Remsen Rumble
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The
prestigious
Remsen Stakes (G2) offers a chance for juvenile colts to try 1 1/8
miles for the first time in a stakes race. The top four finishers will earn points in the
Kentucky Derby entry
system. In the last two years, the colts who
placed in the Remsen - Normandy Invasion and Wicked Strong (second and third,
respectively), both finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby. Thunder Gulch was the last colt to complete
the Remsen/Kentucky Derby double in 1994.
This
year, a full field of 14 colts are entered in the Remsen Stakes, although Moonlight Bandit and Flashaway were cross-entered in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Flashaway will compete in Kentucky while Moonlight Bandit ships into New York for Dale Romans. Both colts have been working
steadily at Churchill.
Let's take a closer look at the field.
COMBAT DIVER (Line
of David - Safe Journey, by Flatter) fought hard for a nose victory against
maidens last time out. Combat Diver is a half brother to the turf stakes miler
Joy (by Pure Prize) and has Rasmussen Factor inbreeding to Gold Digger as she is
Line of David’s fourth dam and Gold Digger is the dam of Mr. Prospector, the
damsire of Flatter.
MOONLIGHT BANDIT (Malibu Moon - Cluain Fhada, by Fusaichi Pegasus) loved
the extra distance when stepping up to a mile against maidens in his last
start. He had a strong second-to-last pre-race
breeze and Dale Romans doesn't ship for the fun of it. Moonlight Bandit’s dam went 0-2
in her short racing career, however, this colt’s pedigree is racing
royalty. His dam is a half to three
stakes placed runners plus a half sister bore America (by A.P. Indy), who
placed in the Mother Goose Stakes (G1). Moonlight Bandit’s third dam is the
blue hen Blush With Pride, the grand-dam of Belmont Stakes winners Rags to
Riches and Jazil, English Champion Filly Peeping Fawn, and many other stakes
winners. Dale Romans trained O'Prado Again for the 2011 Remsen Victory.
BODHISATTVA (Student Council - Dr. Cheryl P., by Talk Is Money) has
been keeping lesser company in Maryland and his speed figures aren’t as good as
others in here. There’s little blacktype in Bodhisattva’s immediate distaff
line, although his dam is a half sister to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Wilko.
THIRTYSEVENLIVESON
(Giant's Causeway - Mining My Own, by Smart Strike) is still a maiden and his
speed figures are average. He’s a half brother
to Kentucky Derby hero Mine That Bird and multiple grade one winner Dullahan. Perhaps the Dale Romans trainee doesn't like Kentucky, or he could need time to
mature, as he has the pedigree of a late-bloomer. The son of Giant's Causeway may improve over the lawn or Polytrack.
ROYAL BURGH (Street Sense - Amazed by Grace, by Bowman's Band) made a
big four-wide in his debut move to get his neck in front at the wire. The race fractions were slow, but
he had a decent late pace speed figure. He’s trained by Pletcher and may be
overlooked in favor of his more accomplished stablemate, Ostrolenka. There’s little blacktype in Royal Burgh’s
female family, although his dam is a stakes winning sprinter and placed in a
grade three race.
EH CUMPARI (Elusive Quality - Bells Are Ringing, by Sadler's Wells) had
an eye-catching victory after lagging eleven lengths behind in his debut, which was impressive consitering the speed-favoring nature of Aqueduct. Eh Cumpari is a half
brother to an English stakes winner. Their dam is a half sister to Breeders’
Cup Juvenile hero and top sire Unbridled’s Song.
LEAVE THE
LIGHT ON (Horse Greeley - Lantern Glow, by
Mineshaft) finally gets to show what he can do on a fast track after splashing
through his maiden win last time out. He fired a second to last pre-race bullet and
should be sharp for the Remsen. Leave
the Light On is a half brother to a Puerto Rican stakes winner. His dam is a ¾
sister to Borderland Derby winner Indy Wildcat (by A.P. Indy). This is
the female family of Group 1 winners Balanchine, West Wind, Art Connoisseur and
Saoirse Abu. Leave the Light On’s sire Horse Greeley has sired
no stakes or allowance winners past 1 1/16 miles, although there's stanima on the distaff side.
