VANCOUVER, B.C. � The Equinics have descended upon beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia this week, with a veritable stream of top-class racing events pitting the best that each residency has to offer.
Here we�ll take a look at the Dual Hemisphere, as named by the EAAA Residency. The race will feature older males over a mile-and-a-quarter on turf. The Grade I contest will be, as are all Equinics runs, a battle for a $1 million purse.
Now, take a closer look at each of the competitors:
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PP1����� Franklin Terrace������������������ stormcat55����������������� N Armstrong�������������� 24/1
Montjeu (IRE)-Rainah, by Fusaichi Pegasus������������������������� Alpine Turf Club
Turf Rank: 612/158/367
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Franklin Terrace is another experienced runner, but one who is still looking for a graded breakthrough after 36 races. His eight victories include five of the listed variety. There was a valiant effort in the 2008 Caribbean (GI), and he hit the board in both the Moore�s Bridge (GIII) and Kinsho Cho Classic (GII) � each of which were at the 10-furlong distance. Those performances seemed to show some maturation, but can Franklin Terrace take the next step as a 5-year-old? He has warmed up with two allowance runs, and will try to break through here most likely rating a few lengths off the pace.
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PP2����� Long Time No See���������������� bpace�������������� ����������� F Duffy���������������������� 20/1
Manila x Septieme Ciel x Halo���������������������������������������������� URC���������������������������������������
Turf Rank: 2452/850/376
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URC takes a shot in the dark and sends underdog Long Time No See to the track for this year�s premier international event. The 5-year-old has a two-race win streak and hasn�t finished out of the money in his last seven races, but this is a largely untested horse. He has often been dominant, but against allowance company, which will pale in comparison to this weekend�s field. His lone stakes experience has come in a handful of listed efforts, the best of which was a second-place result just under a year ago in the Dawn Chat Handicap. Long Time No See does seem to really like the distance though. Untested and without an overwhelming pedigree, this one won�t catch the bettors� eyes, and will have to pull out a career effort to get in the mix. Is he a surprise waiting to happen? Can stalk or run on the lead.
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PP3����� Monte Youn�������������������������� monte1����������������������������������� P Munoz��������������������� 6/1
Doyoun(IRE) x Selkirk x Sword Dance(IRE)���������������������� MIDAS
Turf Rank: 180/35/27
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This grey guy is the definition of lightly raced, but that�s probably the only reason this senior citizen is still in shape to run at this level. Doubling the other runners at 10 years of age, Monte Youn took a long hiatus after his 2-year-old campaign, not stepping back on the track until he turned 8 years old. Whatever purpose that break held, it didn�t seem to hurt his ability, as he has since racked up a record of 22-9-5-2 and over $1.3 million in earnings. Forget the horses he ran against to begin his career, most of their trainers have retired. But Monte Youn continues to run strong, and has racked up four stakes wins, including� three of the graded variety. He was in peak form coming out of the summer of 2009, when he posted a career-high 114 SF while going gate-to-wire in the Grade I Judgemont International. He beat five other millionaire-earners in that race. Not one to step back, the gunner went right back at it October�s Classic Turf Stakes (GI), where he romped over a quality field, including a foe here in Waki�s A.P. After finishing second in the Grade II Flying Carpet he will enter this contest out of a second-place run against allowance company. Monte Youn might be better at just a bit longer distance, but can no doubt handle the mile-and-a-quarter. He�ll look to lead all the way and become one of the oldest Equinic champions ever.
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PP4����� Dassault��������������������������������� tenpin������������������������� KB Blalock���������������� 17/1
Ouragan x Dehere x Chief�s Crown�������������������������������������� Great Plains Residency
Turf Rank: 325/70/210
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This Great Plains Residency rep has seemingly run against every other horse in this field, but a quick look at his resume explains why. The 6-year-old is easily the busiest of all the entrants, with 49 races under his belt, including 15 wins. Eight of those have been of the stakes variety, the biggest of which were the GIII Smarty Jones Handicap (July 08), GII Ferdichenko Cup (Jan. 09) and GI Prince of Whales (June 09). He�s run some big speed figures, including a 115 on a yielding track. But all the running may have taken its toll, as Dassault has not been nearly as competitive in recent efforts. After winning the Prince of Whales, he struggled mightily in other stakes effort, his only competitive showing coming as a runner-up in the listed Judge Fourteen Memorial in September. Dassault looked much better in his last two showings, both against allowance company. The experience is there, but this horse has probably seen better days. He�ll settle in toward the back of the middle pack and try to save something for the end.
