The July Fourth weekend offers myriad stakes races across the country, including three graded stakes races for the kiddies On Saturday, the Bashford Manor Stakes (G-3) will be held at Churchill, while the JJ’s Dream and Frank Gomez Memorial at Calder will be the first chance for the southern babies to earn blacktype. On Sunday, Belmont Park renews the Futurity and Matron, both Grade 2 contests. Normally run in the fall at seven furlongs, the NYRA canceled these races last year. This year, they will be contested at six furlongs.
The 110 running of the Bashford Manor appears to have the strongest competition of the three graded stakes for two year olds. The six furlong challenge includes two horses profiled on my June 12 watch list, plus the first winner for a first crop sire.
Mentioned on the June 12 watch list, POWER
WORLD (Distorted Humor - Purrfectly, by Storm Cat) won easily despite trouble in his initial start. is a half brother to Santa Caterina, the heroine of Hollywod Breeders’ Cup Oaks (G-1). The talented filly placed in the Frizette (G-1) Debutante (G-1) and Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies (G-1) as a juvenile. Power World’s dam Purrectly is a half sister to the Juvenile English Champion filly Culture Vulture. Power World has a precocious pedigree and he had a professional debut. The Neil Howard barn has a strong 20% win rate with the maiden to stakes angle.
EXFACTOR (Exchange Rate - Bright Magic, by Prized) was also profiled on the watch list based upon his effort on June 9. The pretty gray colt is the only horse in the field with a win at 5 ½ furlongs. Exfactor’s sire is known more for producing stakes winning fillies than colts (Ermine, Swap Fliparoo). Exfactor’s dam Bright Magic, won four of twelve starts, including two listed sprints. None of Exfactor’s four half siblings have won anything of note, but their dam is a full sister to a stakes placed runner and a half sister to Grade 3 turf heroine Take The Ribbon. The Bernie Flint barn gets 5% winners from last out maidens to stakes.
LAURIE'S ROCKET (Bluegrass Cat - Clay's Rocket, by American Chance) traveled wide and closed with a furious rush to grab second place behind Bonaparte in their debut. He’s by one of last year’s top freshmen sires. Laurie's Rocket has a profitable, sturdy female family. He’s a half sister to the turf stakes sprinter Greeley’s Rocket and their dam is a half sister to Frizette Stakes (G-1) heroine Adieu as well as two other stakes winners. Trainer Dallas Stewart is hitting with 8% of his graded stakes runners.
The only stakes winner in the field ships in from
Texas and adds distance. LIL CHEROKEE (Cherokee Run - Western Lil, by Western Trick) is undefeated in two starts at Lone Star. He has a speed over stamina pedigree. His sire was the Champion Sprinter of 1997 and his damsire is a half brother to Seeking The Gold. Lil Cherokee carries the bloodlines of Champions Seattle Slew and Silent Screen through his distaff line. Lil Cherokee’s dam won six of eight races plus a couple of minor stakes. She’s a good broodmare, as half of her eight foals are stakes winners or stakes placed, mainly in Texas. Lil Cherokee has some heavy hitters farther back in his pedigree and his fifth dam is a blue hen. The Calhoun barn is hitting with 26% last out winners.
The only maiden in the field, CHALYBEATE SPRINGS (Dynaformer - Chaposa Springs, by Baldski) was a non-threatening fifth over a sloppy Churchill track in his initial start two weeks ago. He is a son of an international sire and a multiple Grade 1 winning sprinter. His dam is a half sister to Met Mile winner and sire You And I. Chalybeate Springs’s second dam was a Champion in Peru. The Lukas barn has won 2% of graded stakes this year.
BONAPARTE (Touch Gold - French Madam, by Rahy) couldn’t have won his debut any easier; flashing under the wire over five lengths ahead of second place horse Laurie’s Rocket. He’s a half brother to the multiple stakes placed Ginger Pop and his stakes placed dam spent her career as a dirt sprinter. He has some class a couple of generations back. Bonaparte’s third dam Mitterand is a multiple Grade 1 winner and dam of sire French Deputy. The Bernie Flint barn wins with 15% of their two year olds.
