Closing Day Previews
The final of the Marathon series, a top-class Allowance contest and a supporting card of devilishly competitive heats make for a nine-race extravaganza to see out a magnificent 2023 season!
EARS TO US has put in three solid efforts at this level in his most recent starts and a repeat of his last run behind Somthing Elusive, or his head-bob second to Self Serving, with EH TEE EM behind, should see him go close. AN ARMY OF LIGHT drops onto the bottom rung of the class ladder after disappointing last time. Prior to that, he won his maiden on his first appearance at Hastings after being imported from California. This is only his third run of the season and he’s not easy to weigh up, but he looks good enough to play a central role in a heat that may not take too much winning. DIVAANY, a stablemate to Ears to Us, got his maiden won at just the third time of asking and may still have some improvement to come.
Ultra-consistent STORMY BLUE pulled quite hard early in behind Bold Arch last time but kept going gamely to the wire to finish third, with BOITANO behind. That effort followed an impressive win and it would be a surprise if he’s not involved in the finish. SPACE could never get in a blow behind Accidental Hero in the BC Derby but made amends next time when holding off Counteract in an Allowance contest after being on the pace throughout. This looks tougher, but he should be thereabouts come shouting time. ITSMYDAY never really got going in behind Sunbird and co in the Premiers Handicap but, prior to that, put together three top-class efforts at Century Mile, including a second to last year’s Canadian Derby winner Great Escape in the Speed to Spare Championship. This represents a rapid turnaround of just a week but if he’s recovered, he’s a big danger.
An odds-on favourite, STANFORD NORTH had to settle for second when bumping into winning debutante Fly Boy Jack a week ago. However, he’s been knocking on the door of a first win all season and, if he has recovered from last Saturday’s efforts, this looks a good opportunity to get off the mark. BORROWED EQUITY plugged on from a long way back behind Stanford North on what was only his third lifetime start and may have more improvement in him; although he too is obviously on a quick turnaround here. It may pay to take a chance on MS. STANFORD. She has form from last season that would make winning this a formality and she’s run solidly enough of late to suggest a first win won’t be too far away.
Hard to look too much further than QUAGMIRE here. The veteran 7yo gelding has either won or been second in six of his eight outings this term and is sitting on a hat-trick of consecutive victories. He had GOOD BYE PUTIN and FAMILY BIZ behind two weeks ago and leading rider Amadeo Perez makes an eye-catching deputy for Quagmire’s usual rider this year, Fraser Aebly (who is currently riding at Woodbine). Good Bye Putin was only a neck behind Quagmire last time and he’s also been a tough and consistent performer all season, while Family Biz came from a way back to land the spoils two starts ago and a repeat of that effort, which had ‘Putin’ behind, would see him go close. Both SLEW’S DA BOSS and FORT LANGLEY drop back down in distance after their Marathon exploits last time. There’s probably not much between them on paper, although ‘Langley’ has arguably been running in tougher company of late.
ROCKCLIFFE had TIME TICKER behind him in both his most recent efforts when runner-up to the smart Lucky Force. He sets the bar here. After doing most of the donkey work early and having to deal with a dueling rival, CROWN COUNCIL lost nothing in a head-bob defeat to the stalking DESIRED OUTCOME last time. This will be a tougher challenge but the pair drew some way clear of the third that day and may represent value at the betting windows. COUNTERACT drops back to sprinting after three solid efforts over the mile-and sixteenth course, including a head second to the useful Space in his last run. His most recent effort at today’s distance was back in July when second to Time Ticker.
ERLICH has dominated the long-distance races this season and he will be a warm order to land the third leg of the Marathon series. This is another furlong, but he was full of running when swooping past his rivals to comfortably annex the mile-and-three-eighths stamina test in September. LAUGH WITH ME won this event last season, comfortably besting ARTISTIC JEWLER, although the latter lines up here following a solid win last time and is clearly in good form. JOCK TALK is proving to be a handful at this level and is on a hat-trick of consecutive wins. It’s his first effort at this distance, however, so his stamina will need to be taken on trust.
AZOV SEA drops significantly in class and, with the year’s leading rider in the saddle, this seems a perfect opportunity for the 3yo to get back to winning ways after breaking his maiden in June. CERTIFIABLE represents the in-form Rob Maybin barn and lines up here on the back of a gate-to-wire win last time, while PADDY D’ORO had DYNAMITER behind when chasing home Just Make Believe last week. This is a quick turnaround for both, however. CHAMPIOSA has bumped into a couple of useful sorts in his two most recent starts and, while he may have to settle for the runner-up position again, should be in the shake-up.
FRANKIE MACHINE may have been off nearly a year but it only took the veteran a couple of runs to get back to winning ways. He’ll definitely still be fresh and a repeat of his neck win over Paddy d’Oro and JUST MAKE BELIEVE last month would put him close to the winner’s circle again. AVE’S IN COMMAND represents the in-form Rob Maybin barn and he steps back up to the mile-and-sixteenth course after a sprint win over Wise Market last time. He comfortably beat Paddy d’Oro and GORKY PARK over today’s distance when they met in June and he’d have little to fear from any of his rivals if able to reproduce that.
We’re in trusty dart territory for the final race of 2023. SOMTHING ELUSIVE notched the third leg of his consecutive hat-trick just six days ago, drawing clear of his rivals in style. If he’s recovered sufficiently (and it’s a tough challenge to return so soon), he has every chance of making it four wins on the bounce. KNOPFLER, by contrast, has been a close second in his three most recent starts and has hit the board eight times this term without winning. He has the talent but probably has to be produced right at the line. It’s a highwire act that requires everything to fall in place. If it works out today, there won’t have been a more popular winner all season. CARLA’S HONOR beat Nine Oclock Ceaser and subsequent winner Tobesunny two starts ago and only went down by a head to Lasting Light on her most recent effort. A repeat of that would make her hard to handle again. Veteran warhorse DRILLER hasn’t won for a couple of years but has shown signs of life in his most recent starts and is certainly good enough on his day. DEPUTY’S DANCER makes his first run for the Patty Leany barn since connections reclaimed him in August and if he could reproduce his win against Better Tone in July he’d be a big danger.
Sunday’s Picks
Statistics
Yearling for Sale
Yearling filly for sale. By RALIS out of EASE IT ON OVER (Shackleford). 2nd foal. Half sister to 2023 CTHS Sales Stakes runner-up FEBRUARY.
The yearling was hip #18 in 2023 CTHS Sale but withdrawn due to last-minute trailer and ferry issues. Photo and video still on CTHS website. May be viewed at Emerald Acres from Thursday October 19th on. Contact Ann: 250-218-7165 or anncsco@gmail.com
Thank you in advance,
Ann Scott
Prescott Farms