Cue the music, the torch has been lit and is about to enter the stadium, it�s Equinics time.� It is time for all the sim residencies to trot out their best and brightest and see who has the strongest stables of them all.� Bragging rights are on the line for sure, but this event tends to transcend petty rivalries and brings all in the sim together for a fun biennial event that includes not only racing, but also a little charity.� The second race in China this Saturday, the thirteen furlong turf route for all horses four years and older, is being paired with the Reading Is Fundamental group thanks to the members of the RASH residence.� Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most.�� Founded in 1966, RIF is the oldest and largest children's and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States. RIF�s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year.� In order to honor the RIF group, the Chinese government has agreed to allow the children of her country to take the day off of work on Saturday to read up and enjoy the Equinics races (I kid, I kid � get it? children? kid? oh boy, this could be a doozy of an article).
Better get to the runners, eighteen in all, representing some of the finest residences this sim has to offer.� The turf will be firm, the action fast, and some folks are going to get rich as all the odds for all these races are high.
PP #1����� ANDROGYNOUS (IRE)�� ��������������� gofightwin����������� Q. Villa�� ��������������� 18/1
Great Plains Residency 2008
�
The four year old chestnut colt could potentially have the largest cheer section at the race as it appears he is being trained by a cheerleader, gofightwin.� Whatever the size of the cheer section, ANDROGYNOUS is looking to give them something to cheer about like he did the first four months of this year.� During that time period, the representative from the Greet Plains Residency was able to put together a stakes win (the Crown Chief Challenge), a stakes second, and an allowance win in five starts.� When he is running well, ANDROGYNOUS will lurk mid-pack looking to strike at the leaders at the half way point of the race.� Q. Villa will be up on what should be a well rested colt who has not raced since late June.� Hopefully that rest will be helpful when the horse tries to catch up with the leaders.
�
PP#2������ LEX LUTHOR������������������ ��������������� galileo�� ��������������� H. Harzheim�������� 12/1
Blazing Saddles
�
Two time Eclipse winner for turf colt (2006) and turf male (2007), LEX LUTHOR is looking to get back to his award winning form.� The brown horse started out his fifth year with two stakes victories (the Just Eric Stakes and the Luther Corp. Ares Stakes) but has since hit a �slump� of four straight starts without a win.� Trainer galileo looks to one of our triplet jockeys, H. Harzheim, to try and break this little skid.� Look for LEX to push the pace straight out of the gate and dare all the others to come catch him.� It is this technique that has netted one of the finest in the sim over seven million in winnings and a Breeders Bowl victory.� At 12/1 odds, it will be very difficult for the rail birds to lay off this bet for the win.
�
PP#3������ S. R. AWARENESS (IRE)��������������� lordpye2��������������� ��������������� P. Bangs��������������� ��������������� 16/1
East-West Connection (EWC)
�
This lordpye2 trained horse has not seen the winners circle in over a year with his last win being the Swiss Waffle Handicap back in May 2007.� This by no means indicates that the five year old horse does not belong in this class of runners as a third place in the G1 Arkansas Turf Classic shows.� S.R. AWARENESS is another runner that likes to take the lead early and attempt to hold on at the end.� This style has proven successful in the past, but the brown horse has shown signs of struggling to hold this lead in races over 10f.� It will be up to rider P. Bangs to try to coax another three eights of a mile of quality running out of the horse.� If successful, there will be great celebration in the EWC camp.
�
PP#4������ PHANTASMAGORIC (MD)����������� moneybags����������� M. Vison��������������� 38/1
Queensland Racecourse
�
Now this is a name, PHANTASMAGORIC.� It is the constantly shifting complex succession of things, think of mirrors facing each other and the endlessness of the reflections.� This is no ten cent horse name my dear readers, this is high end simulated thoroughbred naming worth at least twenty five bucks.� One suspects with horse naming skills such as this, trainer moneybags teaches at the local university when not training our simulated horse addictions.� Oh, and this four year old runner enters this race coming off his first stakes win, the Croc Hunter Memorial Cup.� PHANTASMAGORIC (man, what a name) will look to close after falling off the initial pace out of the gate.� And while this horse may lack the resume of many of the runners here, he has shown a knack of rising to the occasion by finishing no worse than third is his stakes running past, including two races with twenty starters.
