East Coast rematches continue in Champagne Stakes

LAURIE

ASHLEY

MAGNA LIGHT  (Magna Graduate - Kimberlite, by Mineshaft) has the pedigree to handle 1 1/16 miles and beyond, although his front-running style could have him at a disadvantage.  He set the pace in the Sanford Stakes and the colt looked like a sure winner until he crossed the path of Percolator and was disqualified to third place.  The free-running colt was on the lead again in the Hopeful and kept a straight path to no avail, as he was passed in mid-stretch by RALIS. Depending upon how the race sets up, Magna Light could either be lone speed or have company up front from Ready Dancer. He could steal the race if he’s the lone speed, but I think he’ll wind up with a lesser placing.

MAGNA LIGHT—I liked Magna Light in both the Sanford and the Hopeful, and I stand by that choice here. His run of bad luck has to end at some point, so why not now? He has shown that he is plenty competitive against the best of his peers at the top level. Laurie, I think he can do better than a lesser placing and is a big threat to win.

GREENPOINTCRUSADER 

(Bernardini - Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) was a $575K Keeneland Sept. yearling.  His family is loaded with blacktype.  He’s a full brother to Holy Bull SW and sire ALGORITHMS and a half to the MGSW warriors JUSTIN PHILLIP, SUCCESSFUL MISSION and KEYED ENTRY.  A half-sister, ALEX'S ALLURE, won the Senorita S. at two.  Greenpointcrusader is bred to run two turns.  The 5 ½ furlongs of his maiden debut was a bit short for the colt, but he put in a fantastic effort to finish second by a bare head to the ultra-game Saratoga Mischief.  That one returned to place in the Saratoga Special.  Have to include this well-bred colt.

GREENPOINTCRUSADER—Though the pedigree on this son of Bernardini is a huge selling point, you have to like a colt that is competitive. Add in that he comes from off the pace to either win or lose in close fashion, and you have an exciting prospect to win. If he continues to progress with the added distance as he did from his debut to his second race, then this maiden winner could surge to the very top of the division in his graded stakes debut. I have to agree with Laurie here. Leaving Greenpointcrusader out of your selections makes no sense. Contender.

READY DANCER (More Than Ready - Sweettrickydancer, by Green Dancer) has a strong turf pedigree. He’s a half-brother to MIDDIE, a G-3 winner over the lawn who also placed in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G-1). His dam won two listed stakes over the lawn.  Despite his turf oriented pedigree, Ready Dancer won his maiden sprinting on dirt. He beat Sail Ahoy by over nine lengths.  Ready Dancer has contested the lead in all three starts and could duel with Magna Light on the lead.

READY DANCER—Has improved in placing and speed figures with every start. Such a positive trend makes me sit up and take notice. The drawback, however, is exactly what Laurie noted. Ready Dancer likes to contest the lead, and should he and Magna Light hook up, they could potentially take each other out of the race. When it comes right down to it, I prefer Magna Light when it comes to front runners. Ready Dancer could stick around for a minor award, though.

SAIL AHOY (Bernardini - Matlacha Pass, by Seeking the Gold) made a strong run to win by a head in a mile maiden race.  This well-bred baby has a classic distance pedigree.  He’s a half-brother to Alabama Stakes heroine PINE ISLAND and to the multiple G-1 winning turf router POINT OF ENTRY.  Sail Ahoy carries Phipps family breeding and his distaff line is loaded with champions.  He’s also a close relative to Tale Of S'avall.  Sail Ahoy bounced out of his last race with a sharp four furlong breeze.  If the pace up front is hot, he’ll set sail for the wire, possibly in front.

SAIL AHOY—Like Ready Dancer, Sail Ahoy has demonstrated a positive uptrend in his short career. Additionally, I really like that this colt broke his maiden at Belmont, as that is one of my favorite angles when it comes to narrowing down my selections. At 12-1, it is really hard to ignore this well-bred juvenile.