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PP5����� Lucky�s Nigel������������������������ naracing9�������������������� A Darling������������������� 20/1
Pivotal(GB) x Rainbow Quest x Sadler�s Wells�������������������� OHIO
Turf Rank: 1054/363/772
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The great state of Ohio and its residency will give Lucky�s Nigel a shot to get lucky in the Dual Hemisphere. He�ll need a lot of luck though, as he�s still searching for his first stakes win, graded or otherwise. All seven of the 4-year-old�s wins have come against allowance company. Last time out, he opened the year with the Last Groom T Special over a mile, and was closing the gap but still landed in third with a 105 SF. His two graded efforts have not been favorable, with the last coming in October�s Usain Bolt. Lucky�s Nigel is also still unproven at 10 furlongs, where his only race was a fourth in the Big Bro�s Boy Memorial in November. All his victories (since maiden) have come between 8 and 9 furlongs. That leaves a lot of question marks for a runner that will need to overcome a lot as a mid-to-back closer.
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PP6����� K�s Insatiable������������������������ wrecks2���������������������� L Jenkins�������������������� 10/1
Bernardini-K�s Pragmatic, by Danzig������������������������������������ Sim Hispano
Turf Rank: 652/181/388
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This 4-year-old colt has won eight of 11 races and only missed the board once in his career. As far as stakes experience goes, he�s coming off a listed victory in the Sunny Millions Turf in the first victory of his 2010 campaign. Prior to that, he posted a third at this same distance in the Los Angeles Derby (GII) and a fifth in the Grade II Usain Bolt in October. A graded victory came on an impressive 118 speed figure with a 2-length win in the Cant Breeder�s Cup (GIII). In as strong form as any entry in the race, K�s Insatiable hopes to take advantage of that momentum and comes in on only three weeks rest. Whether that helps or hurts is yet to be seen, as he tries to put together a strong performance for the sim�s Latin community. K�s Insatiable fell to fellow DH runner Storm Kid in the LA Derby. This will be the first Grade I run for the horse, but he seems up to the task. He won�t waste any time jumping to the front remaining either on or pushing the lead, but doesn�t need to have the lead to find success.
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PP7����� Play Station Three��������������� shamran8�������������������� M Wallace������������������ 14/1
Monsun(GER)-Play Station(AUS), by Redoute�s Choice (AUS)���� EAAA
Turf Rank: 106/15/107
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Saturday�s race will make it four GI runs in a row for this 4-year-old son of Monsun, and Play Station Three has shown he�s up to the task. He ran away in the Roberto Clemente back in October, closed but fell short in the Coxless in November and then ended the year with a near-miss in the King Kong Cup. He�s beaten some big-time runners in the process, and should be right in his element here. His 110 speed figure last time out was a career-high. March of 2009 featured a Grade III victory for Play Station Three, dropping the field of the Manatee Classic. He likes to run in the middle of the field, leaving space for a closing effort but keeping the leader within reach.
