Southwest Stakes Contentious

This year’s edition of the Southwest Stakes attracted the attention of trainers around the country. Most likely thought it would be a nice, soft spot for their charges to gather graded stakes earnings on their quest for a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Consequently, the Southwest Stakes was split into two divisions with full fields in both races. The only other time the Southwest was split was in 2002. Let’s look at some entrants that have a shot to finish in the money.

UNBRIDLED'S NOTE (Unbridled's Song - Siberian Fur, by Siberian Express) was an easy maiden winner last year at Churchill and enters the Southwest with a series of good works. The bay colt has plenty of stamina in his pedigree. He’s a half-brother to Alabama and CCA Oaks winner Spoken Fur.

JAKE MO (Giacomo - Credit Approval, by With Approval) was a deceptively good fourth, beaten only 1 ¾ lengths in the Smarty Jones Stakes. He was making his first start of the year and can improve. However, his works are average and the Milligan barn is 0 for 11 in graded stakes races. Jake Moe is a half-brother to a stakes placed turf sprinter and his second dam Coastal Connection is a Grade 3 winning miler.

LONGVIEW DRIVE (Pulpit - Wild Vision, by Wild Again) had a nice debut in the Sham Stakes, leading until the end, beaten only a length. Longview Drive is a full brother to Louisiana Derby hero Pyro. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer wins with 30% of his shippers.

JUNEBUGRED (Corinthian - Dixie Melody, by Dixieland Band) came up the rail bravely to win the Smarty Jones Stakes by a desperate neck. He’s a half-brother to stakes winner Joe Six Pack and their dam is Grade 2 stakes placed. The chestnut colt popped a bullet 4 furlongs in his last breeze.

RECKLESS JERRY (Cactus Ridge - Miss Moneywise, by Crafty Prospector) ground out a second place finish, beaten just a neck by Junebugred in the Smarty Jones. Reckless Jerry has sprinter speed through his sire and damsire. He’s out running his pedigree, as there is no notable blacktype in his distaff line, yet he’s never finished out of the money.

RING IT UP (Toccet - Noontime Angel, by Successful Appeal) was second best to Cyber Secret last time out, beaten 5 ¼ lengths. It was 13 lengths back to the third place finisher. Ring It Up has a sprinter/miler pedigree and should appreciate the cut back in distance. His unraced dam is a half-sister to two listed stakes winners. Ring It Up shows a nice Brisnet speed figure progression in his last three races. He came back with a bullet five furlong work after his last start.

At this point, LAURIE'S ROCKET (Bluegrass Cat - Clay's Rocket, by American Chance) appears to do his best work as a sprinter. He’s a versatile colt who can win from on or off of the pace. He dueled the whole way on the lead in the Smarty Jones, but weakened to finish fifth, beaten two lengths by Junebugred. Laurie’s Rocket is a half-brother to Greeley’s Rocket, who placed in four stakes at two and won a listed stakes at three. His dam is a stakes placed half-sister to the Grade 1 stakes heroine Adieu, the G3 stakes winners Direct Line, Rappaport, and listed stakes winner Speak Wisely.

The slowly maturing CASTAWAY (Street Sense - Priceless Storm, by Storm Cat) finally won his maiden when stretching out around two turns. He has one of the best pedigrees in the field. His dam is a half-sister to the graded stakes winners Master Command and Aurora Lights. The second dam is a full sister to the sire Lost Soldier and G1 heroine La Gueriere, dam of the top mare Icon Project and grand-dam of sprint specialist Munnings. Other top runners in this family include the top turf runner Honor In War, Al Mamoon and Super Derby hero Apart. Trainer Bob Baffert wins with 29% of his shippers.

 

SELECTIONS

Track bias: 23% of the horses that get the lead wire the field, but the majority of winners are pace pressers, getting 37% of the wins. Late pace runners do as well as the front runners, and one-run closers get up 17% of the time.

