I was sitting at my desk in the BTB building on Monday morning. Staring ahead at the computer screen in front of me, I was somewhat oblivious to the numerous graphs and charts hung around my cubicle. As the self-proclaimed Sim statistician, I like to keep these things on display for the few people who walk by my desk. These papers comprise the numerous statistical analyses that I�ve done over the years. On my left were charts and graphs looking at track biases in the sim. Over on the right, speed figures and race times. But right in front of my face, above my computer screen, was my pride and joy�The Graded Stakes Records list.

Of course, sitting there on a Monday morning, I wasn�t doing any work. My internet was down at home, and I needed a place to go where I could surf the net. I was on CNN.com, ESPN.com, checking my Fantasy Baseball results from the night before, checking my Fantasy Australian Rules Football scores from the week before, and chatting with a few friends on AIM and Google Talk. Of course, doing all of this is against BTB staff rules. So when I heard the footsteps of Roys behind me, I had to think fast. None of these websites had Panic buttons on them, so I couldn�t pretend I was doing some statistical thing. So I did the only thing I could think of�

I turned my monitor off.

�What are you doing here this morning, Shag? I wasn�t expecting you here. Working on a new study?� She asked me.

If only one of those sites had a panic button, I could have made that work.

�Umm�No Roys. I was taking a look at my, uhh�my Graded Stakes Records sheet.�

�Oh? What for?�

Uh oh. I didn�t really plan ahead for that one. I needed to think fast. I needed to say something that wouldn�t get me in trouble, but I wasn�t planning on working today. Maybe I could get away with writing up a small race. That�s not too tough. Put in an hour, and I could be done. I just had to make sure that there were no big races coming up. So I went through my mental checklist. Bluegrass Derby? Nope. Breeders Bowl? Nope. Sim World Cup? Nope. I think I�m safe.

�Umm�I was thinking about writing up a race this week.�

My cubicle in the BTB reporters� room is in the �part-time writer� section of the office. The regular writers (those that produce weekly articles that are labeled as general) have great views overlooking the water. The beat reporters also have good views on the other side of the floor, even though they�re rarely at their desks. The editors have their own offices on the next floor. So when any of them comes over to our dark, dingy, poorly-lit corner of the office, something important must be going on. As soon as I said �week�, it hit me. This was one of the biggest weeks of the year for the sim. How could I possibly forget?! We wait two years for this! I even have a couple of horses running!

�Great!� said Roys. �We need people to cover the Equinics! How does the Make A Wish Mile in Vermont sound?�

�Sounds great, Roys�� I begrudgingly replied.

�Great! There�s a flight leaving in 2 hours. Have fun.�

So much for my fantasy sports week�

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History of the Race: This race has been around since 2000, although in that inaugural running, 3yo�s were also allowed to run. Here�s a look back at what this race has seen in four previous runnings.

2000 � was sponsored by the residency California Gold in its inaugural edition. The favorite in the race represented Longchamp, and he came in the form of toplight�s Ground Tarbash(GB). Coming off of three off-the-board finishes in Grade 2 stakes, Ground Tarbash(GB) was hoping to rebound in the warm Vermont summer sun. Having 4 stakes wins at the 8f distance, and a strong 2nd in the 1999 Cosmopolitan Handicap, the bettors and Longchamp put their faith in him. The second and third choices, both at 6/1, were East Till Bold and Person Roger(IRE), running for Minnesota and the sponsor, California, respectively. East Till Bold, owned by supertoy7, was coming off of a strong 2nd place finish in the G2 Booker T. Handicap, while Person Roger(IRE) entered off of a 2nd place in a 9f listed stakes. In the Mercury Mile, pacesetter Sweet Robin, running in hometown Vermont silks, bolted to a one length lead. He managed to stay in front for a while, but as they hit the far turn, the favorites started making their moves. East Till Bold, sitting just off the pacesetter in 2nd, quickly assumed the lead. Person Roger(IRE) worked his way up to the front from 6th, and Ground Tarbash(GB) was forced to rally from 11th. But this race was East Till Bold�s to win, and win he did. After pulling away at the top of the stretch, the other favorites gave him a run, but he maintained his lead and took the race by 1-1/4 lengths, with a 114 speed figure. Ground Tarbash closed from 10 lengths back to finish 2nd, while Person Roger(IRE) finished 7 lengths ahead of the fourth place runner, Alycandle. This gave Minnesota one of their 6 medals, including 3 golds.