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PP8����� Waki�s A.P.��������������������������� trotter4����������������������������������� C Shoemaker�������������� 17/1
A.P. Indy-Waki Notion, by Miswaki������������������������������������ Hong Kong Racing Club
Turf Rank: 1989/1001/223
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In Hong Kong Racing Club�s inaugural Equinics effort, they will send Waki�s A.P. to try to tackle the 10 furlongs of grass. The blood is there to have success, but the 5-year-old is still looking for his first graded win while posting a record of 19-6-4-1. His listed career has been highly competitive, including a tight win over a mile-and-a-quarter in the Pure Quest Special to open 2009. Since then he�s taken on a slate of graded efforts, the best of which landed Waki�s A.P. as a closing runner-up over 11 furlongs in the Grade II Del Web Handicap in August. The only GI attempt was a problematic one, getting left behind out of the gate in October�s Classic Turf Stakes. The winner of that race is a horse he�ll have to face here � Monte Youn. Last time out, this runner was charging hard but came up a couple lengths short in the listed Hawk�s Heir Challenge. That run did match a career-high SF with a 108. Waki�s will most likely need at least that number to have a shot here, coming in as a deep closer. The lone race against the upper tier wasn�t promising, but otherwise the form has been solid and it would be a bad move to discount Waki�s A.P. here.
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PP9����� Spartiate�������������������������������� wicked����������������������������������� P Cadigan������������������ 13/1
Pivotal(GB)-Ytwodubai(GB), by Dubai Millennium(GB)���� GR Simsters
Turf Rank: 120/20/75
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Any time a runner is chosen to represent powerhouse GR Simsters, you know he is a force to be reckoned with. Here, wicked�s Spartiate gets the call. With $2.9 million in earnings and a record of 28-7-5-4, the 5-year-old chestnut horse has never ducked a tough race. He picked up three graded wins as a 2-year-old, including the Grade I Epiphany Too Handicap � runner-up Woette�s Slipper will take a shot here. He has since picked up a GI victory last May, in the Singapore Cup, where he topped big gun The Oil Rules All as well as fellow Dual Hemisphere runner Dassault. Spartiate closed out his 2009 campaign with a 10-furlong victory in the Galaxian Stakes (GI) before putting up little fight in a January allowance race. He�ll return to his preferred distance here, and will be in the mix. Spartiate tends to be a mid-pack runner, but has proven an ability to rate a bit closer as well.
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PP10��� March On����������������������������� reteps�������������������������� R Crandlemire������������ 33/1
Arch-Exceedian II, by Thunder Gulch���������������������������������� Queensland
Turf Rank: 2836/1578/202
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This 5-year-old son of Arch will take to the track trying to uphold the Queensland name. After finishing first in his first stakes run � last April�s Great Beer Cap � March On has been a BP earner, but not a major player. A troublesome Grade I run (Milan Grand Prix) gave way to a number of allowance efforts leading up to this weekend. March On will be asked for a repeat of his lone graded victory, when he won rather easily and posted a 112 SF in doing so.� He�ll go at it most likely running from about 3-4 lengths back while trying to settle in at 10 furlongs, a distance at which he�s only raced once (last time out against allowance company).
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PP11��� Woette�s Slipper������������������� woette1���������������������� B Bauder�������������������� 13/1
Forest Wildcat x Kingmambo x Buckpasser������������������������� BENELUX
Turf Rank: 717/209/426
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The Woette moniker is common across the sim racing world, and here it is again in the Dual Hemisphere. Woette�s Slipper looked strong in the fall of 2009, picking up a listed win in the Campillo Challenge and then easily defeating a Grade III field in the Allison Stakes. But his final run of the calendar year followed a troublesome trend, as he dropped hard in the DPCD VIII Pennsylvania Handicap (GI). The trend? Struggles against the best of the best at the Grade I level. The last time Woette�s Slipper ran well in such a setting was as a 2-year-old, when he just missed wins a couple of times. That sort of history means the 5-year-old shouldn�t be discounted, but should be looked at with a discerning eye as he�ll have to prove he can handle this field.
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PP12��� Galliano��������������������������������� razeland���������������������� R Jacobson����������������� 26/1
Galileo (IRE)-Cape Town Wells, by Johannesburg��������������� NWRC
Turf Rank: 2531/1120/204
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This 5-year-old has been in the mix in nearly every race he�s run, but it speaks to what level of competition he was facing when you take a look at his career earnings � $160,468 over 24 races. The brown horse has shown an ability to close, but has stumbled when running against classier competition, often getting left behind early and with too big a hole to dig out of. Case in point are his last two efforts � both at Grade III � in which he made up lengths but still finished with little threat. Galliano has also shown that perhaps he wants to run a little longer than the 10 furlongs he comes across here, as his best runs came in at least 11-furlong contests � the listed Noble Jenelle and Desert Wedding, both of which were solid wins. I think Galliano can and will find success in graded runs, I think the class that will set the pace here may leave him too far behind in the early going. Can his strong close get it done?