�
PP#5������ RAINBAND (AUS)������������ ��������������� wulf������� ��������������� S.L. Ledwith�������� 11/1
RASH
�
Along with JEWELLY, RAINBAND could possibly be one of the only true closers in this group of eighteen runners.� His enjoyment of coming from the back of the pack has earned trainer wulf a lifetime Rolaids endorsement contract.� His last victory at the G3 � Moe Green Special (�Mike, this is Moe Green you�re talking to . . . � � sorry couldn�t resist), saw the four year old runner come back from seventeen lengths to get to the winner�s circle.� Rider S. L. Ledwith will take the mount which will most likely include a leisurely jog for about 6.5 furlongs followed by a torrid kick for the final half.
�
PP#6������ DAZIVER (KY)� ��������������� ��������������� hellafied��������������� ��������������� L. Denney������������ 17/1
Alpine Turf Club
�
The Alpine Turf Club has decided to let this hellafied trained runner get his first taste of stakes level racing this Saturday in the Equinics.� With five starts in at row in the money at the allowance level, including a win at 13f, maybe they are right to give this four year old the nod.� L. Denney will be in the saddle riding a horse that appears to be as successful as his start meaning that wherever this runner breaks to is normally around his finishing spot.� With some very good front runners in this field, DAZIVER better hope to go with them out of the gate.� If he can, he could possibly be able to pull off a very nice upset.
�
PP#7������ KING OF TIMES (IRE) quietman49��������� Z. Kentucky�������� 14/1
Ireland
�
You may not hear much from the trainer of this 4 year old chestnut colt, but allow me to point out that 14/1 odds is nothing to be worried about with this runner.� Going off at 18/1 odds, KING OF TIMES bested the field to take the G1-Keg of Guiness earlier this year.� Assuming that the hangover effect of that win is gone, Z. Kentucky will look to guide a runner that enjoys lurking mid-pack waiting to make his move at the half way point of the race.� One issue that may need to be looked at is that the KING has yet to run 13f in his lifetime.� The closest was two starts at 12f that resulted in a 13th (Lot�s O� Luck Stakes) and a win (Allowance).� Here�s hoping for the allowance result � bottoms up.
�
PP#8������ EVIL FANTASIES (ENG)�������������� zwangol ��������������� T. Loesch������������� 12/1
DelPenn National
�
Another lurker that enjoys hanging in the middle of the pack and making his move at the second half of the race (there�s a few of these in this race, isn�t there?), EVIL FANTASIES has used this tactic to produce a nice little two race win streak heading into Saturday�s run.� The DelPenn National representative is winner of the 11f Unbridled Pal Challenge and looks to carry this success into his first 13f run.� Trainer zwangol looks to T. Loesch to coax another furlong or two out of the mid pack closer.�
�
PP#9������ FOZ DE LUMBIER (IRE)�������������� sansebas��������������� L. Fontain������������ 12/1
Minnesota Downs
�
FOZ DE LUMBIER looks to continue his hot streak or running that has found the four year old in the money in his last six starts.� This includes two wins at 13f � the Judge Fourteen Special and Allen�s Door (GB) Memorial.� This is his first start since placing third in the 12f Smackdown run in New York last month.� In all of these races, the FOZ will lurk with the middle pack and utilize and big burst of speed at the mid point to try to catch all of the leaders.� Trainer sansebas will look to jockey L. Fontain to keep this streak rolling with a horse that seems to be peeking at the right time for this race.
�
PP#10��� ELVIS VICTORY (AUS)� dirtranch3����������� R. Harzheim�������� 16/1
Ohio Thoroughbred Racing
�
Ladies and gentlemen, ELVIS is in the building.� No, this is not Market Square Arena, and no, this is not the Elvis you probably are thinking of (or is it?), but with yet another mid-pack closer with a graded victory under his belt, it could be just as exciting as the hip swinging crooner.� The four year old brown colt is winner of the G3 � Slow Tree Special and will have the second of our triplet jockeys in the saddle, R. Harzheim.� This will be the Ohio Thoroughbred Racing representative�s first run at 13f in his lifetime.� Hopefully the extra eight of a mile will not affect his closing speed.
�
PP#11��� PLASMATIC (IRE)���������� ��������������� blackhart������������� D. Evans��������������� 29/1
The CR Racers
�
The blackhart (did this trainer play with Joan Jett?) trained runner is looking for his first victory as a five year old and his first stakes level race.� With this group of runners, that may be a tall task to undertake.� Jockey D. Evans will need to get this dark gray horse out near the front from the gate as he has a tendency of finishing where he starts, or near to.� The steady running approach produced a nice win at 12f in an allowance race last September, but has not produced a winner since (even though there are a few thirds and an second).�
�
PP#12��� MAX CALIFORNIA (KY)�������������� buffy5��� ��������������� K. Ledwith����������� 8/1
GR Simsters
�
The number one rated long turf runner and he is not even considered the favorite of the race.� Trainer buffy5 may want to change MAX�s name to RODNEY.� His last run, a win in the 13f Alycar Memorial, reflected his typical running style of staying near the back of the front pack and catch those few in front of him with a move at the half way point.� While it is nice to have a small winning streak coming into a big race, MAX has been on a pattern of winning every other race.� It will up to K. Ledwith to break this streak and bring home the win for the GR Simsters residence.