KEEN ICE (Curlin - Medomak, by Awesome Again) didn’t show much in
the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, but he has the pedigree to run all day and
he may have regressed after a hard-fought win in his maiden. His dam is a half sister to the grade three winning
miler Coal Play. This is the distaff family of grade one winners Serra Lake,
Somali Lemonade, Verrazano, plus multiple graded winners Hungry Island and Al
Khali. Keen Ice has the pedigree to run all day, but the speed-favoring track may play against him.
THE TRUTH OR
ELSE (Yes
It's True - Lakenheath, by Colonial Affair) was whipped by 25 lengths in his
last two starts, both graded stakes. To
be fair, both races were held over sloppy tracks and he may not have liked
getting his hooves dirty. He has a
fast-slow-fast breeze pattern, but his speed figures have been going in the
wrong direction. The Truth Or Else is a
half brother to multiple stakes placed Fighter Wing (by Empire Maker). Their
dam won the Silverbulletday (G3), Arlington Matron and Truly Bound Handicaps.
She’s the most accomplished runner in to generations of this distaff line. Sprinter/miler stallion Yes It’s True has
only one stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles, but that one is out of a Colonial Affair
mare.
CLASSY CLASS (Discreetly Mine -
Collegiate, by Saarland) lived up to his name in his debut, rating beautifully
before galloping to a four length victory over maidens. His last three works have been sharp and he
should be ready to take a step up. Classy
Class’s dam was second in the Spinaway. She’s a half sister to the stakes
winning turf miler Good Student (Louis Quatorze) and stakes winning sprinter
The Student (Mutakddim).
OSTROLENKA (Musket Man -
Pumpkin's Pride, by Louis Quatorze) takes on open company after beating up on
state-bred colts, including Market Conduct.
The Todd Pletcher trainne will be dangerous and his speed figures are going in the right direction. Ostrolenka is a half
brother to multiple stakes placed miler Great Gracie Dane (by Royal Academy). We
have to go back to his third
dam, Champion Filly and blue hen Queen Empress to find the class in this family. Pletcher conditioned 2005 (Bluegrass Cat) and 2012 (Overanalyze) Remsen winners.
MARKET CONDUCT (Super Saver - Charleston Springs, by Capote) couldn’t
handle state-breds in his last two starts and now takes on a tougher
group. He was gaining ground late in his
last race, so perhaps the extra distance will help. Market Conduct is a half
brother to the stakes placed sprinters Palmetto Bluffs (by Salt Lake) and
Sandy’z Slew (by Limehouse). Their dam is a stakes placed miler and a half to
the stakes winning sprinter Livermore Valley. Second dam Secret Prospect is a
multiple stakes winning veteran of over $500K.
FROSTED (Tapit - Fast
Cookie, by Deputy Minister) starts on the far outside, but there’s plenty to
like about this pretty gray colt. He
gets first time Lasix after freezing out maidens by over five lengths in his
last start, which was at Aqueduct. His speed figures are going in the right
direction and he’s been sparkling in morning drills. Frosted’s dam is a multiple stakes winning
miler and also a half sister to Champion Juvenile and well-regarded freshman
sire Midshipman. The second dam Fleet Lady is a multiple graded stakes winning
miler. The drawback is Frosted's far outside post, practically guaranteeing a wide trip if he wants to be up near the lead.
SELECTIONS:
Track bias: The last five victors in the Remsen Stakes were pace pressers (third or better) by the second
call.
On paper, Ostrolenka appears
to be the fastest of the early speed, although Leave the Light On and Moonlight
Bandit have also shown speed. The
Kiaran McLaughlin duo of Classy Class
and Frosted have been working very
sharp. Keen
Ice and Royal Burgh could mess up the supers at long odds.
Moonlight Bandit - win
Ostrolenka - place
Frosted - show
Keen Ice –
longshot pick
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