RALIS  (Square Eddie - Silar Rules, by Ten Most Wanted) Ralis was overlooked in the Hopeful Stakes, as all eyes were on the rematch of Magna Light and Uncle Vinny, who tangled in the Sanford Stakes.  Neither competitor had an excuse as Ralis ran down the pace setter Magna Light to win by a widening 5 32/4 lengths.   The son of Square Eddie ships back from California.  He has the talent, but shipping can take a lot out of a young horse, especially after such a huge race.  He could hit the board, but he’d have to be pretty special to win it.

RALIS—Beat me fair and square in the Hopeful Stakes in his last start. Like the more well-known American Pharoah, Ralis has shipped back and forth from coast to coast. As Laurie pointed out, that much travel can really take it out of a runner. My big concern for Ralis is that in addition to the travel, that maybe he will bounce after his monster effort in the Hopeful. He owns the only triple digit speed figure in the field, but he was steadily urged through the stretch of the Hopeful to achieve said figure. For fear of being badly beaten again, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Ralis will be there at the end but not necessarily in the winner’s circle.

RAFTING  (Tapit - Paiota Falls (Kris S.)   won his maiden at the same distance and on the same day as Greenpointcrusader.  However, Rafting’s final time was almost a second slower.    His stakes winning dam is a half-sister to Dwyer Stakes winner SPEIGHTSTER and the GSP runners Freestyler and West Coast Swing.  Rafting receives first time Lasix, which could help the colt, but his race times don’t stack up to others in here.

RAFTING—Obviously liked the switch from turf to dirt as he showed absolutely nothing in his debut going 1 1/16 mile on the lawn. He bounced back to win at a shorter distance on the dirt despite shying in during the running of the race. Tapit babies are hard to ignore, but I don’t like the combination of slow final race times and average-to-slow morning works. Pass.

TALE OF S'AVALL (Tale of Ekati - S' Avall, by Awesome Again) won his debut easily in a good 1:10.25 for six furlongs. The colt is closely related to Sail Ahoy. His second dam, Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine PLEASANT HOME, is a half-sister to Sail Away’s dam Matlacha Pass.  Tale Of S'avall has the pedigree to relish classic distances.  He has Formula One inbreeding to the blue hen MAPLEJINSKY as she is his sire’s second dam and she is Tale Of S'avall’s fourth dam. Formula One breeding is accomplished when both the sire and dam are descended from the same distaff family and is a sign of class.  Tale Of S'avall received first time Lasix and he could take another step forward here. 

TALE OF S’AVALL—With just one start under his belt, I find it tough to figure out exactly what to do with him. In his debut, he sat off the pace before circling four wide and edging away. With a fast enough pace in front of him, it’s entirely possible that Tale of S’avall will come running to pick up the pieces in the stretch.

SUNNY RIDGE    (Holy Bull - Lignum Vitae, by Songandaprayer) has no blacktype in the first 2 generations, but the pretty gray colt’s third dam is MGSW BODACIOUS TATAS.  Sandwiched between a maiden claiming victory and a win in the Sapling Stakes, both at Monmouth, was a disappointing effort in the Sanford Stakes.  Was it the track or competition? Maybe he can spoil the exotics, but I don’t see him getting his photo taken in the winner’s circle.

SUNNY RIDGE—Also exits the Sanford two races back, a race in which he was rank and ended up running his race fighting the jockey rather than fighting his rivals. I’m thinking that his performance in the Sanford was as much the competition and track as it was Sunny Ridge’s attitude. I’ll pass.

PORTFOLIO MANAGER (Harlan's Holiday - Turn to Lass, by Bright Launch) is a maiden taking on more experienced horses.  He closed for second place after a five wide move in the stretch, closing the gap to finish 1 ¾ lengths behind the winner at Saratoga. His dam is a listed winner and a full sister to the multiple stakes winning veteran SPOTSGONE and to the listed winner LAUNCH A DOUBLE.  The trio own the only notable blacktype in the distaff line.  Portfolio Manager has been holding his own against older workmates in the morning.  I’m inclined to pass, but perhaps Chad Brown can work some magic and the colt will put in a run to hit the board.

PORTFOLIO MANAGER—Just like with Sunny Ridge, I’m not convinced that Portfolio Manager necessarily belongs in this group. That’s not to say that a maiden winning a graded stake is impossible, because it definitely isn’t, but I like the more experienced runners in this spot. Pass.