Liam s Map a stand out and Alice Springs poised to deliver - Tom Krish
Posted on - 28 Oct 2015
Liam's Map a stand out and Alice Springs poised to deliver
By Tom Krish
Silvestre De Sousa has a ride in the second race at Belmont Park, New York. Viva Malala, Silvestre’s mount, is a 10/1 chance. In the third, Silvestre is on Big Band Benny, a 20/1 longshot.
The British champion jockey is in New York. His first two rides are hardly fancied. Getting mounts in a new jurisdiction is extremely difficult.
American Pharoah arrived in Lexington Tuesday afternoon. There was a lot of fanfare. The Bob Baffert pupil travels well.
Golden Horn and Cymric are out of quarantine. Golden Horn, the odds on favorite in the 2400-metre Breeders Cup Turf, had a canter on the polytrack on Tuesday.
Untapable, the 2014 BC Distaff winner, was withdrawn from Friday’s Distaff. The Tapit filly has a fever.
Lexington is having a lot of rain. More rain is expected on Wednesday. Thursday will be partly sunny. On Friday, the high will be 57Farenheit and it will be sunny. The forecast for Saturday calls for cloudy skies with a high of 58. It will be cold.
There could be significant scratches if the wet spell continues. Let us all hope the weather experts are right.
The first BC race is the sixth in Friday’s card. It is the 1600-metre Juvenile Turf. Fourteen run. The race is for two year-old colts and geldings.
Airoforce made a winning debut and won a Grade II race at Keenelandunextended. Julien Leparoux rides. I give Airoforce a big chance.
Cymric, a Godolphin runner, has two wins from five career outings. Cymric was second to Ultra in a photo in the 1600-metre Jean Lagardere at Longchamp on Arc day, William Buick rides Cymric and they come out of stall 13.
Then there is Hit It A Bomb. The Aidan O’Brien trainee won in his debut at the Curragh on September 27. On October 9, Hit It A Bomb won again on the all weather at Dundalk. Ryan Moore is the jockey. Hit It A Bomb has drawn 14. It will be a test of his mettle.
The seventh race is the BC Dirt Mile. Eleven go postward. Liam’s Map, a son of Unbridled Song, is the even money favorite. Liam’s Map has won five times from seven lifetime starts. In the Grade I Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on September 5, Liam’s Map, hailing from Todd Pletcher’s yard, won by a widening margin. Javier Castellano rides. Liam’s Map jumps off the page.
Lea, Jose Lezcano up, appears next best. Lea has over two million dollars in the bank and comes off a runner-up effort in the Grade I Woodbine Mile on September 13. Bill Mott is the trainer.
We move to the eighth race on Friday. It is the 1600-metre Juvenile Filly Turf. There are fourteen answering the starter’s call.
In with a chance is the Aidan O’Brien-trained Alice Springs. A runaway winner at Newmarket on October 3, Alice Springs has been battling the best in Europe in her division. Ryan Moore will ride.
Catch A Glimpse, to be ridden by FlorentGeroux and trained by Mark Casse, has won her last two races with absolute authority. Her last win came in Woodbine’s Grade II Natalma.
Bill Mott sends out Harmonize. After being touched off in her debut, Harmonize won her next two races. Bill Mott trains Harmonize who is on an upward curve and is, without doubt, a major player.
Frankie Dettori is aboard the Richard Hannon-trained Illuminate. With three wins and a second in four starts, Illuminate brings in excellent credentials.
Alice Springs is my pick. She is in cracking form. She has drawn very well. Yielding turf is her cup of tea.
Next comes the 1800-metre (dirt) BC Distaff. Thirteen run.
I’m A Chatterbox comes off a win in the Grade I Cotillion at Parx (Philadelphia) and has kept some strong company all along.
Stopcharginmaria was fourth in Saratoga’s Personal Ensign Stakes when setting the pace and weakening. She has competed at the highest level with considerable success and has a glittering record. She has a solid shot.
Wedding Toast, from Kiaran McLaughlin’s barn, is seeking four wins in a row. Her last two wins came in the Grade I Ogden Phipps and the Beldame, another Grade I race. Jose Lezcano rides Wedding Toast who is in burning form.
Got Lucky, a daughter of A P Indy, won the Grade I Spinster at Keeneland on October 4. Her familiarity with Keeneland thrusts her into the picture.
Then there is Sheer Drama. She makes consistency a virtue. Joe Bravo rides Sheer Drama who is trained by Guy Fawkes.
I am going with Wedding Toast. She has been unstoppable. She keeps finding more.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the author's personal views.)
