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Large Field Shows Up For 6 Furlong Dirt Open at Equinics

By- Sorria

The world of horse racing turns its head this weekend to the special Equinics events held in Vermont this year. The Equinics will bring to vermont a star-studded line up of horses and sixteen Grade I races, all with total purses of $1,000,000. The third race on the card for Equinics day in Vermont is a six furlong dirt sprint, open to three years, for the charity benefit of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Red Cross is an independent organization that focuses on humanitarian protection and assistance of people in times of war and armed violence. Attracted by the prestige and large purse of the Equinic races, this race looks like it is going to be a very large field with a total of seventeen entered to run on Saturday. There has been some thunderstorms here at the track earlier this week, but the weather is expected to taper off during the week into a light shower, and according to forecasts, supposing to be a clear sunny day her in Vermont at post time for the Equinics races. Rain or shine, the horses will be running and the possibly of an incorrect weather report certainly hasn�t scared off the competition from running.

1. Mach Pelican - newastin1 - D. Givins - EAAA Racing - 6/1

Drawing the rail in our six furlong sprint is this bay colt, (Ghostzapper x Storm Cat x Forty Niner), who is out of the Grade I winning mare Salubrious. The impeccably bred colt made his last track appearance last month in the six and a half furlong listed Vanilla And Stakes in Maine where the bay colt won by one and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred twelve after settling off the pace in mid-pack out of the gate when breaking from post three. The colt has impressively won his last three starts including the Mr. Geronimo Cap and Gone Wild Cap. His last graded start was in April over a mile in the Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes (G3) where he finished a disappointing eighth, eleven and three-fourths lengths off the pace with a speed figure of ninety-one. Since then, the big bay colt has been stepped back in distance and has been doing wonderfully.

2. Wild Silver Skunk - skunkbred3 -A. Darling - Blazing Saddles - 15/1

Next in the gates will be this chestnut colt (Silver Deputy x Wild Again x Prince John), out of the Skunkbarn Stables. The colt is relatively inexperienced compared to the rest of the field and only has a total of seven lifetime starts. His last race came early last month in Argentina during the listed Cordell�s Raccoon Cap where the chestnut colt won by a length after going wire to wire in the six furlong sprint with a speed figure of one hundred five, a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. The colt has never run in a graded stakes race to date, however, in the races in which he has run, the chestnut colt has finished no worse than fifth in any of his races and all his other starts have resulted in a finish on the board.

3. Pyralis - kbsweet - N. Lawton - DelPenn National - 11/1

In the third post on Saturday will be this Kentucky-bred colt, (Bandini x Forest Wildcat x Wild Again), out of the Grade 1 winner Hollywood Catfight. The bay colts last start came early last month in a six furlong sprint in Delaware. The colt came up just short in this race, coming in a half length behind in second with a speed figure of one hundred seven, a lifetime best speed for the colt. The colts last graded start was in the Bluegrass Derby (G1) in May where he finished a dismal sixteenth in the 2008 run for the roses. Stepping down to listed stakes since the Derby, the colt will make his return to graded races during this weeks Equinics.

4. Whim - alysalley - M. Henson - RASH - 35/1

The fourth horse in our field and the one with the longest price on the board is this brown colt (Cactus Ridge x Out Of Place x Slew City Slew), from the stable of At The Wire Thoroughbreds. The brown three-year-old has raced fifteen times in his career and has won five of his starts. His last race came in the middle of last month during a seven and a half furlong allowance caliber race in New Hampshire. The colt finished two and one-fourth lengths back in this race, finishing with a speed figure of ninety-two. The colts last graded stakes appearance was in the Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes (G3) where the horse finished seventeen lengths back in eleventh with a speed figure of eighty-four. The colt is no doubt a longshot with only one stakes win, this in the King Guapo Memorial, in his career and a top lifetime speed figure of ninety-four.

5. TSF Academy (JPN) - zman - P. Haynes - Ohio Thoroughbred Racing - 7/1

Next in the gates is this brown three-year-old colt from Japan, (Opera House (GB) x Lion Cavern x Forty Niner), who is out of the stakes placed mare Quik N Good. Hailing from the Zman Stables, the Japanese-bred colt last appeared on the track overseas in Athens during the eight furlong Texan Roo Cap in the middle of last month. He broke out of the gate in sixth on the outside of the field and made a run for the wire in the stretch but came up short, finishing five and a half lengths off the pace in fourth with a speed figure of one hundred three. The horses last stakes start came the month prior, this in a seven furlong sprint in the Si� Amigo Sprint Stakes (G2) where the colt finished tenth, nine lengths off the winner with a finishing speed of one hundred two. Despite the colts poor performance in the Si� Amigo, aside from this race the brown colt has never finished out of the money in any of his races.