2002 � was worthy of its name, as two Sim greats, Duke Ali and Western Groom, met on the Vermont soil in a battle of experienced versus up-and-coming. Duke Ali, running in the Team Independent Unity silks for trainer seveii, came into the Equinics with 38 lifetime starts and 11 graded stakes wins, including 4 Grade 1s. Western Groom, running for the NWRC and campaigned by hijacked, entered with only 21 races under his belt, after taking all of 2000 off. This included a mere 1 Graded stakes win, the Grade 3 Perfectionistic Handicap. Duke Ali, therefore, went off as the 4/1 favorite with Western Groom sitting at a cool 5/1, the second betting choice. When the gates opened, Duke Ali took his typical place at the front of the field, 1-1/4 lengths in front. Western Groom settled in the middle of the pack, waiting for his chance to pounce. However, Duke Ali never looked back. His lead expanded to 2-1/2, then 3, 4, 5, and almost reached 6 lengths at the top of the stretch. Under a hand ride, he coasted to a 3-1/2 length victory, a 123 speed figure, and a stakes record that has yet to be broken. Junior Rule, campaigned by jungleboy and running for Nebraska, managed to come from 15th to nip Western Groom for 2nd at the wire, and Western Groom was forced to settle for 3rd. Western Groom would go on to get his revenge by winning 5 more graded stakes that year, 4 grade 1s, and taking home the Sim Eclipse Award for Older Horse of the Year. But that award did not count for the Equinics. Only the gold that Duke Ali earned, one of 8 for Team Independent Unity, helped their team take the Equinics title.

2004 � once again occurring at the permanent home of the Equinics in Vermont, did not pack the same punch in name recognition as the winter edition of the race two years prior. It did, however, include two horses that were part of another major battle in 2002. These two were Credit Buster, owned by brentuk2, and Eruption, owned by afc. These two were 2yos in 2002, and although Credit Buster won the Breeders Bowl Juvenile that year, Eruption was given the Sim Eclipse Award for top juvenile in one of the most highly contested elections in the history of the awards. Eruption, now infamously known for the term �Eruption Bounce� as much as he is his performance on the track, ran for the DelPenn residency. The two favorites in the race, however, were Smooth Belief, running for Kentucky Horsemen and owned by mindcrime, and Woody�s Smurfs, owned by galaxystar and running in the silks of the International Sim Racing Club, both at 6/1. Unfortunately for all of the horses mentioned though, when the gates opened, no one made a real push for the lead. Therefore, Terrapin Jockey Club�s entrant, festivmood�s John John, inherited a nose lead over Chatroom Racer�s Cake Run, owned by nancy. These two set very slow fractions, and were able to save a lot for the stretch run. They hit the top of the stretch maintaining their first and second place position, 1-1/4 length in front with a 119 speed figure. Under the whip these two further advanced on the rest of the field, and John John had a little more within himself, as he took the gold medal for TJC by 2-3/4 over Cake Run. Woody�s Smurfsmanaged to secure the bronze for the ISRC. The gold was 1 of 2 on the day for the TJC, as they finished in the middle of the pack overall.

2006 � was not steeped in as much history as the previous incarnations of the race, but that is mostly because of the 20 horses that ran in the race, twelve are still active. The reputations of many horses are not solidified until after they have already finished their careers . This race was also the most even according to the oddsmakers, as the co-favorites, Global Sim Racing�s Gathering Momentum and Down Under Racing�s Unprecedented, were a cool 8/1 and there were eight horses with $4 in the betting pool. It was a wide open race, which made it that much more exciting. Unprecedented was coming off of a G1 win, while Gathering Momentum had won his last three. Taking Risks, running under the Kentucky Horsemen banner, had won 2 of 3 prior to a bounce race right before the Equinics. Fact of the Matter(IRE), running for host Vermont, was also coming off of a Graded Stakes win. But when the gates opened, none of that mattered. Tete Galactic(IRE), Viking Racing�s entrant, got out to the lead and tried to duplicate the previous editions of this race by wiring the field. However, he was pushed a little harder than others had been, and ran out of gas. At the top of the stretch, Tete Galactic(IRE) had dropped off, and Taking Risks, owned by bliss, took the lead. But not for long. Soon, Scoobs Connection, never better than 3rd in a graded stakes , came around the outside and quickly overtook Taking Risks. Scoobs Connection went on to win by 1-3/4 for Minnesota and trainer lilscoobi, with a 112 speed figure. Taking Risks held onto second, while Implosion, running for afc2 and DelPenn, came up to take 3rd. This race was one of two golds for Minnesota, which were the only medals they won in 2006.

