southwest stakes 2/19

anyone interested in the southwest stakes at oaklawn monday??

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by rahaha

anyone interested in the southwest stakes at oaklawn monday??

Anyone who is a HARD SPUN fan!

[Danzig]

i am. go hard spun! i know jones is unhappy with the post, but i think hard spun wins anyway.

[Kasept]

Monday's Southwest turned even more interesting with the late additions of several horses. Originally looking like a 6 horse race, the Arkansas Derby series prep got 9 in the pillbox instead, with Hard Spun marooned outside. As an ungraded event, there isn't a ton of significance here beyond a seasoning for Larry Jones' "PA bred" who as mentioned elsewhere in the Paddock, is a late foal (May).

$250,000 Southwest Stakes (OP 9, 4:48 p.m.), 3yo, 1 Mile

1. Xchanger (FL), 117, Joe Bravo
2. I Got a Dream (IL), 119, Eusebio Razo, Jr.
3. Going Ballistic (FL), 119, M. Clifton Berry
4. Teuflesberg (KY), 119, Stewart Elliott
5. Officer Rocket (GB), 119, Calvin H. Borel
6. Forty Grams (KY), 117, Donnie J. Meche
7. Our Sacred Honor (KY), 117, John R. Velazquez
8. Starbase (FL), 115, Corey J. Lanerie
9. Hard Spun (PA), 122, Mario G. Pino

The 9 hole is 1 for 17 at the Hot Springs conclave so far going a mile or beyond, making the draw an interesting added challenge for the undefeated son of Danzig and Turkoman mare Turkish Tryst. It should provide for an opportunity to further see how tractable Pino can get the bay colt who may actually have been rating in his front end LeComte romp. He may be just that fast...

The new faces to get familiar with in advance of Monday's race are Asmussen's FORTY GRAMS; Pletcher's OUR SACRED HONOR; Lukas' STARBASE; Shuman's XCHANGER and Von Hemel's GOING BALLISTIC. "Usual suspects TEUFELSBERG (Jamie Sanders) and OFFICER ROCKET (Holthus) are also signed on.

Forty Grams has gotten things together at FG since the start of the new year with a maidenbreaker from the 10 hole 1/8 and a runaway ALW score three weeks ago. He found Teufelsberg and Ravel in his unvieling at KEE when a late running 4th at 7f 10/22, and just missed to the interesting Grasshopper in his 2nd start 11/11/06 which came at Churchill. By Distorted Humor and $300,000 under the gavel, the chestnut looks like a real and versatile horse. He appears to me as the main rival to the favorite.

Our Sacred Honor was last seen acing a GP N1X which at the time appeared to be an important sophomore get-together. But the poor recent showing of King Alliance out of that event (third there) makes me now wonder how strong that 1/13 heat was. Arcata finished between the two...

Starbase (Tale of the Cat) must have been a standout individual at the KEE Fall Yearling Sale as he reached $350,000 among hand-raisers which was nearly triple the average for his sire's get. His dam (by obscure Iam the Iceman) was 1 for 21 in her career and his older half sister is winless. But DWL has been bring him along steadily since he was distanced twice versus top Saratoga juveniles last summer. He won in his third start (over useful Carnack's Choice at Turfway) before a game ALW 2nd to early Lanes' End hopeful Joe Got Even. Tiz Wonderful and What a Tale bested him in the Iroquois before he popped and stopped in Tiz Wonderful's KY JC to end his 2yo season. With D. Wayne at Oaklawn, Starbase nursed out an N1X victory on the front end to start his sophomore year.

Donnie Von Hemel is a top trainer who rarely makes the national spotlight. Off to an uncharacteristic slow start in the Ozarks, his Going Ballistic (Lite the Fuse) intrigues in this edition of the Southwest with a closing style that may get just the set-up he craves. Another that earned laurels in the requisite third career start, he has toured considerably in his 7 tries, with stamps from Lone Star, Retama, Remington, Louisiana and Churchill Downs on his passport. He was a solid second to McPeek's under-appreciated 'Birdbird' in the Harrah's Juvenile at Bozier and was Okie dokie in the Remington Mile by 4 lengths over next out victor Western Prize. Cliff Berry, a 20%er in '06, is a dreadful 1 for 43 so far at OP and has been in the irons for his Ballistic's last 4 starts.

