Equinics 2010 BTB Articles




Written by: Squirrel

The mythical thunderbird beats it wings to create roars of thunder. These 20 fillies and mares, while earth-bound, use their hooves in much the same fashion. Sprinting to the wire in this 6.5f race, the barrage of hoofbeats smacking into the Vermont main track, combined with the roars of Equinics fans in attendance, will create a deafening sound the likes of which has never been heard. This is a fitting tribute to one of the finest fields of sprinting mares the sim has yet seen.


The Thunderbird Dash is a G1, as the older filly and mare dirt sprint has been since the first edition under these conditions in 2002. in 2010 the race carries a $1million purse. All 20 Equinics-participating residencies have fielded a runner.


Apples Awesome, representing Alpine Turf Club, breaks all the way at the inside rail. That's lost on a mare that couldn't get out of the gate with any speed if her tail was on fire. Profounds' (aka Delta Tiger) 6yo Awesome Again mare has earned a million bucks by winning a G1 and placing in several other grades.� While most of her notable exploits have occurred on off tracks, she's capable on a fast track as well. A solid choice for ATC this time around. 16-1 odds.�


Toward the rail is the Cat Around. Jcasino's Flower Alley mare drew the lucky #2 post, and the Hong Kong Racing Club is glad to have her there. Cat Around set a new stakes record last out. It was an eye-popping 119 speed rating she earned in a G3. Now that may well have happened due to the muddy track she has a clear affinity for, but she has some talent on the main track as well. That 119 earned the mare 8-1 odds, but bettors have to be wondering what are the odds she emulates a bouncy ball.


The Queenslanders enter Jaeger Bomb. Flemington's Sakhee filly is a bit of an odd entry here. She's a two-time stakes winner, but around two turns. She has 14 starts, 13 routing. The sole sprint was her debut on grass in a residency-restricted event in 2008. So we know's she's fast, and she likes to lead, but cutting back by a quarter mile puts the Bomb in unknown racing territory. Pedigree supports a sprint, but still so many question marks here. On the plus side, she did draw post 3 and has a great navigator in V Gardner. 29-1 odds may be sufficient to draw some just-in-case tickets.


Blue Letter fittingly runs for the letter residency, EAAA.� The 5yo War Eagle mare is 9-1 largely due to five very flashy wins in graded sprints last year.� The distance suits Blue perfectly, and she had a relatively easy winter campaign so is well-rested. Blue's preference for closing will stand her in good stead in this field of frontrunners. Last few races she's been on a win/fail/win rhythm, and by pattern this should be the lackluster effort. Can Blue break the cycle?� She drew P Wright to ride, who is running an astonishing 73% in the money for the year.


Blazing Saddles has a blazing-fast entry in Idolatria. Victoryrun's 6yo Buddha mare has earned over a million on the track, most of it in a variety of turf sprints. Idolatria even placed in the 2008 Equinics, albeit the 5.5f turf version. Gowans' inspired decision to give the mare a dirt try after such grass success has earned the mare a pair of graded placings and a new lease on life. While her preference for frontrunning will match her up with several similarly-styled and fast mares, Idolatria has a serious chance here. She drew the 5 post and gets famed jockey B Gulch for the ride.


The 31-1 Rock River Dancer carries the Great Plains colors. Trained by Rockriver, the 4yo Danehill Dancer filly is stakes placed a 6.5f, but that was 8 months ago and she's been running almost entirely in allowance company since. Still, she's posted some solid races including a couple of wins, and certainly won't embarrass her residency here. Too bad the rain didn't hit, as she's� got a perfect record in the wet stuff. The jockey choice is unusual. H. Bowen has zero wins this year, though with just 5 starts he hasn't had many opportunities.


The 2006 Equinics champs and 2008 second-place finishers the GR Simsters field the top mare Clark County.� At 6, she's one of the oldest mares in the field, and certainly the most accomplished. The 7 post suits her running style just fine, and with that excellent turf-to-dirt angle, plus oodles of talent, she's dangerous indeed. Clark County is no stranger to the big time. She's twice a Breeders Bowl champion and won the mare sprint at the 2009 Equinics. If any mare can win on paper, it is this one.� Pure class plus pure speed plus the crafty training of Simsters3 (aka Lenny271) sets Clark County up for the race of her life. Take the 7-1 odds and load up on win tickets.


Ohio's Ad In The Voice is 45-1, but you can blame that in part on a poor turf effort a few back. The 4yo Belong To Me mare runs for the Cindyshero barn, and while she isn't quite up to the caliber of the best of this crop is still solid racehorse. a healthy� G3 sprint win last year, plus assorted stakes placings on turf and dirt, attest to her class. Prefers to run up front, which will be a tall order, but this kind of race allows all sorts of odd things to happen. Voice breaks from post 8.


The defending Equinics champion residency, DelPenn, sends forth Stoners Owns Texas. Fitzgerald's Rahy filly was an astute auction purchase after a lackluster turf debut in 2008. After a few more turf races including one memorable stakes win, the filly was swapped to the main track and promptly reeled off four straight wins including a pair of G2s. Her early maturity was soon on par with her developing peers and she struggled for a few months, but Texas got back to her winning ways with a coupe of turf route wins. she capped the year with a beauty of a mile dirt stake for DelPenn-restricted company. Have to like her here given her apparent boost in talent with the birthday, and the turf-to-dirt angle is a proven winner. However, will she prove in the long run to be better around two turns when on dirt?�


East-West Connection (aka EWC) must have been jumping for joy when Denovo volunteered the services of Pickin' Winners. With a name like that, she's a sure winner, right? The 5yo Fusaichi Pegasus mare is capable of it. She's twice a stakes winner, and placed in a G3. Nice to see her getting faster with maturity as well. Last race was a bit of a disappointment, but she tends to come back well off those down races. 13-1 from the middle post (10).�


Minnesota Downs' entry CK Ghost Prospect is no stranger to major events. A G1 winner as a 2yo, the 5yo Ghostzapper mare has accumulated over $1million for trainer Ckstables3. Two back she popped a huge 114 to win a residency-restricted stake, and has run equally high numbers over the years at 6.5. A strong threat to the rest of the field. Cofavored at 7-1 because she's very very fast. B F Abman rides from the 11 post.