Junebugred

Longview Drive

Unbridled's Note

Reckless Jerry - longshot pick

Southwest Stakes Division 2

In Division 2 of the Southwest Stakes, even money favorite SECRET CIRCLE (Eddington - Ragtime Hope, by Dixieland Band) ships in for Bob Baffert after a ½ length loss in the Sham Stakes in his three year old debut.

CYBER SECRET (Broken Vow - Stomping, by Dixieland Band) appears to be Secret Circle’s main competition. Cyber Secret demolished optional claimers last time out and the second place finisher of that race, Ring It Up, is entered in the first division.

ADIRONDACK KING (Lawyer Ron - Jostle, by Brocco) has the pedigree to go long. He was up for third in the seven furlong Pasco in his three year old debut and should improve with racing and distance.

PEE H DEE (Tale of the Cat - Trillion Wing, by In the Wings (GB)) should also improve with distance. He’s a half-brother to PaPaw Bodie, a Grade 3 turf router. Their second dam won the Grade 2 Davona Dale and his third and fourth dams are graded stakes winners.

The pretty gray Z ROCKSTAR (Rockport Harbor - Nasty Little Star, by Nasty and Bold) finished a neck behind Pee H Dee in a hotly contested one mile allowance race last time out. Z Rockstar’s dam is a stakes winner. The colt has finished out of the money only once in seven starts.

SCATMAN (Scat Daddy - Hit It Here Cafe, by Grand Slam) stretches out after beating optional claimers in his first race of the season. He gets plenty of stamina on his distaff side from his damsire Grand Slam and second damsire Strawberry Road.

APPREHENDER (Posse - Missy's Mirage, by Stop the Music) also stretches out after demolishing a field of maidens in his debut. He has plenty of speed in his pedigree. His sire gets mainly sprinters and Apprehender’s dam is a multiple graded stakes winning sprinter.

After beating maidens in his three year old debut, CHALYBEATE SPRINGS (Dynaformer - Chaposa Springs, by Baldski) was rushed back two weeks later in the Lecomte, where he finished an embarrassing 22 ½ lengths behind Mr. Bowling. Chalybeate Springs has one of the best pedigrees in the Southwest Stakes. He is a son of Ballerina and Test heroine Chaposa Springs. His half-sister produced the UAE-G3 winner Mendip, but although four of his siblings raced, only two have won. Chaposa Springs is a half-sister to Met Mile winner and sire You And I. Chalybeate Springs’s second dam was a Champion in Peru.

KING CORAL (Limehouse - Pink Coral (IRE), by Sadler's Wells) showed nothing in his three year old debut in the Smarty Jones stakes and appears a cut below.

BIG WEDNESDAY (Repent - Foxey's Last Key, by Big Bold Sefa) won the Fitz Dixon Jr Memorial last October and picks a tough spot to make his three year old bow. He was unplaced in his only start over dirt last year.

 

SELECTIONS

It’s hard to pick against Secret Circle. If he gets into a battle with Scatman for the lead, he could be vulnerable. Cyber Secret can get the distance and could pull the upset. Adirondack King is geared for distance and should be sharper in his second start off of the layoff.

Cyber Secret

Secret Circle

Adirondack King

Technorati Tags: Oaklawn Park,Southwest Stakes,2012 Kentucky Derby,2012 Triple Crown,2012 Prep Races

Creative Cause Vs. The Rest

The seven furlong San Vicente Stakes is generally targeted by three year olds looking to advance their career in the sprinter/miler division. The last three winners of the San Vicente, The Factor, Sidney’s Candy and the filly Evita Argentina later became Grade 1 winners, The Factor and Evita Argentina as sprinters, and Sidney’s Candy as a turf miler.

This year’s edition of the San Vicente Stakes pits two Grade 1 winners against lesser competitors. The overwhelming favorite CREATIVE CAUSE (Giant's Causeway - Dream of Summer, by Siberian Summer) is using the San Vicente as a starting point on his Triple Crown journey. The pretty gray colt may not be fully cranked for his first time out, and he will prefer longer distances.