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Now that we�ve seen what this race has seen in the past, we take a look at the present, and the field of 20 horses for the Make A Wish Mile, listed by residency.

The Race:

Vermont � The Equinics hosts have yet to medal in this event, but they hope to change that this year by nominating Zygote (A.P. Indy x Chromosome [Storm Cat x Seeking The Gold]) to run in the race. The 13th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse, this 6yo son of A.P. Indy knows how to get the job done. Owner isisbabe has guided him to the winner�s circle 13 times in his 34 career races, including 4 graded stakes and one Grade 1. This year, he boasts a record of 6:3-1-1, and he is coming off back-to-back wins in the Vengeful Sea Memorial Stakes in Finland, and the G1 Smackdown race, both at 8f. In that Smackdown race, he defeated both Special Way(JPN) and Watergate Scandal(KY) , fellow competitors in this race. He was close to the pace in the Vengeful Sea Memorial Stakes, but returned to his usual mid-pack running style in the Smackdown race. He will most likely do that again here, trying to come from around 8 or 9 lengths back to win this one. Zygote breaks from Post 10 with D. Givins aboard as the 7/1 co-favorite.

Thing to keep in mind: Zygote has never finished worse than 4th in 21 races at this 8f distance.

Minnesota � Minnesota goes for their 3rd win in this event by sending out Special Way(JPN) (Forty Niner x Danzig�s Way [Danzig x Nureyev]). Owner whirlaway campaigns this 26th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse. The 4yo has discovered his niche recently when whirlaway put him on the dirt, seeing his best career races in the dirt mile category. His last race, the Oregon Trail Stakes, did not go well, as he finished a well-beaten 8th. However, this was a 10 furlong race, and was probably well past his best distance. Overall, Special Way(JPN) has won 8 of 22 lifetime starts, but he is 7:3-3-0 on the dirt. His one graded stakes win came in week 3595, winning the G2 Big D Park Handicap by 2 lengths. He recently ran in the G1 Smackdown race, finishing a very game 2nd to Zygote . His best races have been when he comes from around 5 lengths back, so expect him to try and be there in this race. Special Way(JPN) breaks from Post 4 with V. Gardner aboard at 15/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Special Way(JPN) is a half-brother to stakes winners Special Prize, Special Gold, both of which excelled at the 8f distance, and stakes placed 3yo Special Place(KY).

CR Racers � The chatters have nominated Silver Christmas (Forestry x Send Her On Over [Seeking The Gold x Wild Again]), the 71st ranked Older Dirt Sprinter, to try and take home gold in the Make A Wish Mile. This 5yo horse is owned and trained by crush83. He has mostly run in sprints up to this point, most recently finishing 4th in the G2 Pinto Handicap in California. The race that put him into this event, however, was the Back Eric Cap, a listed stakes in Iowa back on 3511. In this race, Silver Christmas fell 14 lengths back in the backstretch before showing a gear he has never shown, flying to the front to win by 3 and earning a 117 speed figure. This race was on the sloppy track, however, and the weatherman is calling for clear skies this week in Vermont. That is not to say that this horse is not capable of winning though. He is 7 for 24 lifetime, including a record of 5:1-2-0 in 2008. He has yet to win a graded stakes, but just missed in the G2 Astroturf Sprint on week 3560, losing by � length in the 7f race. He is a very deep closer, and expect him to try and come from at least 12 lengths behind. Silver Christmas breaks from Post 3 with J. Caves aboard at 16/1.

