Racing Dudes Divisional Rankings 10/4/16

Older Males

1. California Chrome – What this horse becoming is something SCARY!  He’s embarrassing really good horses with ease.  Breeders’ Cup Classic up next!

2. Flintshire – Clearly didn’t like the soggy Belmont turf course on Saturday so I’m giving him a mulligan for the average effort.

3. Frosted – Training forwardly as his connections ponder of the Breeders’ Cup Classic or Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

4. Melatonin– Proved his worth for the third straight race as now I’m completely sold that he’s for real.  Can he match up with California Chrome in the Breeders’ Cup Classic…probably not.

5. Dortmund – Ran another very nice race in the Awesome Again, but once again he’s just no match for the great California Chrome.

Sleeper: Effinex– Will be running this weekend in the Jockey Club Gold Cup as he tries to prepare for another solid Breeders’ Cup Classic effort.

Older Females

1. Tepin – Kept the streak alive in the Woodbine Mile with a big time win. Top dog in the division by a mile right now.

2. Stellar Wind – Now holds a 2-1 advantage over Beholder, and has done it with Beholder still running very strong races.  That’s saying a lot!

3. Beholder – She’s still running solid races, but there is a new boss in town out in California and her name his Stellar Wind.

4. Cavorting – Almost moved her up to number 3 in the rankings this week, but figure I’ll wait and see if she can prove herself to be better than Beholder at the Breeders’ Cup.

5. Forever Unbridled – Really impressive winner of the Beldame now moves into the racing as she is having a great season.

Sleeper: Curalina – Flying under the radar, but has run some races this year that have been very impressive.

3 Year Old Males

1. Exaggerator– Sadly he still remains number one at this point as this division is hurting badly.

2. Nyquist – Just isn’t the same horse he once was as he got a fast track in the Pennsylvania Derby and still couldn’t get the job done.

3. Arrogate– If he wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic he is a LOCK to win the Eclipse Award for top 3 year old male.  Even if he hits the board in the Classic he’ll have a real shot.

4. Creator– He stays ranked because of two grade one wins in the Arkansas Derby and Belmont Stakes. His summer at Saratoga was a disaster though, and he’s now done for 2016.

5. Connect – Rebounded off a poor Travers effort to win the Pennsylvania Derby over an evenly matched field.

Sleeper: Gun Runner– I feel awful for this guy as he has run some huge races but just cannot find the winners circle against the big time fields.  Wide trip cost him the race at Parx in the Pennsylvania Derby.

3 Year Old Females

1. Songbird– 11 for 11 with another crushing win in the Cotillion Stakes over the best field she’s ever faced.

2. Catch a Glimpse – Her win streak was busted in the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga, but she’s done enough to stay at number two.

3. Carina Mia – Solid filly, but just no match at all for the great Songbird.

4. Cathryn Sophia – Has now been defeated by Carina Mia twice so she’ll fall behind her in the rankings.  Not in the same class as Songbird as well as that was finally proven in the Cotillion.

5. Off The Tracks – Definitely needs a vacation, and to regroup for next year.

Sleeper: Going for Broke – Just ran averagely in the Beldame Stakes…but basically that’s what she is at this point…average.

Sprinters

1. Lord Nelson – Gets a final tune up for the Breeders’ Cup this weekend at Santa Anita.

2. A. P. Indian – Scratched last weekend at Belmont Park, but looks to run this weekend at Keeneland.

3. X Y Jet – He gets one mulligan as he was probably short for his first race back in six months.

4. Joking – Has won his last two races like a beast at Belmont Park…can he do it outside of New York?

5. Masochistic – Very solid effort even though it was only a three horse field in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien.

Sleeper: Tom’s Ready – He very quietly has won some tough races this year, including a win over a decent field in the Ack Ack at Churchill Downs.

2 Year Old Males

1. Klimt – I’m going to keep him at number one for now as he didn’t get off to the best of beginnings in the Frontrunner and got too for behind.  Still ran a pretty decent second.

2. Not This Time – Extremely impressive performance in the Iroquois Stakes for this well bred colt. Maybe he can put an end to the west coast domination this year.

3. Gromley – Very impressive Frontrunner win as he beat some of the best horses in the crop.  His early speed could be a deadly weapon in the Breeders’ Cup.

4. Straight Fire – Another “just ok” effort from him after setting the world on fire in his maiden win.  Hard to know what to make of him right now.

5. Practical Joke – