A look at the San Rafael G3 Stakes
justin13892002
Senior Member
SAN RAFAEL S. (G3), 7TH-SA, $100,000, 3YO, 1M, 3:36 P.M. PST, 1-17
PP HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 THE PAMPLEMOUSSE CANANI JULIO C SOLIS A 116
2 FIDDLERS AFLEET O'HARA JOHN BAZE M C 116
3 BROTHER KEITH FRANKEL ROBERT J GOMEZ G K 116
4 RYEHILL DREAMER (IRE) SHIRREFFS JOHN SMITH M E 119
5 PAPA CLEM STUTE GARY BAZE T C 116
6 SQUARE EDDIE O'NEILL DOUG BEJARANO R 122
7 CHARLIE'S MOMENT SOLIS WALTHER ROSARIO JOEL 116
8 FEISTY SUANCES VIENNA DARRELL FLORES D R 116
Handicappers Edge-The California road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) kicks off with Saturday's $100,000 San Rafael S. (G3) at Santa Anita, and we expect one of last year's leading two-year-olds, SQUARE EDDIE (Smart Strike), to outclass his seven opponents in the one-mile Pro-Ride feature.
Imported from England last fall where he won once in four attempts, Square Eddie dispensed with 10 rivals by nearly five lengths in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland at 9-1 in his American debut. That effort was good enough to make him the mild 7-2 choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) over this track, and the Doug O'Neill charge turned in solid effort. Attending the pace through the opening half-mile, Square Eddie dropped back to third down the backside, but came on again through the stretch to finish second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Over a surface that generally punished speed on Breeders' Cup weekend, the top three in that race bucked the bias by racing up close throughout. We think Square Eddie is the deserving favorite, and he should get a lively pace to run down.
CHARLIE'S MOMENT (Indian Charlie) made a premature move to the lead down the backside in the November 8 Real Quiet S. at Hollywood, and though he didn't fade too badly, losing by only two lengths, we think he can fare better if allowed to wait longer before making his bid. A stakes winner at Fairplex last September over 1 1/16 miles, Charlie's Moment barely missed by a nose in a swiftly-run Jack Goodman S. here in his race prior to the Real Quiet, evidence he likes this track.
BROTHER KEITH (Johar) is well thought of by trainer Bobby Frankel having won at first asking by 2 1/4 lengths at Churchill last November. How he takes to a synthetic surface is anyone's guess, however, and he will need to rate more kindly stretching out for the first time rather than press a quick pace like he did in his debut. The sky is the limit for this colt who has the pedigree to do well over a distance of ground.
THE PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain) and PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike) exit maiden wins at a mile or over, but both may find this step up in class a bit overbearing. The former's BRIS Late Pace figures are superior, and thus we think he might be more of a factor than the latter.
New York invader FIDDLERS AFLEET (Northern Afleet) was a distant second to Haynesfield (Speightstown) in the Damon Runyon S. for New York-breds most recently, and that rival returned to beat open company in the Count Fleet S. Fiddlers Afleet earned a career-best 101 BRIS Speed rating for his Damon Runyon effort, but we're concerned with regression off such a big effort and in his debut over a synthetic surface.
RYEHILL DREAMER (Ire) (Catcher in the Rye), a stakes winner at Leopardstown last July, was last seen running four lengths second in the Futurity S. (Ire-G2) at The Curragh last August, and thus is conceding a recency edge to everyone in the field. Unraced beyond seven furlongs nor on any surface other than turf, Ryehill Dreamer faces several obstacles in his local debut.
FEISTY SUANCES (Suances [GB]), who is cross-entered to Saturday's California Derby, is the likely pacesetter in the San Rafael as he's flashed quite a bit of zip in his four previous starts. He concedes much in the way of class, however, as he races in open company for only the second time in his career. Though his lone attempt at a mile resulted in 5 3/4-length triumph, he was only facing starter allowance foes who, like himself, had graduated in the claiming ranks. Unless the track is seriously biased toward speed, we think he'll have difficulty grasping at the San Rafael trophy.
