In a year that female runners have dominated thoroughbred racing, I guess it should come as no surprise that Arabian racing has experienced its own version of Girl Power in 2009.
First, the undefeated and likely Darley Horse of the Year (sound familiar) Sand Witchh turned heads with a string of dominating victories, capped by a 14-length romp in the Delaware Park Arabian Juvenile Fillies Championship Stakes (don’t ask me why it’s called the Juvenile Fillies Championship when it’s for three-year-olds). Then, Burning Fancy, who Sand Witchh had beaten twice — by a combined margin of 32 ¼ lengths — took center stage with some impressive triumphs of her own, including an 11 ¼-length score in the Rancho Milagro Yegua Arabian Stakes on Oct. 17.
On Friday, the daughter of Burning Fancy will attempt to keep her three-race win streak alive when she faces a field of nine, including five opponents she thrashed last month, in the Mandolynn Hill Farm Stakes at Lone Star Park. Not surprisingly, Burning Fancy has been made the 2-5 morning-line favorite in the seven-furlong feature.
Those who retch at the taste of chalk, however, might want to take a pari-mutuel nibble — perhaps to place or show — on Jessys Princess. True, the six-year-old mare was among those walloped by Burning Fancy in the Rancho Milagro Yegua (Jessys Princess was second in that affair), but the Elizabeth Brand trainee is remarkably consistent, with a record of 16 wins and 25 in-the-money finishes in 28 lifetime starts.
The complete Mandolynn Hill Farm Stakes’ field, along with my fair odds for each entrant:
11/20/09 Lone Star Park * Race 3 * 7.0 Furlongs * Dirt
1-Ooh Lay La (25-1)
2-Djenteel (25-1)
3-Chays Zell Mkp (20-1)
4-Lori Anne (20-1)
5-Jessys Princess (7-2)
6-Get Her Done (35-1)
7-Mw Bonnie Z (12-1)
8-Wma Sugar N Spice (15-1)
9-Burning Fancy (3-5)
Russell Road Attempts to Stay Perfect
Proving, perhaps, that money isn’t everything, Russell Road returns to the scene of his greatest triumph, the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic five weeks ago, to compete in this weekend’s $50,000 A Huevo Stakes at Charles Town Races & Slots.
A perfect 7-for-7 versus West Virginia-bred stakes company over the course of his career, Russell Road has been installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile headliner. Other A Huevo contenders include Onion Juice Breeders’ Classic winner Raggedy Andy, along with Peaceful Bliss and Dancin Banker, the 2-3 finishers behind Russell Road in the aforementioned Classic.
Nominations Aplenty for Jackpot and Princess
Nominations have closed for Jackpot Night at Delta Downs. The $500,000 Delta Princess Stakes Powered by Youbet.com enticed 70 fillies, while the $750,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes lured 81 male and female competitors of both sexes.
Both the Princess and the Jackpot are Grade 3 events scheduled to be run this year on Dec. 4.
Custom for Carlos Tops Bet on Sunshine
One of the year’s best sophomore sprinters in training, Custom for Carlos, a romping winner of the Grade 3 Jersey Shore in July, heads an interesting cast of nine entered in Saturday’s Bet on Sunshine Stakes at Churchill Downs. The six-furlong dash also drew recent allowance winners Grand Traverse, Celtic Innis and Run Brother Run, along with Accredit, a four-year-old son of E Dubai whose last visit to the home of the Twin Spires resulted in a win in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap.
Personally, I’m partial to Carlos, a colt that appears to have a lot of upside potential. In his most recent try at Philadelphia Park on Oct. 10, the Eddie Kenneally trainee posted a career-best -6 late speed ration (LSR) while getting nosed out at the wire by subsequent next-out winner Pashito the Che in the $250,000 Gallant Bob timed in 1:08.42 for six furlongs.
For more picks, analysis and racing banter, be sure to listen to this week’s “Simon Says” Racing Podcast.
Showdown Hoedown
Youbet’s WhoDoYouLike.com, a Web site that keep player’s up-to-date on all the racing-related content flitting about on Twitter, is running another Showdown Streak Contest through the end of the year.
All you have to do is pick one horse to show per day. The entrant with the longest winning streak receives $1,000 (or a share of $1,000 if there is a tie).
So, start your show streak today by clicking here. It’s fun, free and low-carb (I know that last bit doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve been watching “America’s Biggest Loser” and feel I should point out the health benefits of this, or any other, Youbet contest).
Currently a full-time freelance business/sports writer, Derek has been published by Motley Fool, Newsmax, Dulcinea Media, iStockAnalyst, Beacon Equity Research and a host of other online and offline venues.
The opinions of Youbet Update writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Youbet.com or its subsidiaries.