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PP13��� Tex Gold������������������������������� texasace00������������������ W McClendon����������������������� 17/1
Sadler�s Wells x Alydar x Bold Ruler����������������������������������� Del Penn
Turf Rank: 351/77/11
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This brown 4-year-old comes into the race bearing a blueblood pedigree, a top trainer and over $3 million in earnings. It all makes for a horse that is sure to make his presence felt come Saturday. Tex Gold is steeped in stakes experience, although it is interesting to note that while he has won seven of 15 races, has only once reached the winner�s circle in a Grade I race. That was last May in the Japanese Derby, where he eked out a win over No. 1-ranked division runner Title Defense. He has also come up short in five straight races, dating back to a three-win streak in the Gordy Stakes (GIII), Great Volt (GII) and Hawiian Lord (listed) late in the summer. After a fading, fifth-place effort in the Grade I Japan Classic back in November, Tex Gold has cycled through lower competition in residency stakes and then open allowance. Neither brought glory. Has this classy runner lost a step or is he just warming up for a return to form here? Much of his experience has come at 12 furlongs, but his front-running style should allow him to adapt to the shorter track here.
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PP14��� SJ�s Sit N Spin���������������������� booberry��������������������� Hi Jackson������������������ 12/1
Spinning World-Spit The Bit(IRE), by Galileo (IRE)����������� East-West Connection
Turf Rank: 446/102/288
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It is interesting that a 4-year-old with a record of 22-7-6-2 has only amassed $219,765 in earnings, even with a handful of stakes experience. SJ�s Sit N Spin comes in off a solid, if unspectacular, effort in the Marcos Footwear Handicap (GII), where he was closing but not fast enough to pose a threat. He ultimately finished third. He does have a graded victory to speak of, winning the Grade II South African Classic over 9 furlongs as a 3-year-old. His try at the Queen�s Spring Cup (GI) on an off track last April did not go well at all, nor did the World Weekly News 2000 (GIII) last summer. His last race may have been a sign of some maturation, but is it enough to set him up for success against this type of field? He�ll try to answer that question as a closer.
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PP15��� No Price Too High��������������� cheadle����������������������� F Gossett�������������������� 11/1
Smart Strike-Closing Costs, by Awesome Again������������������ Blazing Saddles
Turf Rank: 121/19/113
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This 5-year-old hits the track for Blazing Saddles having won four of his last five while compiling a career record of 13-7-3-2. His recent efforts are as good as anyone in the field, grabbing a Grade III victory last time out in the Nikkan Sport. Prior to that, No Price Too High held on for a tight win in the Jolly Summer Eclipse (GI) after finishing second in the Eclipse (GI) back in October. He also has a Grade III Chosen Stakes win under his belt. Clearly enjoying the distance and proving himself against the top competition, No Price Too High should be in the mix as this weekend�s race stampedes toward a close. He joins a handful of other front-runners in the field, and will push the pace out of the gate.