�
PP#13��� ELUSIVE RILEY (KY)��� ��������������� okdavid196��������� B. Ball��� ��������������� 11/1
Pastures of Green
�
Yet another lurker in the mid pack, ELUSIVE RILEY used his closing speed to win the 12f Prospect Memorial his last time out.� Just to add a twist to things, this four year old enjoys coming from the middle of the pack but has also shown a tendency of not getting off his race if he finds himself in the front of the pack as he did in his win at the Prospect Memorial.� B. Ball, who apparently was foreshadowing Mike�s future efforts when he became a jockey, will be in the saddle for the okdavid196 steed.
�
PP#14��� BOYS OF SUMMER (IRE)������������� latinlover������������� J. Stivers��������������� 30/1
Hispano Parlante
�
Look out ladies, BOYS OF SUMMER is taking up the fourteenth post and his trainer, latinlover, is going to be in the stands (trainer kirby has hired extra security to protect his . . . um . . . interests).� This will be the five year old�s first attempt at a stakes level race.� Prior to this run, BOYS has been building up to the 13f distance with wins at the allowance level at 10, 11, and 13 furlongs recently.� Old friend J. Stivers has the tall order of guiding this front runner through his first run with the big boys, but the real action may be all that commotion in the stands.� Ohhhh yeahhhhh!!!!
�
PP#15��� JEWELLY (ENG)���������������������������� carbisdale������������ P. Harzheim��������� 14/1
Benelux
�
What was with the Harzheim�s?� Did they take fertility drugs or what?� Whatever the case, the most successful of the Harzheim triplets mounts JEWELLEY for the Benelux residence representative.� This four year old will most likely have only one other runner keeping him company at the back of the race for the first half.� JEWELLY is the second true closer in this group and has also come back from 17 lengths back to take a win in the Sir State Special.� This win was his only stakes race with this run being the chestnut colt�s first foray into the graded level.� Hopefully having the best of the triplets in mount will help ease the transition.
�
PP#16��� HOLDO (KY)������������������������������������� layeguada������������ T. Small���������������� 5/1
Northwest Racing Circuit
�
The race favorite according to the odds makers, HOLDO looks to expand on his current four start win streak.� This includes wins in the G1-Lot�s Of Luck and the G1-Arkansas Turf Classic both of which included runners from this card.� The four year old enjoys sitting on the heals of the leaders and then picking them off during the second half of the race.� One question that could be mention is that HOLDO has had only one career start over 12f, a 14f win over allowance level competition.� Will the extra furlong be a problem?� It is up to T. Small (of course he is) to help coax that extra eight of a mile.� Apparently, the odds makers are not concerned.
�
PP#17��� KAFZIEL TETE (GB)�������������������� cyprus������������������� Q. Cassell������������� 11/1
EAAA Racing
�
This five year old horse is one that enjoys breaking to the front of the race and then holding on to victory.� It proved successful in the G2-Lonstickgoboom Stakes where he was the winner, but has not translated to the G1 level as of yet.� The G1 racers seem to be too much for the brown horse and he end up fading in the end.� Trainer cyprus looks to Sam�s brother, Q. Cassell to help keep the pace fast and the competition at bay.� If there is a runner capable of making such a leap, it would be this twelfth ranked runner in the long turf route.
�
PP#18��� APPIAN GOLD��������������������������������� oaklawn66����������� A. Craig���������������� 13/1
Kentucky Horsemen
�
The Horsemen�s entry will need to do some quick stretching out in order to be successful.� Running mainly 9-11f recently, it will be a challenge for A. Craig to guide this five year old another quarter of a mile or more than what he is used to.� If he is able to, look for APPIAN GOLD to break to the front and then try to outrun the competition all the way to the wire.� The last time this tactic worked for a win was last February in an eleven furlong allowance victory.� Hopefully the dark grey horse comes through as there have been rumors of free Makers for all with an APPIAN GOLD victory.
�
As a fellow writer mentioned in an earlier article, these races are more about the sim getting together and celebrating where all we are from.� I tend to agree and will also decline on making a prediction (besides if I did, it would be wrong anyway).� Anyhow, look for a HUGE group in the middle all giving it their best starting at the half way point.� It should be an exciting race.� Good luck all.
