Noble Indy, a much more seasoned horse that the group he is facing today. The problem for him is that the race does not set up nicely for him, with the lack of pace we see in here.
4th race: 1 Mile. (Turf) ‘OC 40000n2x Purse $70,000 FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD FOALED IN NEW YORK STATE
This one is maybe the most difficult race to handicap in all the card. I will not be surprised by any outcome of this race, as some of the best horses on paper are not proven over the grass. I will give the nod to Ghost Giant (5), who comes from running twice against the very tough Dowse’s Beach, and, although it has been a long tome since he has traveled this kind of trip, his races at seven furlongs makes me think he will have no problem with it. Rosario should put him near to the leaders and should have first run at them. He is running for the first time for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, who hits at a 29% clip doing this. Startup Nation (12) came up firing from a close to a two year long layoff and just missed at the $25,000 claiming level. The post is not an easy obstacle to overcome, but his class is not to be overlooked, as he is a Graded placed individual. Irad keeps the mount for Mr. Brown. Not That Brady (9) is maybe the most seasoned horse in this group, with the question mark of the surface switch. He has tried to run in the lawn twice, and both times came off the grass, so his connections think he can do well on the green stuff.
5th race: 6½ Furlongs. ™‘MC 50000 Purse $46,000 FOR MAIDENS, FILLIES TWO YEARS OLD FOALED IN NEW YORK STATE
Mebs Web (10) drops from the maiden special weight category to this 50,000 maiden claimer and receives a considerable upgrade on jockey, from apprentice J.R. Martinez to Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez. She has three breezes in preparation for this event, including a bullet just six days ago. Be Magic (9) had to deal against Naked Avenger in her bow run, a filly that later won a stakes race. Irad Ortiz takes over the reins now for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, a 24% trainer first at the maiden claiming level. Welsh Gold (6) is also dropping from the allowance ranks, and she showed nice speed off the blocks in her debut. Now trainer Greg Sacco removes the blinkers, looking for her filly to relax just a bit more.
6th race: 6 Furlongs. ™Mdn 75k Purse $75,000 (UP TO $13,050 NYSBFOA) FOR MAIDENS, FILLIES TWO YEARS OLD.
There seems to be some talent in this group of two year old fillies, with many good choices to pick from. The works for Shug Mc Gaughey’s Power Move (2) suggest she is ready to fire right off the bench. She has fired bullets in both Keeneland and Belmont and the More than Readys are generally very precocious. Amazing Ride (6) was bought for a whopping $525,000, multiplying by more than six times the stud’s fee for Candy Ride. Kendrick Carmouche has the assignment, which means most probably she will be at or near the lead, as her work tab suggests. Orsay (13) needs a defection to run, but if she gets in just by her pedigree, she needs to be considered. A daughter of triple crown winner American Pharoah by champion mare Life at Ten, she is blessed with royal genes. Chad Brown debuting this kind of filly on the dirt means she is ready to perform well in her debut.
7th race: 6 Furlongs. (Turf) Futurity-G3 Futurity S. Grade III. Purse $150,000 FOR TWO YEAR OLDS
Four Wheel Drive (4) won like a good thing in his debut at Colonial. Wesley Ward sees enough talent in him to make the circuit upgrade to Belmont to run in this Grade III and Irad Ortiz takes the call, with a horse that has already shown he doesn’t need the lead to win, and that is important with these immature colts. Embolden (3) has transformed since being switched to the grass, taking a listed stakes at Colonial in his most recent effort. He should be right in that first flight and Rosario sprinting on the grass is a guarantee of a good showing. Jack and Noah (6)’s debut was very impressive and now takes a cutback in distance. There is no question that he needs to step up on his first run, but he showed talent and Casse will not send him to a stakes race if he doesn’t believe he can win.
8th race: 1 1/4 Mile. (Inner Turf) ™FlwrBlIv-G1 Flower Bowl S. Grade I. Purse $500,000 INNER TURF FOR FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD
I will not spend much time in this race. Definitely Sistercharlie (2) towers over this field, which, besides her, is not Grade I quality. This race should serve as a perfect set up for her title defense of the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf, in which she will be one of the top choices. Miss Sippy (3) and Empressof the Nile (4) looks to be the best of the rest, but, in a normal race, will not breath the same air as Sistercharlie.
9th race: 1 Mile. ™Frizette-G1 Frizette S. Grade I. Purse $400,000 FOR FILLIES TWO YEARS OLD
Very interesting rendition of the Frizette, in which the jockey strategy will be key on the outcome. I will go with Daphne Moon (2) , who graduated at first asking very impressively, after getting a tad slow. I like also that she has experience over the very difficult seven panels trip, and now gets an additional furlong to work with. Irad takes the call replacing his brother Jose, and her works leading up to this Grade I are stupendous. Wicked Whisper (3) also displayed good talent when romping in her debut. It is true she will need to jump from six furlongs to a mile now, but being by Liam’s Map, that shouldn’t be a problem. She has remained working steadily for trainer Steve Asmussen. Frank’s Rockette (7) has burned some good money in her last tow, now gets a jockey change to Johnny V. after two very questionable rides. She now gets an outside post, lets see if she can rebound as she has been expected to do.
10th race: 7 Furlongs. (Turf) ‘MC 40000 Purse $41,000 FOR MAIDENS, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD FOALED IN NEW YORK STATE
Another puzzling race to end the card today. Zechariah (11) entices John Velazquez to stay for the finale. He has had races good enough to win easily in such a low quality group and takes a good cutback in distance for trainer Jonathan Thomas, who hits at 26% first time maiden claimer. Seven Plus Seven (7) has experience in the grass in a race in which he dictated the pace and then folded. That was at a mile. Now drops to a more suitable trip and was gelded after his last effort. Has the look of a good upset to finish the day. Snow Lion (4) is a first timer out of Kitten’s Joy, who yesterday had a debut runner winning a high odds. Works say he can be right on the pace from the latch and he doesn’t need to be a world beater to win in here.