Benelux's representative is looking to make this race her fifth straight win. Number Runner, a 6yo Afleet mare, is a former claimer turned solid allowance horse under the guidance of Ceclaim8.� She ran in the 2008 Equinics and didn't have the best race of her life, though was less than seven lengths out of first place.� Good mare, perhaps slightly outmatched her. post 12, draws a jockey having the year of her life with better than 37% winners in 2010.


The newly-minted MIDAS residency has Quay Dancer in for a possible medal-worthy effort. Trained by Tulloch, the 6yo A.P. Indy mare won a G2 at this distance just over a year ago but is winless since. Nonetheless she's been a regular board-finisher in big races, and must be respected. B Coates, a superb jockey in his own right, will guide the 15-1 mare. Given her lack of winning oomph of late a win here would be unexpected, but she most certainly could run top-3. Post 13. Is that a good omen? We'll see.


Comedy Central enters a funny little mare. Late To The Races lives up to her name, with just three races behind the 4yo Unbridled's Song filly. Rumor has it that the mare will be making a trip to the knackers, or at least a yet-to-be-named stud farm, if she doesn't win 3 of her next 4 races and earn at least a 105 SP in one of those starts. so the decision to run LTTR here is odd, but fittingly funny in a macabre way. She does have 2 wins behind her, and has flashed significant speed in both sprint wins. Jumping to stakes, let alone graded company, given the looming retirement, is a tall order. If anyone can make a miracle happen, it won't be trainer Cmdabroad. At 58-1 she's the field longshot, and has a less than brilliant jockey riding from post 14.


The grande old dame of the field is Storm Harbor. Representing the Northwest Racing Circuit (aka NWRC), the Boston harbor mare is 9 years old but has been quite lightly races the last few years and the conservative approach has worked. She's twice a stakes winner in the last year and has oodles of back class on her record, including a graded win all of 6 years ago. No doubt she's slowing down as she ages, but still has the possibility to run the race of her life. 23-1 under competent� jockey M Stearns.


Equinics host Pastures of Green (aka Vermont) is represented by A.P.Retty Dyna. She drew post 16 for trainer Jennahs. At 13-1, the track secretary thinks very highly of the the 4yo A.P. Indy filly. A.P.Retty is a multiple stakes winner sprinting. She's fast, topping out at 110 on the speed scale, but has yet to try a graded sprint on a fast track. That's not to say A.P.Retty is a stranger to the graded stakes scene. She ran in the Great Fiddle Sticks in May 2009, though running two turns, and still acquitted herself well despite the distance issue. Most recently the filly tried a G3 sprint and while putting up lackluster effort, can be excused due to a poor track condition in a rainstorm. Back on the fast track, she should do well here.


Despite his best efforts, Queahora didn't have his entreaties answered, but Prayers For Rain still capably represents Ireland on a fast track. It's actually better that the rain stayed away, as Prayers is a stakes winner on a fast track but merely allowance-placed in the mud. Yet another mare that relishes the lead, she's got some speed which will be quite necessary to win.� At 5, the Zabeel mare appears to be finally coming into her own. This is her graded debut, but still a decent place to make the class jump. She will surely be tested. Draws the 17 post.


Miracles do happen, sometimes even at the Equinics. The 6yo Not For Love Mare, Miracles, represents STATE. She also represents Maryland-breds. Desertbear's entry has won several stakes over the years, and when she's on her game is fast enough to beat any mare in this field. She hasn't done much in graded stakes, instead working through the listed ranks. Last effort wasn't so hot, but she does better with longer sprints historically. Too bad this race isn't a sixteenth farther. 19-1 odd, and while stuck in post 18, excellent jockey P Haynes will assist.


Cofave K's Broken Dream represents Sim Hispano. The quiet little residency is fast becoming a sim powerhouse with horses like this one gracing the barns. Wrecks' 5yo Awesome Again mare intends to expand her current win streak to 4 consecutive graded stakes with this race. A very fast mare, Broken Dream set a new record in the Everclear last out with a 114sp. However, she's flashed the most brilliance at 7f, and despite 3 solid efforts at 6.5f, she merely hit the board 2 times rather than coming home the victor. Lots to like, but the less-preferred distance spells trouble for this very talented mare. Breaking from post 19 also isn't exactly a dream come true.


The flashy filly Repeat Performance will run for the Universal Racing Club (aka URC). Metallinut's prize 4yo by Awesome Again drew the far outside post, which no doubt worries her connections greatly. Repeat loves to run up near the front, and with 19 mares to get around she'll have to be swift out of the gate to have a chance. Luckily she has earned the services of highly-rated jockey Q Simien who can help her overcome traffic problems. At 24-1, she's not getting a ton pf play at the windows but smart bettors would do well to give her a second or third look. Repeat won a G2 two back, and loves a good sprint. She's been on turf lately, and decent though not stellar performances moderate her recent form on first glance.�


Each of these 20 fillies and mares are capable horses, and all have a legitimate shot at earning a paycheck. But only one can be the big thunderbird on the track. For my money, it's supermare Clark County.





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