SUM OF THE PARTS (Speightstown - Enjoy the Moment, by Slew's Royalty) beat Exfactor in their debut, getting 4 ½ furlongs in a quick :51 flat. He’s been working strongly for the Bashford Manor. Sum of the Parts has a precocious sprint oriented pedigree. His Champion sprinter sire is known for getting speedy offspring. Sum of the Part’s dam is a multiple Graded stakes sprinter and six of her seven foals to race are winners. The Amoss barn hits with a strong 30% of their maiden to stakes winners.
After demolishing maiden claimers at Calder HOT SPEED (Burning Roma - Feed for Speed, by Formal Dinner) shipped to the Kentucky barn of Ron Moquett. Hot Speed has a modest sprinter/miler pedigree, but there’s notable blacktype four generations back. His dam is inbred to the blue hen Gray Flight., dam of What A Pleasure, the blue hen Bold Princess and other stakes winners. The Moquett barn is 0 for 12 with maidens to stakes angle, but 28% of starters with this trainer win first out.
TARPY'S GOAL (High Cotton - Terre des Hommes, by Exbourne) won his five furlong debut in a speedy :58 4/5. He is the only winner from five runners for his first crop sire. High Cotton was second in two graded stakes at Churchill as a juvenile. Tarpy's Goal has miler speed mixed with strong European stamina. Tarpy's Goal’s damsire won the Hollywood Gold Cup (G-1) at 1 ¼ miles over the turf, as well as the Shoemaker Mile and other graded stakes. Tarpy's Goal’s dam is a half sister to the sire Running Stag, and also to the grand-dam of the Grade 1 winning sprinter Street Boss. The Dale Roman’s barn has a 14% win rate with maidens to stakes. Tarpy’s Goal is cross-entered in the Belmont Futurity on Sunday.
GREEN MOUSE (Cherokee Run - Valley Fever, by Peaks and Valleys) scampered through the Churchill mud to win his second start by 3 ½ lengths. He has a precocious sprinter’s pedigree. He’s a half brother to the stakes winning miler Valli With A Vow. And his dam is a half sister to the graded stakes winning Chimichurri. Green Mouse’s third dam is the blue hen Homespun. The Denzik barn has a 33% win rate with the maiden to stakes winner angle.
FRISCAN (Two Punch - Otherwise Perfect, by
Lemon Drop Kid) won his debut over the Keeneland Polytrack in April by a neck. The pretty gray colt has a speed over stamina pedigree. His recently deceased sire produced the Puerto Rican Group 1 winner Gal In the Vale and Grade 3 stakes horses Willa On The Move. Friscan’s dam is unraced, but there is some class a few generations back. The Albert Stall barn has a 19% win rate with maidens to stakes winners.
SELECTIONS:
Typical of early season juvenile races, there’s plenty of speed in the Bashford Manor, which could set up for a closer. SUM OF THE PARTS had a strong debut and appears to be the speed of the speed, can he get an easy lead or alternatively, outlast the others? LIL CHEROKEE is fast and a stakes winner. Not sure about the class of horses he beat and he’ll be shipping in. He may duel with Sum Of The Parts. The well-bred POWER WORLD overcame trouble in his debut, mowing down the leaders to win by a length going 4 ½ furlongs. EXFACTOR showed improvement in his second start and had a decent work back. GREEN MOUSE worked a bullet two breezes back, which could set him up nicely. TARPY’S GOAL had the second best work in his prep a few days ago, and he can sit off the pace. LAURIE’S ROCKET was really flying in the stretch of his 4 ½ furlong start. Like Power World, he should love the extra real estate. He’s also entered in a maiden race on Sunday, so he may scratch from the Bashford Manor.
#3 POWER WORLD
#9 TARPY’S GOAL
#7 SUM OF THE PARTS
#1 LAURIE’S ROCKET – longshot pick
#10 GREEN MOUSE alternate longshot
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