Creative Cause’s strongest challenge is expected to come from DRILL (Lawyer Ron - Cat Dancer, by Storm Cat). The large chestnut colt won the Del Mar Futurity by a neck over Creative Cause last September. However, Creative Cause finished in front of Drill in two subsequent meetings. Drill hasn’t hit the board in his last four races. Read his full pedigree profile here.

A lightly raced colt who could pull an upset is AMERICAN ACT (Quiet American - Revolutionary Act, by Boston Harbor). The bay colt is stretching out from a recent maiden win at 5 ½ furlongs, but has the pedigree to run two turns. American Act’s dam is a stakes winning sprinter, but otherwise, this female family is light on blacktype.

LET'S GET CRACKIN (Eddington - I'maknightschoice, by Knights Choice) makes his second start for trainer Craig Dollase and removes the blinkers. The dark bay colt ran his best race, speed figure wise, in the San Pedro over the Santa Anita dirt. Let's Get Crackin has a sprint orientated pedigree. His dam is out-performing her pedigree and is becoming a useful producer. Besides Let's Get Crackin, she bore his stakes winning half-sister R Nanee and his stakes placed half-brother Hopewell Heart. Seven of eight of Let's Get Crackin’s half siblings are winners and all have raced.

Two entrants, Smoking G and Captain Obvious, will be making their debut over dirt.

SMOKING G (Smoke Glacken - Whitewashed, by Broad Brush) won his maiden last time out over the lawn, but he has a dirt oriented pedigree. The pretty gray colt has a sprinter/miler pedigree. Smoking G’s half-sister is a Group 3 winner in Puerto Rico and their dam is a stakes placed turf sprinter. Smoking G zipped a bullet five furlongs in his breeze for the San Vicente.

CAPTAIN OBVIOUS (Choisir (AUS) - Taqqara (IRE), by Spectrum (IRE)) is cutting back in distance and trying dirt. He was a distant fourth behind Liaison over the Hollywood Cushion Track in the CashCall futurity. Captain Obvious has the pedigree of a turf router. None of his sire’s progeny have come in the money in dirt stakes races. Captain Obvious’ damsire is represented by three stakes placed dirt runners, including the graded stakes placed maiden Brother Francis. Captain Obvious adds blinkers and the Cecil barn gets 5% winners with that move.

 

SELECTIONS:

AMERICAN ACT and SMOKIN G have the speed to blaze out of the gate and keep going. Since both are recent maiden winners, it’s anybody’s guess if they have the class to hold off CREATIVE CAUSE. That one has been working well and should outclass his opponents even if he isn’t at his best. LET’S GET CRACKIN could be in the money should one of the top three falter. DRILL hasn’t progressed since his two year old season. He’s been racing non-stop since last July and appears to be a tired horse. CAPTAIN OBVIOUS could surprise over the dirt, but it’s doubtful.

CREATIVE CAUSE

SMOKIN G

AMERICAN ACT

In the Hoofprints of a Kentucky Derby Contender

Payson Park Training Center

Like snowbirds, promising two year old race horses head south in the fall, usually after the Breeders’ Cup. Many wind up at Palm Meadows Training Center in Delray Beach, Florida or farther north at Payson Park in Indiantown.

Iron Maidens Thoroughbreds will follow the up-and-coming colt To Honor and Serve throughout the winter and spring to give horse fans an idea of the intense preparation needed to get a horse through the Triple Crown prep races. Since To Honor and Serve is still in New York, we’ll review his bloodlines and determine if his pedigree indicates if he can go 1 ¼ miles and longer.

To Honor and Serve as a yearling

To Honor and Serve began his life on March 18, 2008 and was bred by Twin Creeks Farm, Larry Byer and Rancho San Miguel in Kentucky’s bluegrass region. The good-looking colt fetched $250,000 as a 2008 Keeneland November weanling and commanded $575,000 from Live Oak Plantation as a Keeneland September Yearling.

Sent to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, To Honor and Serve began his career on August 4 in a seven furlong dirt maiden race at Saratoga. He found the distance a little too shot, but managed a sharp second place finish to the well regarded Astrology, who would later capture the Iroquois Stakes (G-3) at Churchill. Stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on October 2, To Honor and Serve made short work of a large field of maidens.

