Free selection from DiscreetPicks.com (Risen Star Stakes)
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Fair Grounds - Race 9
#9 Signature Move (6/1 ml)
Highly-talented, speedy colt ships in for his stakes debut and has a good chance at springing the upset here. While the much-hyped Asmussen trainee Pyro comes in off a couple of heads-up drills with Curlin, this race is designed merely as a prep for him, and he figures to be coming from well off the pace here. Meanwhile, Signature Move comes in with a fitness and recency edge, and catches a field with very little early speed. He should break running here and assume command of the race early, and figures very tough to catch if allowed to dictate the early pace.
HRT record:
40 for 137 (29%)
$356.70 mutuels ($8.92 avg)
#9 Signature Move (6/1 ml)
Highly-talented, speedy colt ships in for his stakes debut and has a good chance at springing the upset here. While the much-hyped Asmussen trainee Pyro comes in off a couple of heads-up drills with Curlin, this race is designed merely as a prep for him, and he figures to be coming from well off the pace here. Meanwhile, Signature Move comes in with a fitness and recency edge, and catches a field with very little early speed. He should break running here and assume command of the race early, and figures very tough to catch if allowed to dictate the early pace.
HRT record:
40 for 137 (29%)
$356.70 mutuels ($8.92 avg)
Comments
Regarding Pyro's credentials, how often do you see an early-season 3yo working heads-up (twice in a row) with the reigning Horse of the Year? Beyond that, note how he was able to close from well off the pace in the BC Juvenile. For those who don't know, the sealed/sloppy Monmouth surface was playing like a conveyor belt that day. That makes it all the more impressive that Pyro was able to rally against the bias, particularly over a surface his jockey maintains he was struggling over.
Regarding today's race, it's incredible that he was able to weave thru traffic (after turning into the stretch running dead-last) to close with a rush and get up for the win, but he did it with plenty of room to spare! He was actually being geared down in the late stages. Unreal.
With regard to the Derby however, you probably don't want to be coming from last in a 20-horse field (with half of the horses moving backwards at you). Just too much potential for trouble. That's about the only bad thing i can say about the horse, however. He's undoubtedly the real deal.