6. Rain Dog - ossy7 - O.A. Haack - Benelux - 17/1

Breaking out of the six slot will be this brown Kentucky-bred horse (Henney Hughes x Fusaichi Pegasus x Danzig), who is out of the race winning mare Just A Wish. The brown colt had his last start last month over six furlongs in Eastern Kentucky during the Brother Civil (GB) Memorial where he heartbreakingly finished just one-fourth of a length back in second, setting a speed figure of one hundred three. Previous to this, the colt has seen allowance and claiming company under a previous owner, but has never been entered into a graded stakes race. Despite this, the brown colt has never finished out of the money in his racing career.

7. Corporate Finance (ENG) - grandview - A. Rolling - Kentucky Horseman - 9/1

Next is this stunning roan English-bred colt (With Approval x Belong To Me x Seattle Slew), who is out of the graded placed mare Paris Seattle. The striking roan colt made his last start two months ago in Texas for the seven furlong No Country for 3yo Sprints where he just barely finished second, beaten by one-fourth of a length with a speed figure of one hundred eleven, a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. The colt has had a few recent races where he didn�t get the job done, both of these with nearly last place finishes in the Bluegrass Sprint (G2) and in the Tabasco Cat Memorial. Despite these two recent poor starts, the colt has done fairly well in his races, finishing on the board in five of his last seven starts.

8. Gone For Royal - jester - B.F. Abman - Great Plains Residency 2008 - 17/1

Nearing the inner post positions and drawing gate eight is this brown colt (Gone West x Storm Cat x Royal Ski), who is out of the Grade 1 winning mare Royal Cat. The brown three-year-old had his last start over the turf last month in Florida during the six furlong Smackdown (G1). The colt finished a disappointing twelfth over the turf, finishing out of the money over the surface for the first time in his three total turf appearances. His prior ace was in late June during the Pea Shooters Handicap (G2), a six furlong sprint in South Dakota where he hung on to win in a photo finish, declare the winner by a head after leading the field from gate to wire. The bay colt finished the race with a speed figure of one hundred six. The colt has been fairly impressive throughout his career, finishing out of the money only twice while racing.

9. Fernando Hero - fernando - Z. Ruzek - Hispano Parlante - 18/1

Following as we go down the field is this bay colt (Dehere x Seeking The Gold x Danehill), who is out of the stakes winning mare Zoom. The bay colt has had a total of fourteen lifetime starts with four career wins. The colts most recent start came early last month in Eastern Kentucky during the six furlong Brother Civil (GB) Memorial. The colt took off out of the second post position and went straight to the lead by one and a half lengths. The colt maintained his lead on the field until they came into the stretch where he tired in the late goings and was caught by closers, ultimately finishing fourth, just one and three-fourth lengths behind the winner. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred one during the race. The bay colt has not finished out of the money in any of his races since October of last year.

10. Prince Of Cairo - zipchippy - G. Bungard - East-West Connection - 27/1

At our second longest price on the board is this brown colt, (Fusaichi Pegasus x Storm Bird x Never Bend). The three-year-old has been lightly raced with just six career starts in his lifetime. His most recent start came in North Florida last month during a seven and a half furlong allowance caliber race. The colt finished second, off the pace by three-fourths of a length, after leading the field for the majority of the race. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred one, a lifetime best speed figure for the bay colt. The colt has never seen a stakes race, graded or listed, but has only finished off the board once in his career, in his maiden debut race last March in Michigan.

11. Sheridan - winstar - J. White - Northwest Racing Circuit - 9/1

Following further down into the field, our next horse is this bay colt, (Speightstown x Dixie Union x Tale Of The Cat), who is owned and trained by Lilbitfarm Stables. The colts most recent start came in the middle of last month during the seven furlong Royal Desert Bonanza where he had a bit of an off day and finished sixth, though ten and one-fourth lengths off the pace while setting a speed figure of ninety-one. His previous starts, including the Instant Naskra Challenge and The Forty The Old Stakes, both ended in wins for the bay colt. With the exception of his last start in the Royal Desert Bonanza, the tall bay colt hasn�t finished out of the money in his last seven starts before the Royal Desert. We�ll see how he bounds back into form for the Equinics.

