CRC: Summit of Speed Pick Five

[ateamstupid]

Pre-scratches..

UPDATE: Fast/Yielding, third is off the grass, sixth and eighth stay on..

UPDATE: It's 1:17, and still no mention of an Unbridled Sidney scratch. Guess she's running in the sixth, then wheeling back in the eighth..

UPDATE: Well, the rains came before the second race, and now they're sloppy and completely off the turf. South Florida, gotta love it!

Summit of Speed Pick 5
Leg A (Race 8): 17TH RUNNING OF THE BOB UMPHREY TURF SPRINT HANDICAP. $100,000, 3+, 5 FURLONGS (TURF).

3 - LORD ROBYN (David Falkes / Manny Aguilar)
One of a few course specialists in here, this Robyn Dancer gelding comes into this in the best form of his life, having won the $50,000 Reappeal and run second in the $50,000 Heckofaralph locally. Even though he failed at odds-on in the latter, he had a disadvantageous post and got caught four wide on a hot pace into the turn, yet still held for second over a return winner. Sports a half-mile bullet since, albeit a few weeks ago, so he's likely still on his toes. While the rail isn't ideal, he at least should save ground. Brutal pace duel becomes the main danger, as there is certainly no lack of speed signed on for this, and even though he's proven he can chill out behind the front, Aguilar may have no other choice than to send from the fence. Contender nonetheless.

1 - BOW OUT (Thomas Schell / Jermaine Bridgmohan)
First half of Schell entry certainly has made a valiant comeback this season, having ended '06 struggling against $8,000-$7,000 claimers at SUF, he just recently put up a 96 BSF and 3 3/4 TG in winning a starter allowance on a sloppy local main track over a return winner. He also rolled by 4 in a $25,000 claimer on this surface at this distance back on 5/12, so he's not out of his element on the grass, either. With that said, he's run nine times in less than four months, five times in less than two, he tanked against similar two back, he's yet to run fast enough on turf to contend here, and he's a speed ball with a ton of competition up front in here. Thinking he'll abide by his name in the stretch.

4 - JET PROPULSION (Daniel Hurtak / Eddie Nunez)
Heavily-raced four-year-old comes into this off the biggest win of his career, a front-running score at 25-1 in the G3 Miami Mile BC H., his first try on the CRC green since a huge win on New Year's Eve. Not in love with all the layoff lines, considering that he ran quite often at two and three and while he's a quick one, the cut to five panels is a peculiar move. Still, he's got class, he's got some solid numbers and he's got a red-hot jockey as well as a barn capable of producing off the layoff. Imposing if capable of laying off the pace.

5 - WINNIES TIGGER TOO (Stanley Gold / Abel Castellano, Jr.)
Wheaton bay scored first win in over a year with N3L score last out, but he's yet to run anything close to fast enough to make him a contender against this caliber of field. Tough to picture him factoring.

6 - UNBRIDLED SIDNEY (Ronny Werner / Robby Albarado)
Likely favorite is cross-entered in the filly turf sprint earlier in the card, which may turn up a tougher task, leaving this Unbridled's Song six-year-old to face the boys, not a new dimension for her. She beat 'em in the $285,000 Cherokee Run BC H. last fall at CD, earning big figures for her effort. Last out, she rolled against girls in quick time in the $75,000 The Very One at PIM, and she's been working without a hitch since, but she's a tad vulnerable today. For one, this is essentially a prep for a title defense in the $250,000 Distaff Turf Sprint Championship H. over this course, and secondly, she'll face a lot of competitors for the lead in here. She's probably the quickest of them all (note her sick fractions in last year's DTSCH), and she's certainly one to beat, but she doesn't have a huge figure edge over a few of those that may be able to grab more of a breather early. Major player, but far from a cinch.

