Alternation and Nates Mineshaft Breeze Into The Windy City!
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Wow that was fast! Not more than a couple of days after we
close the doors on Arlington’s great 2012 meet, we are immediately treated to a
slew of amazing races on Saturday’s Hawthorne card! The featured race is the
$500,000 Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup where some of the country’s best prep for
the Breeders’ Cup in this 10 furlong contest. Last year’s Gold Cup winner,
Headache, ran in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and attempted to defeat the likes of
Game on Dude and Drosselmeyer. This year’s field is VERY strong! Let’s take an
in-depth look at this race…
(Alternation! Drawing by Mel!)
5/2 morning line favorite, Alternation, sure looks like the
class of the field here. With 9 wins in only 15 starts, this 4 year colt can
win on the lead or coming from behind. This kind of versatility can be hard to
find but trainer Donnie Von Hemel seems to have this horse in very good form. Well
rested since his August 11th victory, he has recently thrown two
bullet works in the last two weeks. I do have a question about this horse
however. First he has never run the full 10 furlongs (came close in the 1 3/16
Pimlico Special where he won by a nose) and second if he tries to vie for the
lead from the rail, then surely he will duel with the speedy Nates Mineshaft.
(Alternation wins the 2012 Pimlico Special)
We know for sure that
Nates Mineshaft will definitely head
straight for the lead. Not only do his running lines show this, but add local
pace-setting jockey
ET Baird in the mix and that’s a sure-fire recipe for a
quick dart to lead the pack. This horse has experience at both the claiming
level as well as the graded stakes level. He has three graded stakes victories
this year already and obviously he is looking for a fourth. In that long,
Hawthorne stretch it takes a ton of stamina to last the entire way. (Click
HERE for the video of Nates Mineshaft in the New Orleans Handicap)
I’m thinking this race could possibly set up well for a
closer and just about every other horse in the field seems to like to come from
way off the pace. Local favorite
Mister Marti Gras is well known for
charging
home late. He has yet to win at 10 furlongs, but this race might just set up
well for him. Still he is very versatile in terms of being able to win on any
surface, and he is coming off of a good second in the Washington Park Handicap.
Pool Play is another horse that loves to come from way behind. He normally runs
on the turf or synthetic, but he is a perfect 1 for 1 on the dirt with a
victory in the Stephen Foster last summer.
Another horse in very good form is
Cease. He finished third
in last year’s Gold Cup and is coming off of a third place finish in the
Woodward losing to some strong talent in
To Honor And Serve and
Mucho Macho
Man. He has hit the board 5 of 6 races on dirt and this race will be his third
off of the layoff. 7/2 might be a good price if the speed duel does actually
occur.
Also running here are Eldaafer, and Fly Lexis Fly.
What a great race! Don’t forget to check out the other
stakes races on the card as well. Kepi takes on Romacaca in the $100,000
Indian Maid and there is some firepower in the $100,000
Robert F Carey Memorial! That
race features the rematch of Suntracer vs. Willcox Inn and there will be
appearances by Tazz and Nikki’s Sandcastle!
Whoa!
I hope to see some of you at the track this
Saturday!! Who do you like in the Gold Cup?
---
In other HRN News...
- Sneak peek at the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic
- A Flower Bowl Full of Riches!
- Hansen's Sire Potential
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