Thing to keep in mind: He is 3 for 5 lifetime at the distance, although his one graded try ended in a third place finish. He looks like he may enjoy a longer trip than merely 8 furlongs.

Benelux � stalchico�s barn was tapped by Benelux to send Barb�s Dixie Onion (Dixie Union x Bearly Top [Carson City x Stop The Music]) to Vermont for the Make A Wish Mile. This 5yo horse is the 286th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse. He is 8 for 34 lifetime, but is 0 for 1 in Graded Stakes opportunities, finishing 5th in the G2 Big D Park Handicap behind Special Way(JPN). He is 2 for 5 this year, with those wins coming back-to-back to start the season in two listed stakes. His most recent effort, in the Regal Deputy Cap in South Carolina, saw him set the pace until fading deep in the stretch and finishing 3rd, 3-1/2 back. Barb�s Dixie Onion has only recently made the jump to stakes company, and has a record of 4:1-0-1 there. He is likely to try and be on or near the lead, as he has been either 1st or 2nd at the first and second call in every race this year. Barb�s Dixie Onion breaks from Post 7 with W. McClendon aboard at 15/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Barb�s Dixie Onion has not finished worse than 5th on the dirt since 2005, his 2yo season.

Rash � The Anarchists of the Sim world have come together for a brief time to nominate Angel In Hell (Smarty Jones x San Onofre [Fusaichi Pegasus x Ferdinand]) for the Make A Wish Mile. This 5yo horse, owned by sheen, is the 92nd ranked Older Dirt Sprinter in the Sim. He is 9 for 33 in his lifetime, with 8 of those wins coming in sprints. His most recent race, the 7.5f Pro Reality Challenge in Maine, was a rough race for him. A troubled trip from the start landed him in 9th place, 5-1/4 lengths behind the winner. His year has seen similar misfortunes, as he enters this race with an 7:1-2-0 record for 2008. The lone win was in the Royalty Mario Special in Mississippi at 7.5f, which he won by 1-3/4 lengths. He has only made 1 attempt at a graded stakes, finishing 8th in the G1 Gary Carter Handicap in week 3574. His favored trip is a mid-pack one, coming from between 6 and 8 lengths back. Angel In Hell breaks from Post 14 with V. Jennings aboard at 13/1.

Thing to keep in mind: This horse has been sheltered, racing only 4 times at a distance longer than 7.5f and having never raced on the turf. His record in the four routes is 4:1-0-0.

GR Simsters � The Gallop Racer players have decided to nominate the infamous Watergate Scandal(KY) (Empire Maker x Political Scandal [Deputy Minister x Mr. Prospector]) to run in the Make A Wish Mile. Owner jonsnow aptly named this #21 ranked Older Classic Dirt 4yo colt, as Watergate Scandal(KY) finds himself as one of the younger horses in the field. A winner of 10 from 22 starts, he certainly knows his way to the winner�s circle. While only 1 of those 10 wins can be attributed to a Graded Stakes, the one was a big one, as he took home the G1 Nixon�s Promise, fittingly, by 1-1/2 lengths. His last race pitted him against fellow entrants Zygote and Special Way(JPN), where he finished a close fourth after leading the field the entire way. This season, he is 3 for 5, including a 4:2-1-0 record at the 8f distance, with three of those four coming in graded stakes. The most telling race may be the G3 Sand Castle Godolfin Mile, in which he missed by � length to a stakes record 1:33-1/5 time. He is in peak physical condition, having broken a 110 SP in his last 4 races, and looks like he may have a real shot here. Expect to see him on the lead in this one. Watergate Scandal breaks from Post 15 with N. Lawton aboard as the 7/1 co-favorite.

Thing to keep in mind: The GR Simsters have romped in the four Smackdown series and won the 2006 Equinics, so Watergate Scandal(KY) looks to be in good shape.

