Grade 1 Opportunity in the Shoemaker Mile
With all eyes on Beholder one race later, the nation’s other Grade 1 stakes race of the afternoon is in danger of being overlooked. It shouldn’t be. The $400,000 Shoemaker Mile has attracted a small but very competitive group of six. The one-mile test on the Santa Anita turf course has attracted several runners who are no stranger to graded stakes racing. Despite their collected stakes success, though, not one horse in the field has previously accounted for a victory at the highest level. Meaning Saturday’s sixth race will be won by racing’s newest Grade 1 winner. Let’s take a look at this interesting grass race from the rail out …
1) Heart to Heart – The morning line favorite should look to go right to the lead from the rail under Julien Leparoux. Trained by Brian Lynch, the five-year-old son of turf champion English Channel is already a seven-time stakes winner, including three of his last four. A champion in his native Canada, Heart to Heart is 0-for-2 in Grade 1 racing, but came close in his last. He could not hold off the talented filly, Miss Temple City, down the Makers 46 Mile lane of that one. He’s in danger of the same thing happening again tomorrow, but must be respected for his speed, talent, and consistency. Dangerous Speed
2) Twentytwentyvision – My top pick is actually not as experienced as most in here, but ran very well in his lone Grade 1 try last summer when runner-up to Gabriel Charles in the Eddie Read at Del Mar. After two strong stakes preps under his belt this year, in which he rallied to within a length both times, he should be able to fire his best shot third off the layoff for the crafty Richard Mandella. A little extra pace up front would be helpful to the Pollard’s Vision gelding, but he can still run big off a slow pace. Having red-hot Flavien Prat in the saddle does not hurt one bit either. Can Get the Job Done
3) Tourist – Seems like I have picked the morning line second choice to break through in a grade 1 event one too many times, so I will take a different approach this time and not pick him on top. Arguably the classiest horse in the race, the son of Tiznow has hit the board four times at the highest level, including a neck loss last fall in the Shadwell Turf Mile. Third time off the bench, as well, he has been knocking on the door this year, without quite threatening for the win. Trained by Bill Mott, and ridden by Jose Lezcano, he could sit in the cat-bird seat in third through the early stages. Could Win Now That I’m Off the Bandwagon
4) Home Run Kitten – A graded stakes winner in his own right, we have not seen the best out of the Kitten’s Joy horse in his last several turf tries. The good news is that he has plenty of good turf form further back in his past performances, and he is coming in directly off a strong performance in a race taken off the turf. If that race is an indication, he could be back to the fine turf horse we knew from 2014 and early last year. A fast pace makes his late run more dangerous. A Threat on His Best
5) Cape Wolf – Hard to know what this English-bred, Irish-raced import will offer in his first Grade 1 try. Two races back, he finished well to be second in the Grade 3 San Simeon at 6 ½ furlongs, but then disappointed over the same downhill course last time. In fact, it seems like he has run well every other race since coming to America, so maybe he fires this time with Mike Smith picking up the mount. The Outsider, but Not Without Hope
6) Midnight Storm – There was a time when this one looked to have an almost unlimited potential on the turf. A narrow loser of this very race last year, he has only finished in the money in one of his six subsequent starts. Having said that, the one time in the money was a very nice victory in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap last fall. He has the speed to make life difficult for the horse on the rail early, and on his very best, the former Del Mar Derby winner has the talent to make life difficult for the entire field. First Run at the Favorite