To Honor and Serve Maiden Win October 2, 2010

A month later while all eyes were watching Uncle Mo defeat a nice group of colts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs, To Honor and Serve was quietly crushing an average field of two year olds in the Nashua Stakes (G-2) at Aqueduct. In the Nashua, To Honor and Serve went to the lead and never looked back. He ran a mile in 1.35.86, getting the last quarter in 23.76, while under a mild hand ride.

 Bill Mott, the bay colt’s trainer, elected to keep To Honor and Serve out of the Breeders’ Cup because of the colt’s light racing experience.
 

Nashua Stakes (G-2)

Bernardini

To Honor and Serve has a pedigree that bodes well for next year’s Classics. He is by freshman sire Bernardini out of the Deputy Minister mare Pilfer. Bernardini, a son of A.P. Indy, raced for only one year and made it count. He had the speed to win the Withers’ Stakes at a mile, the Preakness Stakes at 1 3/16 miles and proved himself to be the top three year old with victories in the Jim Dandy at 1 1/8 miles and Travers Stakes at 1 ¼ miles. In the fall, Bernardini defeated his elders in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but his racing schedule caught up to him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where he finished second to Invasor. 

 At stud, Bernardini is passing his class and talent on to his offspring. Besides To Honor and Serve, the first crop sire’s progeny includes Group 1 winner Biondetti, Grade 1 winner AZ Warrior and graded/group stakes placed Theyskens’ Theory and Stay Thirsty.

Deputy Minster, Honor and Serve’s dam sire, won multiple graded stakes from five furlongs to 1 1/8 miles and was second in the Meadowlands Handicap (G-1) at 1 ¼ miles. In 1981, he earned acclaim as Horse of the Year and Champion Two Year Old Male in Canada, and Champion Two Year old Male in the USA.

Deputy Minister - Photo: Tony Leonard

Deputy Minster failed to win past 1 1/8 miles, but many of his offspring didn’t have distance limitations. He produced Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Awesome Again, Kentucky Oaks heroine Keeper Hill, Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold and Travers Stakes winner Deputy Commander. The remarkable fillies Go For Wand Open Mind and precocious colt Dehere captured Eclipse Awards as Juveniles.

Deputy Minster was a very good sire, toping the leader board in 1997-1998, but he really distinguished himself as a broodmare sire and captured leading broodmare sire honors in 2007. The daughters of Deputy Minster have produced 82 stakes winners, including Belmont Stakes winners Rages to Riches, Jazil and Savara, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Halfbridled, Horse of the Year Curlin, turf star and top sire Redattore.

To Honor and Serve ‘s dam Pilfer won the 1 1/16 mile Go For Wand Stakes and placed in the Instant Racing Breeders' Cup Stakes at a mile. She raced three years with an overall record of 11-3-2-0 and earnings of $126,360. Pilfer made two starts as a juvenile, wining and placing respectively. She won one sprint, and two routes including a win over an off track. Pilfer is a half sister to the swift multiple stakes winning sprinter India. To Honor and Serve’s second dam was a stakes winner and finished second in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes.

To Honor and Serve’s distaff family 4-r is one of the most prolific in the breed. His fourth dam Java Moon is a blue hen (superior female) and her daughters have produced Memories of Silver and her daughter, recent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf placed runner Winter Memories. Other branches of this family have given us Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, international sires Dynaformer and Runaway Groom, and the great Zenyatta.

To Honor and Serve - Photo: Coglianese

To Honor and Serve is being pointed to the Remsen Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on November 27. Afterward, he will likely join trainer Bill Mott’s stable at Payson Park for the winter. On paper, To Honor and Serve has a shot to become a legitimate Triple Crown contender and so far has proven to have the talent to be competitive in next year’s prep races. Starting in December, Iron Maidens Thoroughbreds will follow To Honor and Serve’s progress at Payson Park with videos and weekly reports throughout the winter. Until then, we will post weekly reviews of other promising juveniles that may wind up on the Triple Crown Trail.