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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Grading the Stakes - Part 6

Continuing his series, VFTRG contributor Joe F., provides us with his rating of stakes races; this time for three year old pacing fillies.

Grading the stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies

Grade 1
Breeders Crown—Pocono—October--$500,000 in 2012
In 1984 the three-year-old filly Pace was the richest race ever contested at Liberty Bell Park. Tommy Haughton won with Naughty But Nice. Ten years later Tim Twaddle won this race in TR time at Garden State with 1/2 favorite Hardie Hanover. Lisheen, the dam of Lis Mara and Lisagain, finished third for JC. Soon after that Hardie Hanover was sold for 500K. She never raced again due to illness. She’s the second dam of Mylovemylife, but on balance let’s say that purchase didn’t work out very well for the buyer.

 
Fan Hanover—Mohawk—June--$642,000 in 2012

35K eliminations…..since 1983…….Jewel (4/5) over Romantic Moment in 2012. TT threw a :26.3 third quarter at the field. :48.2 WR…….Peelers (1/5) over KA and Idyllic in 2011. 601K purse. Western Silk over POAS in 2010. Purse: 666K. Great race almost every year.

Jugette—Delaware, Ohio—September--$177,000 final in 2012
Heats…..Darena Hanover over Bettor B Lucky in 2012…..There is no longer a race-off in cases where the winner of the final did not win an elimination……The purse is kind of light, but that’s the case with many of the filly stakes.

 
Valley Forge—Pocono in 2013—August--$350,000

Super Sunday…..Romantic Moment (2/1) over Jewel (7/5) in 2012….Peelers (4/5) over KA and Idyllic in 2011….POAS (1/1) over Dancinwiththestarz in 2010.

Lynch—Pocono—June--$250,000
Just as ARNRD hit his peak in the Battle Of Brandywine, then hit a rough patch that carried through the rest of the season, Jewel hit a high point in the Lynch, then went into a slide. Only in her case she was able to get back on track in the Simcoe and carry on from there. Jewel equaled the WR for the second week in a row, winning in :49.2 as the 1/9 choice from the rail. And she accomplished that feat going first up at the half……In 2011 Fresh Idea won over Foxy Lady and Some Girls Do.

 
Mistletoe Shalee—Meadowlands—July--$190,000 in 2012

Major Look upset Jewel for the second time in 2012. Not a very strong field. Single dash in :49.3….. In 2011 DTB (5/1) upset co-favorites KA and Idyllic. The latter pair pushed to the three-quarter mark in 1:20.2 and Gingras came from out of the clouds to beat them in the last sixteenth……The purse was 275K in 2010 when Dancinwiththestarz upset 1/5 favorite POAS in :48.4.

Nadia Lobell—Meadowlands—fall meet—purse unknown
This race was cancelled last year, supposedly due to a lack of nominations. In 2011 it was raced at The Meadows for a 193K purse. Idyllic beat Myluvmylife and Swinging Beauty. That was the race where Peelers, the 2/5 choice from the nine, was given a trip to forget by Marcus Johansson.

In 2010 the race was held in Lexington with a 171K purse. POAS (1/9) beat Dancinwiththestarz and Panagler in :49.4….. That one’s half-sister, Showherthemoney, equaled the WR the year before for a 253K purse.

It’s a shame that the Tarport Hap was discontinued in 2012. This was a value stake in that the Meadowlands got a lot for their money. There was a strong field in 2011, but this being the period when Peelers was having one superlative after another attached to her, she was the 1/9 favorite. She was coming off a convincing win in the Fan Hanover, followed by an easy SS win. KA made a run at Peelers around the last turn, and actually headed her, but she then inexplicably paced wide and lost all hope of winning. Peelers troubles weren’t over as Idyllic made a charge in the final eighth only to have her effort undone by a brief speed break. This race proved to be a negative turning point for Peelers, just as this year’s Lynch was for Jewel….. POAS crushed a soft field for 88K in 2010.

Grade 2
Glen Garnsey Memorial Tattersalls—Lexington—September—2 divisions @ 111K each 2012

Romantic Moment over Destiny’s Chance in one division and Economy Terror over Jewel in the other. This was a breakthrough start for ET who had finished behind Jewel the eight times she had faced her. ET won the BC and her division in 2011 because Jewel was sidelined with injury…..There were two 130K divisions last year. Strike An Attitude beat DTB and Rocklamation and KA beat Swinging Beauty and Myluvmylife.
They get a lot for short money in this one.

 
Lismore—Yonkers—June--$176,000 in 2012
Cookie was an easy w-w winner in 2012….. In 2011 the purse was 198K and JK Owhatanite was the best of six….. Four went in a NB contest for 150K in 2010…..This is the companion stake to the Rooney. They deserve each other.

