Speed at a Premium at Calder on Saturday

July 9, 2010 by admin
Filed under: Horse Racing Betting 

The $1.35 million Summit of Speed is on tap at Calder Race Course on Saturday, with seven stakes races, four graded, featuring some of the quickest horses in training.

The series of sprints continues to attract the speediest runners each year. Among the horses that have competed in the past are Lost in the Fog, Cajun Beat, Maryfield, and Orientate.

With an all stakes Pick 4 and two of the four graded stakes part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, there will be plenty at stake on Saturday.

Here is a quick look at the graded stakes action at Calder:

Race 8 $150,000 Azalea (G3)

Buckleupbuttercup started her career running for a $35,000 tag and has already earned four times that in purses by winning four of her first eight starts.

Last out she pressed the early pace and weakened to finish fifth in the Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park going a mile.

The cut back to a sprint will suit and if she runs back to her win two back in the Eight Belles (G3) at Churchill Downs in the slop she will be tough here.

Pica Slew went gate to wire to win the Leave Me Alone Stakes over a couple of runners she faces again today.

She is one very fast filly, but she may have to deal with Rapport in the early going.

That filly breaks from the rail for trainer Bob Baffert. If those two hook up early it could set things up nicely for Buckleupbuttercup.

Race 9 The Carry Back (G2)

The Richard Dutrow trained D’Funnybone looks like a free square in the Pick 4, as the colt is going to be very tough to beat here at a puny price.

In his last start the colt earned a career top sped figure winning the Woody Stephens (G2) at Belmont Park going seven furlongs.

The runner up in that race was Discreetly Mine, who returned to win the Jersey Shore (G3) on July 4.

Coffee Boy beat a couple of these runners when he won the Unbridled last out over the main track at Calder.

The colt is in a dangerous barn with Marty Wolfson, but will have to run another career best to beat the morning line chalk.

Race 10 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2)

The winner of the Smile Sprint earns an automatic berth in the Breeders’’ Cup Sprint (G1) later this fall at Churchill Downs.

Go Go Shoot is shipping in from Monmouth Park where last out the gelding dueled for the early lead and weakened to finish third in the Decathlon in his first start off a six month layoff.

The gelding caught a main track on the Jersey Shore that was playing to outside stalkers and closers that day. He is capable of running big and should be tighter for his second start off the layoff.

Big Drama won three stakes as a two year old and five of six over the surface so far in his career. The colt tuned up for today with a sharp win in the Ponche Handicap in his first start off a nine month layoff.

Taqarub is going to be a pace factor and is coming off a sharp win in the Maryland Sprint at Pimlico on Preakness Day.

The runner up in that race was Roaring Lion, who came back to win the Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park in his next outing on July 5.

Race 11 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1)

Warbling dueled for the early lead and faded to finish fifth last out in the Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs in the slop.

The filly either did not like the off going or bounced off the career top two back earned winning the Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream Park going seven furlongs.

The runner up and fifth place finishers in that race returned to win stakes in their next starts. She figures to bounce back with a sharp effort here.

Dubai Majesty is coming off a sharp looking win in the Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill Downs in her most recent outing.

The runner up in the race was Secret Gypsy, who came back to win the Saylorville on June 25 at Prairie Meadows. The mare has run well over the main track at Calder including a runner up finish in the Azalea (G3) back in ’08.

In addition to the Summit of Speed, there is plenty of stakes action around the country.

Blind Luck will be the favorite in the $250,000 Delaware Oaks (G2) at Delaware Park, taking on six overmatched three year old fillies.

There is a pair of Grade 1’s on the menu at Hollywood Park, the $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap and the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap.

At Belmont Park, Gio Ponti is the headliner in the $600,000 Man O’ War, taking on a field of seven runners including Interpatation, who upset him in last fall’s Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1).

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