7 - AGRAPHA (Dallas Keen / Elvis Trujillo)
TX-bred gelding appears to have turned the corner with addition of blinkers, winning his last two impressively after struggling through his first four starts. Connections take a flier and ship in for a short spin over the green, considering that he typically has runaway speed and that might be enough to get him a piece today. Except that a few others in here will do about anything for the front and this chestnut has yet to post a competitive figure. This type of heat is certainly a step above N1X foes at LS, and thinking he'll be feeling the fractions late.

2 - HOLLYWOOD LEFT (David Braddy / Julio Garcia)
First half of Braddy entry holds a distinct advantage in this race considering that he's proven the ability to lay back and make one run, a valuable asset in this speed-chocked bunch. With that said, he's made a living losing to these horses the last few times out, although he's found himself trouble in each of those races. Holds some decent back form, running second to the classy Old Dodge last fall over this course, but he's going to have to not only revert to that type of delivery, but improve upon it while trying to run down some solid grass sprinters he's had trouble catching up to before. Seems just a cut below.

8 - NACASCOLO (Manuel Azpurua / Jeffrey Sanchez)
Not too sure where that last effort came from, as he went almost wire-to-wire in the Heckofaralph at 8-1, beating one of today's top contenders, Lord Robyn, in the process. That one certainly got the worst of it from a trip standpoint, however, and the roles are reversed today with this dude stuck outside. Heavy work pattern since his win with four works in the past two weeks. That big figure certainly jumps out, but he's a six-year-old that got a perfect trip and faces a better field from a tougher post with more weight today. Not convinced he can repeat.

9 - D'ARTAGNANS'SPIRIT (Kirk Ziadie / Jose Lezcano)
Top trainer sends out Sunshine State stronghold for only the third turf start of his career and his first try at five furlongs, and considering how this race is shaping up from a pace perspective, it may turn out to be a shrewd move. Ziadie also hits at an absurd percentage with layoffs similar to this one. Secret Hello gelding regularly breaks behind the field and does his major running late, which could do him good in here. His numbers, however, are a tad on the slow side, and he's unproven on grass, so while he stands a shot, he'll have to be at least double digits on the tote to peak interest.

2B - YES HE'S THE MAN (David Braddy / Cornelio Velasquez)
Second half of Braddy entry shows up in an interesting spot considering that he hasn't been raced in nearly 11 months, but when he was at his best, he was quite good, winning four of five before taking a wrong turn for his last three starts of the year. He actually ran in the G2 Carry Back, but didn't much factor, finishing sixth, beaten 15 on the string. Comes back with a steady chain of works and makes the first grass start of his career, with Velasquez enticed enough to hop aboard. Yes It's True, his sire, gets only 4% winners with turf debuts and 6% grass winners overall, but he's a strong sprint sire, and this colt has shown plenty of speed in the past. Wild Harem, his dam, was 7/1-0-1 on grass with a high BSF of 74, was better routing, while his only sibling to race hasn't done the sod thing, and was no great shakes on the dirt, either. Outside post certainly no bargain, and he would benefit from a few scratches, but he's quite dangerous if he's on his best and if he handles the green. For wider tickets.

1A - UNIMPEDED (Thomas Schell / Junior Alvarado)
Second half of Schell entry was well regarded as a two-year-old, but he had to be laid off for nearly 17 months, and came back in a $6,250 claimer at four. He won that, then destroyed $8,000 claimers, a race he was plucked out of by Schell. Since then, he was a good second against starter allowance foes, but now he really gets the acid test, sprinting on the grass in a stake from the far outside post. Another who could benefit from a pace duel, he got a strong figure two back and gets in light today, but thinking the hurdles are pretty significant.

3 - Lord Robyn 2ND
Very dangerous if given a good trip from the hedge
6 - Unbridled Sidney - SCRATCHED
Lightning quick mare obviously a factor if she opts for this
4 - Jet Propulsion - SCRATCHED
Classy gelding's lone question is the distance
9 - D'artagnans'spirit 1ST
Should get some serious fractions to close into

EXACTA - $37.40