DelPenn � The highest ranked horse in the field, the #9 ranked Older Classic Dirt horse, is DelPenn�s entrant San Pellegrino (War Chant x Pleasant Colony x Caerleon). This 5yo horse is a member of the super12 stable. He has a lifetime record of 7 wins in 38 starts, but four of those seven were in graded stakes races. The most recent was the G1 Michael-Strike Stakes, run in week 3616 at 9f. There, he stalked the pace until he hit the top of the stretch and then pounced, pulling away to win by 2-3/4. He followed that up most recently with the G2 Abraham Lincoln Stakes, also at 9f, where he finished 2nd, barely running out of time. His record this year is 7:2-1-1, although in his career he is 3 for 9 at the 8f distance. His best races come when he stays within 4 lengths of the lead, but it�s possible that he can drop back as many as 9. San Pellegrino breaks from Post 9 with A. Rolling aboard at 10/1.

Thing to keep in mind: San Pellegrino ran 2nd in the Eddie Potts, the 9.5f 3yo Equinics race in 2006, so he knows how to medal in this atmosphere.

Ireland � The Irish are hoping that their luck comes through by nominating Creepy Mesa(KY) (Sky Mesa x Creepy Dancer [Green Dancer x Woodman]. The 70th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse, owner darthblur campaigns this 4yo colt. He has 6 lifetime wins from 21 starts, including 2 graded stakes wins. The race that propelled him into this event was the G2 Saint Pats Legacy, run by the Ireland residency. In that 8f event on week 3525, Creepy Mesa(KY) came back from midpack and took off for a 1-1/2 length victory and a 118 speed figure, beating, among others, fellow entrant Zygote . Unfortunately, that March win is the only win for this horse this year. He has a 2008 record of 7:1-1-0, finishing a well-beaten 10th to Watergate Scandal(KY) in the G1 Nixon�s Promise. In his last race, the listed Sweet Cozzene Stakes, he finished 5th on the sloppy track as he ran out of track. Ireland hopes that he returns to the form from earlier this year, and runs another race similar to the Saint Pats Legacy. Look for him to come from 6-8 lengths back. Creepy Mesa(KY) breaks from Post 1 with P. Haynes aboard at 18/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Owner darthblur owns 8 horses, 7 of which have broken the $100,000 earnings mark.

Queensland � The northern Aussies send Rompolino (Robellino x Alysheba x Bold Reasoning) to Vermont to try and snag a gold medal. This 5yo horse is campaigned by retep, and is taking a major jump in class here. Rompolino has never tried a graded stakes before, but Queensland is hoping that he can make the transition seamlessly. He has not picked up a win in 5 starts this year, and has 3 wins in his 25 lifetime starts. His best race to date came 3 back in the Nine Niner(IRE) Stakes, a listed 9f stakes in Dubai. He came up just short at the end, falling by 1 length in the race. He has finished 2nd 3 times this year, with two of those coming in 8f races. His most recent race, two months ago on week 3609, was an open allowance at 8f, in which he finished a game 2nd, running out of room in the end. He came from 10 back in that one, and expect him to try from even farther in the Make A Wish Mile. Rompolino breaks from Post12 with K. Tusten aboard at 39/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Both the 2004 and 2006 8f races were won by horses with no previous Graded Stakes wins.

Ohio � The state that formerly housed the Mistake on the Lake is now the home to I Need This(KY) (Brahms x Honduras Cat [Storm Cat x Bold Forbes]), and sends him out in the Make A Wish Mile. This very lightly raced 4yo is owned by lidsnewone. The horse has hit the board in 11 of his 14 career starts, including 4 wins. Most recently, he came up just short against Watergate Scandal(KY) in the G1 Nixon�s Promise in Germany. He stalked the pace, staying 4 lengths back, and began gaining ground at the end only to come up 1-1/2 lengths short. It was his first try in a graded stakes, and he not only held his own, but he set a career best by running the 8f with a 118 speed figure at 21/1 odds. He does, however, seem to have a history of foot problems, as he has raced very sparingly in his career. In fact, he has only seen 3 starts in 2008, with a record of 3:1-1-1. The win was an easy victory in a NW1s allowance, but was a win nonetheless. Although he has raced infrequently, he has still managed to become the 65th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse. He will likely try to be around 2 lengths off the lead in this race. I Need This(KY) breaks from Post 16 with B. Renfroe aboard at 17/1.

Thing to keep in mind: The long layoffs between races seem to do wonders for I Need This(KY), and he gets an 8 week rest before entering this one as well.