12. I Don�t Get It - tseals1 - J. Caves - Minnesota Downs - 17/1

Being led into gate twelve will be this brown colt (Yes It�s True x Distorted Humor x Pass The Tab), who is out of the stakes placed mare Running Gag. Owned by Tseals1 Stables, the brown colt last started in the six furlong Smackdown Restricted over six furlongs in Delaware last month. The colt just managed to finish in the money in the race, coming home to finish fifth after setting far off the pace, trailing the field up until the stretch. The colt recorded a speed figure of one hundred three for his efforts. His most recent graded start came last April in the Heat Less Stakes (G2) in Kentucky. The colt finished thirteen lengths back in eighth in this race, setting a speed figure of eighty-nine in the race. Despite his most recent attempt at a graded stakes, the colt has managed to win at graded stakes level. His most recent graded win came in the Swale Stakes (G3) this past March

13. Cryptic Apples - deltatiger - V. Jennings - Alpine Turf Club - 20/1

Drawing lucky post thirteen is this bay three-year-old (Rahy x Boston Harbor x Cryptoclearance), who is out of the race winning mare Cryptic Tiger. The bay horse saw his last start just last month in a six furlong allowance caliber race in Ohio. The colt broke out of the eleventh starting gate and settled back to last in the field, slowly taking down horses as the sprint progressed. The jockey gave him his head in the stretch and the colt ran down the field, coming up just short and finishing second, one and a half lengths off the pace. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred two, a lifetime best speed figure for the colt. The colt has never been entered against stakes competition in his racing career.

14. First Warrior - dora - F. Gossett - CR Races - 14/1

In gate fourteen will be this dark gray colt, (First Samurai x Silver Charm x Mr. Prospector), who is currently raced by Dora Stables. The three-year-old colt last raced overseas in Dubai on a good dirt track during the listed Desert Sprint Special over six furlongs. The colt broke out of his inside post and was rated just off the pace behind the leaders in fourth. He started to make a move in the later stages of the race, eventually flying past the tiring leader and winning by a length and a half with a speed figure of one hundred two. The colt also won his prior start in the Coz Pye Said So Cap by one and one-fourth lengths. The dark gray�s most recent graded race came in March during the LordPye�s EWC Tipping Stakes, in which the dark gray colt won by one and one-fourth lengths. Impressively, all but two of the colts last eight starts have ended in wins.

15. Vorreedi - vor - W. McClendon - GR Simsters - 9/1

Up next in the field is this striking brown Kentucky-bred colt, (Bernardini x Danzig x Unbridled), who is trained by Vor Stables. The colts last race came last month in the six furlong Smackdown Restricted in Delaware. The colt broke out of the thirteenth post and settled into mid-pack. He started to make a late move in the latter half of the race but only managed to finish third, though the brown colt was only beaten by three-fourths of a length. The brown colt set a speed figure of one hundred six for the race. In his previous race, the Great Fishing Hole Stakes (G3), the brown colt won by three-fourth of a length after coming from off the pace while setting a speed figure of one hundred seven. The brown colt also managed to finish third in the Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes (G3). The brown colt has finished off the board only twice in his last eight starts, these coming in the Florida Derby (G1) and the listed Mine Devastation Bonanza.

16. Evil Genius - shanrose - V. Gardner - Pastures Of Green - 11/1

Nearing the end of our entries into the open six furlong sprint Equenics, is this chestnut colt (Crafty Prospector x Smarten x Mr. Livermore), who is raced by Dr. A Stables. The chestnut colt made his last start south of the border in Mexico during the Juan�s Road Special over eight and a half furlongs. The colt broke out of the third post position and settled mid-pack in seventh. He made a late run on the field going into the stretch and just managed to finish on the board in third, three and a half-lengths off from the winner. The chestnut three-year-old recorded a speed figure of one hundred two for the race. His last graded start came in April during the Bay Horse Stakes (G3) where the colt finished five and one-fourth lengths behind the winner in fifth. This spectacular chestnut colt, though never winning a graded stakes, has finished off the board only twice in his career, but has never finished out of the money.

17. Wolf�s Slam (JPN) - graywolf4 - S. Gravina - Queensland Racecourse - 15/1

Loading into the far outside post in Saturday�s race will be this Japanese-bred chestnut colt, (French Deputy x Grand Slam x Dixieland Band), who is out of the multiple Grade 1 winning mare and three-time stakes producer, Land Slam. The chestnut colt made his last start over eight furlongs in Florida during Smackdown (G1). The colt didn�t have his day here as he finished seventeenth in the field, sixteen and one-fourth lengths off the winner after turning in a speed figure of eighty-nine over the longer distance. The chestnut colt has had the majority of his success over sprints, most recently winning the No Country for 3yo Sprints (G2) by one-fourth of a length with an impressive speed figure of one hundred eleven. The colt has had a few off races, but for the most part of his racing career, has been very impressive, winning eight times in his twenty-one race career.

Sorria�s Picks

Win: Mach Pelican
Place: Corporate Finance (ENG)
Show: Vorreedi



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