PP HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 THE PAMPLEMOUSSE CANANI JULIO C SOLIS A 116
2 FIDDLERS AFLEET O'HARA JOHN BAZE M C 116
3 BROTHER KEITH FRANKEL ROBERT J GOMEZ G K 116
4 RYEHILL DREAMER (IRE) SHIRREFFS JOHN SMITH M E 119
5 PAPA CLEM STUTE GARY BAZE T C 116
6 SQUARE EDDIE O'NEILL DOUG BEJARANO R 122
7 CHARLIE'S MOMENT SOLIS WALTHER ROSARIO JOEL 116
8 FEISTY SUANCES VIENNA DARRELL FLORES D R 116
Handicappers Edge-The California road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) kicks off with Saturday's $100,000 San Rafael S. (G3) at Santa Anita, and we expect one of last year's leading two-year-olds, SQUARE EDDIE (Smart Strike), to outclass his seven opponents in the one-mile Pro-Ride feature.
Imported from England last fall where he won once in four attempts, Square Eddie dispensed with 10 rivals by nearly five lengths in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland at 9-1 in his American debut. That effort was good enough to make him the mild 7-2 choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) over this track, and the Doug O'Neill charge turned in solid effort. Attending the pace through the opening half-mile, Square Eddie dropped back to third down the backside, but came on again through the stretch to finish second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Over a surface that generally punished speed on Breeders' Cup weekend, the top three in that race bucked the bias by racing up close throughout. We think Square Eddie is the deserving favorite, and he should get a lively pace to run down.
CHARLIE'S MOMENT (Indian Charlie) made a premature move to the lead down the backside in the November 8 Real Quiet S. at Hollywood, and though he didn't fade too badly, losing by only two lengths, we think he can fare better if allowed to wait longer before making his bid. A stakes winner at Fairplex last September over 1 1/16 miles, Charlie's Moment barely missed by a nose in a swiftly-run Jack Goodman S. here in his race prior to the Real Quiet, evidence he likes this track.
BROTHER KEITH (Johar) is well thought of by trainer Bobby Frankel having won at first asking by 2 1/4 lengths at Churchill last November. How he takes to a synthetic surface is anyone's guess, however, and he will need to rate more kindly stretching out for the first time rather than press a quick pace like he did in his debut. The sky is the limit for this colt who has the pedigree to do well over a distance of ground.
THE PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain) and PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike) exit maiden wins at a mile or over, but both may find this step up in class a bit overbearing. The former's BRIS Late Pace figures are superior, and thus we think he might be more of a factor than the latter.
New York invader FIDDLERS AFLEET (Northern Afleet) was a distant second to Haynesfield (Speightstown) in the Damon Runyon S. for New York-breds most recently, and that rival returned to beat open company in the Count Fleet S. Fiddlers Afleet earned a career-best 101 BRIS Speed rating for his Damon Runyon effort, but we're concerned with regression off such a big effort and in his debut over a synthetic surface.
RYEHILL DREAMER (Ire) (Catcher in the Rye), a stakes winner at Leopardstown last July, was last seen running four lengths second in the Futurity S. (Ire-G2) at The Curragh last August, and thus is conceding a recency edge to everyone in the field. Unraced beyond seven furlongs nor on any surface other than turf, Ryehill Dreamer faces several obstacles in his local debut.
FEISTY SUANCES (Suances [GB]), who is cross-entered to Saturday's California Derby, is the likely pacesetter in the San Rafael as he's flashed quite a bit of zip in his four previous starts. He concedes much in the way of class, however, as he races in open company for only the second time in his career. Though his lone attempt at a mile resulted in 5 3/4-length triumph, he was only facing starter allowance foes who, like himself, had graduated in the claiming ranks. Unless the track is seriously biased toward speed, we think he'll have difficulty grasping at the San Rafael trophy.
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