I don't usually dedicate an entire blog post to ordinary Thursday allowances races, but today there are a pair of such races that warrant a write-up, as each one contains a quality field of highly regarded young horses trying to take the next step toward a potential start in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) on the first Saturday in May.
The first race I shall mention is the second race on the Santa Anita card. A one-mile, main track allowance race, the event has drawn only five runners, but the field includes a pair of potential stars in Fed Biz and Consulado.
The first-mentioned colt is a son of Giant's Causeway trained by Bob Baffert. After finishing fourth in his debut going six furlongs over the Hollywood Park Cushion Track, he stretched out in distance to break his maiden going a mile over the Santa Anita dirt track in a quick 1:35.48. A length and three-quarters behind him that day was Zackn'mat, who returned to break his maiden impressively on January 29th. For a while, I was under the impression that I was one of the few to know about Fed Biz's incredible potential, but alas, that is clearly not so. In fact, he is so well regarded that he is one of the 23 individual horses being offered in the first Kentucky Derby future wager pool, which opens tomorrow.
However, anyone who feels that Fed Biz is facing no quality opponents is mistaken, for Consulado has just as much potential as his rival and should make the finish very close. Trained by Mike Puype, the son of More Than Ready finished second in his debut, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths. He then returned to break his maiden going 6-1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita by 7 1/4 lengths, drawing away powerfully in the stretch to stop the clock in a sharp 1:15 flat. He will be running three-sixteenths of a mile farther than he ever has before, but Consulado has been training exceptionally well and may simply be capable of running Fed Biz into the ground early.
As for the rest, Super Candy and Blueskiesnrainbows appear on the surface to be outclassed. The latter has won two straight, but those victories came in a maiden claiming race and a starter allowance event. Super Candy is coming off of a sixth-place finish in a claiming race.
The only horse in this race that could, in my opinion, threaten the top two for victory is Tones, an Irish-bred son of Strategic Prince (GB) who will make his first start in the United States after spending his juvenile year in England. Never worse than third in six starts, the colt broke his maiden fourth time out, then won a handicap race at Wolverhampton before finishing second in a similar event at Lingfield to complete his two-year-old campaign. Now, he will be trying dirt for the first time and is coming off of a slightly more than a two-month layoff, but if he takes to the dirt, he could be wearing down the favorites late.
Moving onward, the second race of note is the eighth race of the day at Gulfstream Park, a 6-1/2 furlong allowance optional claiming event. The race has drawn a field of eight, led by the Todd Pletcher-trained Stat. A son of Unbridled's Song, the colt broke his maiden at Belmont Park in July before finishing a strong second to Union Rags in the Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II). However, that was his last race, and he enters today's allowance event off of a six-month layoff. Nevertheless, he is training well and should be a major threat for the win.
Other logical contenders are Dangerous Trick, second last time out in an allowance optional claiming race to Tarpy's Goal, who is entered in the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) on Saturday; Maan, a son of Malibu Moon making his first start since breaking his maiden in July at Churchill Downs; and Prayer Meeting, who won a $30,000 claiming race last time out going 6-1/2 furlongs in 1:16.85.
You might also want to keep an eye of Angelofdistinction, who finished a poor eighth last time out in the Pasco Stakes, but who had previously won the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs over, among others, Dangerous Trick. 20-1 on the morning line, I think that he offers a ton of value.
Enjoy the races!
-Keelerman
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