The eleventh race of the Vermont hosted Equinics is The Dixie Bar The Door.� Dixie was my first homebred foal and was out of mare named Ain'twhistlindixie by a local Arizona first year sire, at that time, named Barricade.�� I had a Sim contest to help name her and several people came up with the winning name, but Sim player Congie was the firs, so he won the contest.� She went on to win many races around Arizona and was the first winner for then new trainer Sim player John Isdell (Hannibal).� When I decided to get out of the breeding business, I gave her to another member (Cheyenne15) of the Sim community and she now resides in Wyoming.� Dixie is truly a Sim horse.
�
There are 19 fillies and mares entered in the 14 furlong event for four year-olds and up over the main track.� It is a one million dollar purse and almost every residency fielded a horse for this race.� Here is a look at the field.
�
OHIO - Scarlet Knights (23/1) is a dainty copper chestnut filly with a three white socks, trained by Estreet.� She has won six of her 25 starts and has been in the money in all but five of them.� She is one of two entrants by War Chant and goes as fast as she can for as far as she can.� She will have to be on top of her game this week as there are other speedy horses in the field and making the lead won't be easy.
�
EAST - WEST CONNECTION - Trainer Bushmonste will saddle I Make It Rain (41/1) by Victory Gallop.� Rain is a five year-old grey mare the color of clouds and is another that will need a good trip to get part of the pie.� She has won seven of her 35 starts but seems to like her races a bit shorter.� However this is The Equinics and she could give the race of her life for the team.
�
BENELUX - Ethelferth (17/1) has won four of her last five including her last at 14 furlongs.� The four year-old bay filly has a gorgeous top line with an exquisite head and a lengthy neck.� No doubt this has helped her win any photo.� Speaking of wins - she has won seven of her 14 races and has been in the money eleven times.� Ethel is by Mineshaft and is trained by Belsup
�
MINNESOTA DOWNS - At six years old, Leather Gal (26/1) may be a bit lined but is fine as suede.� The rangy brown mare has won seven of her 41 starts and is the other starter by War Chant.� She has a nice win record but all but one of her last five races have been track restricted and trainer Citation will have to have the ole gal sharp as she can be against this group.
�
GREAT PLAINS RESIDENCY - Slew Of Cash (6/1) is another 6 year-old mare and is by Empire Maker.� A light chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail, Slew is a nine time winner from 35 tries and is trained by Plunk5.� Her last five races have all been Graded including her last, a Grade I, which she lost by a whisker in a photo.� She has mostly raced at longer but is probably the one to beat.
�
ALPINE TURF CLUB - Although she has never tried the distance, the five year-old mare, Dance The Mambo (14/1) comes into this race beautifully prepared by trainer Teamatc1.� �The pretty blood bay mare with black points has seven wins on her score card from 27 starts.� She is by Pleasantly Perfect and should be able to handle the extra distance but it will be Saturday before we know for sure.
�
VERMONT - Host of The Equinics, Vermont sends out Early Morning Rain (6/1), a five year-old dark bay mare trimmed in white.� She has won 12 of her 33 starts and has been in the money in 26 of them.� Not too shabby!� Trained by Spurious, she needs to get out of her seconditis rut as she has finished in that position in three of her last five starts, all of which were Graded.� On the plus side, the daughter of Mineshaft likes the 14 furlong distance and should give Vermont a good shot at a medal.
�
URC - Rock Hard Pornstar (33/1) may have only won four of her 18 starts but she has finished in the money in 13 of them.� The bright red four year-old filly is by Rock Hard Ten and won last time out.� She hasn't been competing at quite this level lately, but the biggest question is, if she can win on the dirt.� She will be�saddled by Pornstar who always has a trick or two up his sleeve.
DELPENN -�Jmb�will be sending out London To Paris (48/1), a dark brown�four year�-old filly by English Channel.� She is relatively lightly raced with only 14 starts�and has won three of them.� Delpenn is a very strong residency and if they feel that this filly can make the class jump, who am I to argue?� She should really like the stretch in distance and could be a medal contender.
IRELAND - Representing the emerald isle will be Gibraltar Lemon (26/1) a lovely 5 year-old chestnut mare trained by Ildottore.� She is by Lemon Drop Kid and I imagine you can guess the rest of the breeding.� Lemon is a four time winner from 18 starts, including her last at longer with a triple digit speed figure.� They are hard to get in long races and that makes this mare worth considering.
GR SIMISTERS - This is a residency that always must be considered a threat to take home the gold and Vindian Wells (22/1) was chosen by them to represent the residency in this race.� Trained by Speedkills the six year-old bay mare by Vindication, has won almost a third of her starts with 10 and has been in the money 23 of her 32 starts.� She always comes running and the only thing I can see is that she might want a bit more distance.� She certainly fits at this level and if the jock wakes her up early, this could be her day.
�
�QUEENSLAND - By a 47 point (mid week) sire King Of Happiness, Slappy Happy (8/1) is a well-muscled dark chestnut mare trained by Holyghost.� She hasn't seen the winner's circle in a while but has won seven of her 30 starts and her speed figures are on the improvement.� Happy will need some luck to medal but stranger things have happened and she is another that the jockey is going to have to start on her earlier as she seems to want more distance.
�
SIM HISPANO - The Awesome Again mare, K's Kuriara (13/1) is definitely one of the ones to beat.� Seventeen wins from 30 starts and she only failed to be in the top three, eight times.� The big brown six year-old is trained by Matarile and comes in to this race off a win in the Grade I Saturday Night Girl. �She's won four of her last five and she did them all in wire to wire fashion.� There are other speed horses in this race so she may have some company on the front end, but she looks good here.
�
HONG KONG RACING CLUB - Vegan Cat (11/1) is a five year-old plain bay mare who has won six of her 27 starts.� She is by Kingmambo and trained by Layoff.� Cat has won her last three, but all were at a shorter distance and at a lower level.� She comes from far off the pace so this race could set up well for her running style.� She will need her best to medal.
�
COMEDY CENTRAL - Sired by Arch, Conquering Builder (8/1) is a striking, four year-old bright bay filly trained by Sand133.� She's won four of her last five and was second in The Grade I Winterthur Oaks.� She's got some top speed figures and fits well with this bunch.� The only question she brings to the table is if she can get the distance.
�
MIDAS - Any Given Saturday will be represented by Hot Heads (33/1).� She has only been in the winner's circle twice but has finished second numerous times.� Trainer Rubiano00 changed her running style last time out and she hit the wire on top.� If she learned her rating lessons, Hot Heads could be in the mix at the wire.���
�
BLAZING SADDLES - Trained by Eddington, Dancinginthedark (10/1) has won six of her 14 starts and is 11/14 in the money.� The daughter of Danehill Dancer loves the distance and is a stakes winner with three of her last five races returning triple digit speed figures.� This four year-old brown filly should be in the hunt.
�
EAAA - Awesome Again is also represented by Won't Be Gone Long (11/1) who has won almost half of her races.� Six wins from 13 starts is nothing to sneeze at and better yet, she's been in the money in 11 of those 13 races.� Trained by Supapogs7, she seems to have a hard time making the class jump but the big white faced dark bay filly is young and still learning.� This could be the day she puts it all together.
�
NWRC - Showing up with a late entry was Punter41 who dropped Try This At Home (13/1) in the box.� A high dollar claimer, this big brown 5 year-old mare does come in with some decent credentials.� She has won nine of her 27 starts and only been worse than third seven times.� The daughter of Redoubt's Choice should like the extra distance and although she has won three of her last five she will still need her best to medal
�here.
�
�
Good Luck to all the Residencies.
�
�
�
�
�
�
