With the record breaking win this weekend by Country Star in the Hollywood Starlet Stakes (GI), the filly proved that her maiden win in Keeneland's Darley Alcibiades (GI) was not a fluke -- the low Beyer number made me wonder -- and that she is one of the top contenders in the division.
She shaved 2/5 of a second off of the Cushion Track record at a mile and a sixteenth and although jockey Rafael Bajarano (ahem) predicted that she was a Kentucky Derby-quality filly, trainer Bobby Frankel made no mention of any specific race goals other than possibly the Santa Anita Oaks on March 8th.
From The Blood-Horse:
"She's great to be around, easy to train and she does everything one hundred percent. This one might be something special. We'll probably point to some races in May, I haven't made any plans yet. She might run in the Santa Anita Oaks, maybe one more race before then."
With her synthetic success at 8.5 furlongs, I expect that Keeneland's Ashland Stakes (GI) in early April will probably be a key Kentucky Oaks prep for this filly. However, will her synthetic form translate to success on dirt and will we have to wait until the Oaks to see?
The Stonerside home-bred daughter of Empire Maker will probably take some Eclipse Award votes from Indian Blessing, although I don't think she will beat her for the award. I'll certainly be interested in what happens when these two go head-to-head on the racetrack. It's worth noting that The Blood-Horse says that including Country Star, Frankel has five Empire Maker juveniles (four fillies) in his barn.
And while it's not worth bragging about picking an even money favorite to win, my winter handicapping has been atrocious, and I did select the 14-1 second choice Grace and Power as my live long shot.
7 comments:
"However, will her synthetic form translate to success on dirt and will we have to wait until the Oaks to see?"
I'm glad to see someone is being realistic regarding synthetics playing into the talk about her being an Oaks probable...
Not only is there the synthetic issue, but I wonder whether the Empire Maker offspring will be briefly hot at 2/early 3 and then fizzle out quickly. I was never impressed by him, I must admit...
You're not the only one superfecta.
The assertion that Empire Maker was "briefly hot at 2/early 3 and then fizzle[d] out quickly" is poor handicapping at best and stupid at worst.
Empire Maker won the Grade 1 Florida Derby and a classic race. He was second to Funny Cide (a legitimate champion that year) with an excuse.
The sire class of 2004 (Empire Maker, Mineshaft, and Vindication) offers one of the best trios ever to go to stud. They will have a big impact on the classic season.
As for Paul's comment, his is more stupid, since Country Star's synthetic prowess has nothing to do with her being an Oaks probable. She can run every race from now until the first Friday in May on synthetics, and that won't change the fact that she is an Oaks probable.
Her lack of dirt experience may be a reason to bet against her at a short price, but she's still going to be at Churchill in May if she stays right.
Mr/Ms. Anonymous: your attempt to be scathing would be more successful if you could actually read. Superfecta questioned, "but I wonder whether the Empire Maker offspring will be briefly hot at 2/early 3 and then fizzle out quickly." You responded: "The assertion that Empire Maker was "briefly hot at 2/early 3 and then fizzle[d] out quickly..."
You claimed that she asserted when she questioned, and that her comment was about Empire Maker, not his offspring.
The crudeness of your expression, while hardly warranted, would at least be trenchant if you were correct in your understanding.
Not that Superfecta needs me to stick up for her...
Country Star? Please, her wake-up call is coming. Now, if you are looking for the new star 2-year-old, might I direct your attention to Saratoga Russell, winner of a maiden race Dec. 15 at AQU? Trained by Richard Violette for West Point Thoroughbreds, this son of Trippi (out of a Theatrical mare) was given an "educational" ride by Eibar Coa -- to a gambler, read: bonehead -- and came out an easy seven-plus-length winner, earning a Beyer of 93. Look for this monster in Florida this winter. He's going to tear some ass up. J.S.
It is interesting that everyone just assumes that being good on synthetic makes her vulnerable on conventional dirt. However, isn't still possible that she is better on conventional dirt? And the fact that she won a G1 on Keeneland's synthetic than on Hollywood's, two completely different courses, suggests that it doesn't matter if she is running on concrete.
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