EWC� The return of the East-West Connection to the Sim is led by sim veteran Pye who sends out entrant Boc Angelic(FR) (Trempolino x The Angel Of Death [Pulpit x Alydar]) in the Make A Wish Mile. The 94th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse is a 4yo who has already had 25 races under his belt. He has won 7 races in his lifetime, including 1 Grade 3 victory, the 2007 Hudson Hawk Stakes. That race, held at 8.5f, saw Boc Angelic(FR) win by 2 lengths. This year, however, has been a little rougher on this horse. In 8 races in 2008, he has a record of 8:1-2-0, and has yet to finish better than 5th in a graded stakes. His most recent try in a graded stakes came with many others in this field in the G1 Nixon�s Promise, where he gave no response to jockey T. Fix and finished a dull 15th, beaten 18 lengths. The race seems to have been a fluke, as it was his only attempt this year in which he did not break the 100 speed figure mark. His last race, a NW1s allowance in South Africa, hopefully signaled a return to form, as he was able to pick up 7 lengths during the race to win by 1. He should try to do that again in this race, although he may find himself slightly farther back. Boc Angelic(FR) breaks from Post 13 with P. Cadigan aboard at 19/1.

Thing to keep in mind: The East-West Connection has only earned 1 Equinics gold in its history, and Boc Angelic(FR) will try to double that medal total here.

Hispano Parlante � The Spaniards are coming to visit Vermont, and they have brought Arasad(IRE) (Sadler�s Wells x Menorca [A.P. Indy x El Gran Senor]) with them. arameo owns this 4yo colt, who comes into this race as the 109th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse. He has advanced to the winner�s circles 5 times in 28 starts in his career, although none have been in graded company. His most recent effort, like five others in this race, was in the G1 Nixon�s Promise. Arasad(IRE) was unable to put his best foot forward, as he finished 9th after gaining minimal ground at the end of the race. It was the continuation of a form that has been up-and-down this year, with a record of 7:1-2-0 for the year. He took a string of 7 straight on-the-board finishes into 2008, and began the year with a win in the listed Manilla Mint Cap, an 8.5f race in Newmarket. There, he stayed right on the pace the entire race, falling no more than � length behind at any point, before sticking his nose in front at the end and winning by 3/4 length. He followed that with 2 6th place finishes while trying to stay on the pace, and seems to have gotten a little faster by trying to come from behind. However, he has yet to win with that strategy. It is tough to tell which style he will attempt this time, but his best chances seem to be by staying close to the pace. Arasad(IRE) breaks from Post 11 with O. A. Haack aboard at 15/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Arasad(IRE) began his career as a stakes-placed sprinter before finding his niche in longer races.

Kentucky Horsemen � The Midwestern stars have brought Hoosier Miner(KY) (Mineshaft x Woodman x Ferdinand) to the Northeast for the Make A Wish Mile. The 202nd ranked Older Classic Dirt horse is owned and trained by escena, who has done a very good job so far. In 18 career starts, Hoosier Miner(KY) has 6 wins, although he has been brought along slowly and therefore does not have a graded stakes win to show for it. He does, however, have a stakes win, courtesy of the Raspberry Project Handicap, an 8f race in Arizona held on week 3602. There, he managed to come from 8 back to take the lead mid-stretch and draw off to a � length win. He also earned a career best 116 speed figure for the trip. His most recent try, the G2 Abraham Lincoln Handicap, was a decent effort for a 9f race, although it is likely too far for him. He started to gain ground at the top of the stretch, but the leaders pulled away, as he finished in 6th. Still, it was good experience and a good prep race for this Equinics race, and his 2008 record of 6:2-0-1 shows that he has some ability. If he manages to stay within 6 or 7 lengths of the leader, he has a chance. Hoosier Miner(KY) breaks from Post 18 with J. White aboard at 15/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Hoosier Miner(KY) is 3x3 inbred to Mr. Prospector, which should certainly give him enough speed to win this race.