 
Lady Maud—Yonkers—November--$230,000 in 2012

Like its companion stake, the Messenger, the Lady Maud has bounced around since Roosevelt closed. And like the Messenger, Rooney and Lismore, there is always a shortage of nominees. Only on division winner has won the LM during the last ten years…..They did draw a good field in 2012 as Bettor B Lucky beat Economy Terror, Cookie, Romantic Moment and Major Look…….2011 saw a NB contest due to a four horse field. Rocklamation won. The purse was 195K……Anndrovette won in 2010. There was a five horse field and the purse was 327K….Yellow Diamond was supplemented in for 30K in 2009. Shanghai Lil upset that 1/5 favorite…..
The traditional Triple Crown for pacing fillies consisted of The Bronx Filly Pace which was held in June at Yonkers, The Ladyship Stakes which was held at Goshen in July, and the Lady Maud at Roosevelt in November. The Ladyship was eliminated in 2012. It was raced at the Meadowlands through 2010, when JK Sure I Can won the race which carried a 77K purse. In 2011 it was shipped off to Tioga where Rocklamation beat Honky Tonk Woman and New Album for 76K. And in 2012 it was relocated to the trash heap.

 
Matron—Dover—November--$124,000 in 2012
In 2012 Jugette winner, Darena Hanover (3/5), beat Marty Party and Shelliscape…..A five horse field went for 116K in 2011. There was win betting only as DTB beat Strike An Attitude……There was win and place betting in 2010 as the Burke entry of Rock N Soul and Sand Gesture went off at 3/5. Sand Windsor won in an upset. The purse was 186K that year……All Alert, Tarport Hap, Roses Are Red and Rainbow Blue have all won the Matron which bounced around from Detroit to GSP to Pompano to Dover.

 
American-National—Balmoral—November--$145,000 in 2012

This race always seems to draw some of the top fillies from the East coast and Canada. Jewel (1/9) beat Blackjack Princess and Destiny’s Chance in 2012…..Swinging Beauty (4/5) won in 2011 for 135K….Anndrovette (7/1) beat 1/9 favorite POAS in 2010. A filly broke in front of Show, causing her to skip, and David Miller wired the field with Anndrovette. TT and POAS had plenty of time to get to the winner but couldn’t do it…….Since 1982…..Three Diamonds, Anniecrombie, Town Pro and Kikikatie were all Am-Nat winners.

Bluegrass—Lexington—October—2 divisions @ $70,000 each in 2012
Shelliscape over Romantic Moment and American Jewel over Destiny’s Chance in 2012…..In 2011 DTB beat Strike An Attitude and idyllic in a 10 horse single 153K dash.

 
Simcoe—Mohawk—Sept--$206,000 in 2012

Jewel in a rout in 2012…..In 2011 JJ, McNeil and Waples did their impression of the Three Stooges and ran each other into the ground, leaving Morrill to pick up the pieces with Tea Party Princess……POAS won in 2010.

Grade 3 or 4
Adioo Volo—Meadows—July—2 divisions @ $71,000 each in 2012

Major Look and Destiny’s Chance in 2012….. Foxy Lady and What’s New Pussycat in 2011….. 90K purses in 2011. Three divisions in 2010……Since 1971……Romalie Hanover, Three Diamonds, Handle With Care, Steinam, Leah Almahurst.

Courageous Lady—Northfield—April--$86,000 in 2012
Single dash in 2012. Podges Lady upset Destiny’s Chance (2/5)……Two 50K divisions in 2011. Some Girls Do and I Kill Time….Sand Windsor in 2010……Northfield kicks off the season with the Courageous Lady and ends it with the Cleveland Classic…..Premature and underfunded.


Princess—Woodbine—May--$75,000 final in 2012
Three legs: 25, 35 and 75…..Stage It Right in 2012……Camille won the 80K final over a nine horse field in 2011.


Blossom—Woodbine—March/April--$50,000 final
Three legs: 20, 30 and 50.


Circle City—Indy—November--$67,000 in 2012
American Girl over Podges Lady in 2012….No 2011….Crossthreaded and Just By Design took the two 34K divisions in 2011.


John Simpson Memorial—Tioga—May
No 2012…….Single dash in 2011 for 52K. Nine horse field. Character Flaw……30K splits in 2010. Dancinwiththestarz and Feeling You…..Lexington until 2009…. Tioga in 2010 and 2011.


Maywood Pace—June--$112,000 in 2012
Sleazy Does It (1/1) in 2012.


Cinderella—Maywood—November--$83,000 in 2012
Big McDeal (3/2) over 800 dollarbill and Blackjack Princess in 2012. Ten horse field…..The purse was 70K in 2011 as Crossthreaded (9/5) beat Fresh Idea……Wendy’s Dragon won in the 76K pace in 2010.


Reynolds—Meadowlands in 2012—July--$50,000
Moonlit Dragon over Gottaseeaboutagirl and Blackjack Princess in 2012…..Three divisions at Pocono in 2011. 22K each. Myluvmulife, In Deep Thought and Mikayla Rose.


Niagara Series—Woodbine—December--$60,000 final in 2012
Oceanview Bindi swept the series—20, 30 60—in 2012.


Hanover—Balmoral—July—2 divisions @ 23K each
Sleazy Does It and Princess Cruiser in 2012


Review—Springfield--$32,000

Tender Loving Care—Meadowlands—February--$47,000 in 2012

Jamie Sue over Air Guitar Hanover in 2012…..Some Girls Do over Mystical Diva in 2011. Purse: 49K.

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