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PP16��� Principe De Viana���������������� andros������������������������ B Renfroe������������������ 9/1
Medicean (GB) x Habitat x Ack Ack������������������������������������ Minnesota Downs
Turf Rank: 81/12/92
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The bloodlines aren�t as trendy as some of the other successful runners, but the results have been just as impressive for Principe De Viana. The 5-year-old comes to Vancouver flying the Minnesota Downs flag, something he has done well so far.� Coming off as good a win as any horse in this field, PDV closed out 2009 with a gate-to-wire victory in the Grade I King Kong Cup. Prior to that, he obliterated the field in the Harry Potter (GIII) in November. The andros-trained horse had four graded wins last year alone. With a top career speed figure of 116 (in last March�s Grade III Winter Derby), the only question surrounding PDV is if he can maintain that sort of momentum in 2010. Likes to run out front and stretch the lead while playing �catch me if you can.�
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PP17��� In Every Shadow����������������� kissnsocal������������������� O Osbourne���������������� 18/1
Purim-Quickly Hit(GB), by Diesis(GB)�������������������������������� Vermont
Turf Rank: 374/84/35
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The top-earning son of Purim by a long shot, In Every Shadow comes into the big race with five wins in 18 career races. The best of those came in a very strong performance in October�s Jockey�s Weapon (GI), in which he ran a 106 speed figure and bested the field by 2 � lengths across 12 furlongs. He also looked good closing in the Grade I Jockey Club last summer, where he finished as runner-up. The Vermont rep has been up and down throughout his career, but is well-tested. His top SF came in September�s listed Devils Diamond Challenge, with a 115. But his late-2009 efforts left a lot to be desired as he was a non-factor over 10 furlongs in November�s Coxless (GI) before dropping below triple figures speed-wise for the first time in 10 months in a Japan Classic (GI) struggle. Last time out, in late December, In Every Shadow was fading in the Grade III Northern Beer Cap. Some of his struggles came against loaded fields, but the going went get much easier here. Seems to like coming from about 3-4 lengths off the pace, but will need to show a nice turn in form to get it done here.
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PP18��� Storm Kid����������������� ����������� zabeel������������������������� J Caves����������������������� 12/1
Storm Cat-Drop The Lemon Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid�������� Comedy Central
Turf Rank: 378/81/250
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This son of Storm Cat my come out of the Comedy Central residency, but he�s no laughing matter here. It�s often been a case of close but no cigar for Storm Kid, who has six wins in 24 tries, next to eight second-place results. Even many of his wins have been of the tight variety, like his only graded victory, a nose win in August�s Furstenberg (GIII) in Germany. The 4-year-old just missed in the GII Lose Angeles Derby, running to the lead before dropping it by a length. He also was runner-up in the listed Swift Tenant Stakes and Early Months Stakes (GII). The only GI run came in December, where he faded in the DPCD VIII Pennsylvania Handicap to finish middle of the pack. He�s coming off a fourth-place result in the Sunny Millions Turf three weeks ago. Storm Kid will be right at the front from the get-go, and has shown the ability to hold that over 10 furlongs.
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PP19��� Irish Ranger������������� ����������� dancards��������������������� A Sparky�������������������� 13/1
Aragorn (IRE) x Sadler�s Wells x Moulin(GB)��������������������� IRELAND
Turf Rank: 434/103/255
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This 5-year-old had a strong campaign last year, taking in a steady diet of stakes races and showing a competitive effort in all of them. He picked up his first graded victory in some time September�s Plaid Skirt (GIII) in a dominating close. It was a glimpse of what had been a masterful 3-year-old campaign, in which he picked three listed wins and two graded wins. Irish Ranger hit the winner�s circle in back-to-back runs in late summer of �08, here in the Equinics� St. Jude Children�s Research Hospital (GI) and then in the Stain Ledge (GIII). Then things came crashing to a halt when Irish Ranger got obliterated in the Breeders Bowl Mile (GI). Coming off an allowance prep to open January, Irish Ranger will look to win his second Equinics contest as a relatively deep closer. It should become readily apparent at the halfway point if he�ll be able to make his move or not.
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Anyone in this field could win, leaving plenty of intrigue for bettors and spectators. Will we see a longshot surprise? Can Principe De Viana run away with it? Can Monte Youn, the favorite, become an Equinics champion at the age of 10? Can Irish Ranger become a two-time Equinics winner?
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There are a great deal of front-runners here, so we could see the front of the pack run away with the race, or we could see them decimate each other with a blistering pace that opens a hole for a more patient runner. In picks sure to go wrong, I�ll go with Spartiate to run down Principe De Viana, followed by No Price Too High, Monte Youn, K�s Insatiable and Play Station Three.
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Good luck to all competitors and enjoy the race!