Great Plains � The residency that calls Tornado Alley its home sends Sweet Evil (A.P. Indy x Kris S. x Danzig) to Vermont for the Make A Wish Mile. This 5yo horse is sent out by chilimac, and he has won 7 times in 24 starts for his owner. He has faltered in 2 graded stakes efforts so far in his career, but is coming into this race in peak career form. That is mostly due to his owner�s race selection, realizing that this 8f distance is Sweet Evil�s ideal trip. In fact, for his career, he has a record of 7:4-1-1 at 8f on the dirt. His most recent race, the Epic Conquest Special, appears to have been a bit of a bounce race, although his jockey�s instructions were most likely to save something for this Equinics race. It was his first race back in nearly 4 months, and he did not seem to put together a rally, as he finished 14th. Prior to that race, however, he looked very good in the year. His record for 2008 is 5:2-1-0, including two strong wins in 8f allowances, and a very good effort in finishing 2nd in the Again Darn Stakes by a nose in his second most recent race. He is another one who like to come from the back, so expect him to sit around 8 lengths off of the lead in this one. Sweet Evil breaks from Post 2 with P. Munoz aboard at 14/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Sweet Evil was a late breeding, hitting the track for his first start at the end of August in 2006. In his second career race, and first on the dirt, he posted a 100 speed figure at 8f to break his maiden.

EAAA Racing � The foreign community has come together and pooled their resources here to send Wooden Minister(KY) (Hennessey x Zulfagar [Woodman x Deputy Minister]) to the Make A Wish Mile. This 11th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse is a 4yo, and pogs1 does the training. He has done a terrific job so far, as Wooden Minister(KY) has brought a record of 15:5-4-3 into this race. Of those 5 wins, only one was in a graded stakes, but it was a big one, as he took home the G1 Sterile Mile in 2007. Throughout his career, he has excelled at this distance, boasting a record of 10:2-4-2 at the distance. One of those races, the World Cup Mile, should give him a leg up on his competitors, as he has experience performing in this Sim World atmosphere. As a 3yo with 7 career races under his belt, and up against older horses, he beat fellow entrant Zygote and 9 others, finishing a very close 2nd to the retired Tempest. His most recent race, the G1 Nixon�s Promise, was a good race for him, as he finished 4th after picking up nearly 9 lengths in the stretch. It should be a good prep for him to try and regain his winning form after a year in which he has gone 0 for 4. He will try to come from way back again in this race; likely around 13 lengths behind. Wooden Minister(KY) breaks from Post 6 with B. F. Abman aboard at 9/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Wooden Minister(KY) hit the board in his first 10 starts, of which 5 were wins, and is the second highest ranked horse in this field.

Alpine Turf Club � The skiers enjoy Vermont more than most, and they�ll hope to bring their good fortunes to the track with Festive Fifty (Sadler�s Wells x Gone West x A.P. Indy). A 5yo horse, this horse is one of the most veteran in the Equinics this year, having run in 37 career races already and winning 13. He has the background of a sprinter, even if his bloodlines to not seem to suggest it. The 544th ranked Older Dirt Sprinter, he pulled off a string of 5 wins in 6 races in 2007 from February to May. The final one of those races was the G1 Cosmopolitan Handicap, showing that he can certainly handle this caliber and distance. Owned by stormcat55, that race was only one of three graded stakes wins that Festive Fifty has brought to the barn. This year, however, he has found tougher times. He has only picked up 1 win and 1 second in 6 career starts. His season has also been marred by an injury in the 7f G2 Kentucky Breeders Bowl Sprint, and he has not come back to form since returning to the track. Last time out, he was soundly beaten in a NW2s allowance, coming in 7th. However, he has the ability to win if he can run at 100% health, and if there�s one distance and situation that can get that effort out of him, it�s this race. Look for him to lay around 7 or 8 lengths off the lead. Festive Fifty breaks from Post 8 with A. Darling aboard at 32/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Festive Fifty has had as few as two weeks off between races, but only had 7 weeks off after his injury. He comes into the Equinics well rested, getting another 7 weeks off to try to get healthy.