Florida-bred Xchanger is from Exchange Rate's second crop, and has been one of his most productive products. A debut winner on the Jersey Shore, the Mark Shuman charge gained black type in his second start in the Sapling over an increasingly good looking group that included Actin Good and Buffalo Man. The Champagne was an overly ambitious placement for him, but he was OK third in the Nashua (Day Pass, Sightseeing) and Delta Jackpot (Birdbird, Pirates Deputy) to close out '06. Jersey Joe Bravo follows him to Hot Springs, and he will save ground from the #1 post.

SELECTIONS:

1. #9 Hard Spun
2. #6 Forty Grams
A. #1 Xchanger
B. #3 Going Ballistic

[avance2000]

Originally Posted by rahaha

anyone interested in the southwest stakes at oaklawn monday??

Yes I am very interested. I like Hard Spun, and this should be a better test of his ability than the Lecomte. I have not looked at the PP yet, but I know Asmussen's Distorted Humor colt is coming off a strong performance at the 8f distance of this race, and Going Ballistic has also won a pair of stakes races at 8f. The fact that Hard Spun drew outside is also interesting.
Don't get me wrong, this is no field of superstars, but seemingly talented 3yo may be tested a little for the first time. That is interesting to me.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Maybe he can do what BARBARO did from a rough outside post last year...this year

[slotdirt]

Funny, I have three of Kasept's top four in my Road to the Roses stable. I like Xchanger here, though I think Hard Spun is just too tough.

[Cajungator26]

I honestly like Forty Grams here, but I wouldn't toss Teuflesberg either.

Officer Rocket (GB), 119, Calvin H. Borel
Our Sacred Honor (KY), 117, John R. Velazquez


1 for 17 for the 9 spot at the Hot Springs at a mile or more, !Hum! hard to go against. Spun dont need to show nothing. They gone to waith for a better condiction of race. As always the better losse for diferents situations. Officer and Sacred looks that the class forgeted in the race, and Luckas maybe will be revival.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

I honestly like Forty Grams here, but I wouldn't toss Teuflesberg either.

Cajun,
I also think Teuflesburg could be a surpriser. Nice recent workout.

[MinnSkinny]

Donnie Von Hemel is a top trainer who rarely makes the national spotlight.

Steve, this is a great observation. Donnie is the real deal, nobody out works him. I know all 3: Don Sr., Donnie, and Kelly. They had Mariah's Storm (Dreamer) when she was bred and shortly after the sale at KEE foaled Giant's Causeway.

These guys are good, worth noting for Monday.

Good luck.

THis is a much better race than the prep at Tampa Bay. There are clearly horses in here with big upside. I think Forty grams and Officer Rocket are very interesting in very different ways.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by avance2000

does merasmag now go by the name "luismanzo?"
this post is completely incomprehensible.

........

Originally Posted by avance2000

does merasmag now go by the name "luismanzo?"
this post is completely incomprehensible.

I will tried to write better, or at least I got your attention. I just said that the horse dont need to win this race. As most times, the traineer want to know how it will handle some conditions. Remeber the goal. May.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by avance2000

does merasmag now go by the name "luismanzo?"
this post is completely incomprehensible.

Hey avance,
I talk with Mera once in a while. No better fan could ya want.
Ya just hafta learn to speak the lingo...a language simalar to ...ah...whatevah, Mermasese (rhymes with Japanese).
She's a good egg.
btw, I might be able to get ya a very good deal on a liquidation on some unsold umbrellas. Interested???

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by Downthestretch55

Cajun,
I also think Teuflesburg could be a surpriser. Nice recent workout.

One-turn horse, IMHO. Will go a mile at Aqueduct maybe.

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

One-turn horse, IMHO. Will go a mile at Aqueduct maybe.

Ped Anne,
You might be entirely correct. I don't know yet.
This one could be a "middler".
We'll see.

[cakes44]

My prediction: The Lukas horse will quit at the quarter pole like all his other animals.

[KonaNative]

Originally Posted by avance2000

does merasmag now go by the name "luismanzo?"
this post is completely incomprehensible.

This may explane it. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...LJ:en%26sa%3DN

[SniperSB23]

Forty Grams shouldn't have much problem with this field. Maybe Hard Spun is better than I am giving him credit for but my money will be against it.