NWRC� The Northwest Racing Circuit has put A.P. Precedent (A.P. Indy x La Precedenta [Chester House x Polish Precedent]) on a cross-country flight to run in the Make A Wish Mile. The 5yo horse owned by squirrel3 has certainly earned his spot in this 18 horse field, winning 11 of 30 career starts, including 4 graded stakes wins. This year has been even better, as the 16th ranked Older Classic Dirt horse has picked up 3 graded stakes wins in 5 starts. He comes into this race in better form than anyone, having won his last 2 starts. Two races back, he took the G2 Mansur LeRoys Handicap at 8.5f by closing from 12 lengths back with a powerful kick to win by 1. He decided in his most recent race, the G3 Lil� Leprechaun Mile, to stay a little closer to the pace, and only dropped 5 lengths back in the backstretch before making his move. He easily took the race by 1-3/4, earning a 117 speed figure and a stakes record for his trouble. It was his best race to date. The big question that must be asked is whether he worked too hard in that race. He has been given 6 weeks off to regroup, and that should help give him one of the best chances of anyone in this field. His running style, though, is a little trickier to predict, as his last race was so good from closer to the pace. He can certainly win from 10 lengths back, but he may be better off trying to stay 4 or 5 off the pace in this one. A.P. Precedent breaks from Post 17 with F. Gossett aboard at 8/1.

Thing to keep in mind: A.P. Precedent has only run three career races at 8f, winning two of them, but he certainly has the ability necessary to win.

Blazing Saddles � Mel Brooks has brought one of his most famous movies to the Sim, and has brought Eurotrash(KY) (Eurosilver x Dear Storm [Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector]) to the Make A Wish Mile in Vermont. This 4yo grey horse is owned and trained not by Mr. Brooks, but by desimster5. Eurotrash(KY) has 8 wins in 29 career starts, although most of his racing has come on the turf. He recently made the switch back to dirt, and it has been a successful one, running 2nd and 3rd in his two most recent races. His first race back on dirt was in a NW2t allowance, in which he finished 2nd after staying near the lead the whole race. His most recent race, like fellow entrant A.P. Precedent, was in the G3 Lil� Leprechaun Mile. Again, he tried to stay close to the pace, but was caught by a great horse having a career day. He finished a very strong 3rd after briefly taking the lead at the top of the stretch. For 2008, he has a record of 6:1-1-1, and has two career graded stakes wins, both on the turf, to his name. He also has some inter-residency history, running in the 3rd annual Smackdown series in 2007, finishing 3rd in the 3yo 8f turf stakes. His closing kick does not appear to be as strong on the dirt as it was on the turf, so expect him to try to be within 2 lengths of the lead. Eurotrash(KY) breaks from Post 5 with H. McCoy aboard at 26/1.

Thing to keep in mind: Eurotrash(KY) is, somewhat surprisingly, the only horse in this field with a serious turf background, which may have left him in better condition, with less wear and tear, for this race.

Analysis of the race: This race has some great names, some great past performances, and some great participants. It is sure to be an amazing race. With that said, there is a clear difference in class between some of these horses, and the oddsmakers have made the distinction very clear. Zygote , Special Way(JPN), Watergate Scandal(KY) , San Pellegrino, and A.P. Precedent are the class of this field, and they are the ones that everyone will be trying to beat. With 18 horses in the field, troubled trips, wide lines, and a large supply of Vermont Pure Maple Syrup are likely to level the playing field somewhat. But the class is the class for a reason. And, because of that, I am predicting that Watergate Scandal(KY) will take the gold for the GR Simsters. This race has been won by horses on the lead in every year except 2006, and this edition is likely to be no different. Watergate Scandal(KY) is the lone speed in the field, and therefore he should have his way with the front of the pack. Barb�s Dixie Onion, I Need This(KY), and San Pellegrino are likely to stay close, but with the slow fractions that look to be set, Watergate Scandal(KY) should have enough left in the tank to pull away. At least one of these horses will also stick around, and I am going to call the Nixon�s Promise exacta as a repeat here, with I Need This(KY) finishing 2nd. A.P. Precedent�s form is unbeatable right now, and he�s sure to be up there, so I�ll back him for 3rd. However, for the price, you can�t beat Special Way(JPN), who took a hit from the oddsmakers for running in a 10f race and discovering that it was way too long for him.

Good luck to everyone on Saturday, and take home the gold!

Bryan (shagfarms) can be reached by e-mail at [email protected], or by private message on the Sim Message Board. He can also be found occasionally in the chat room.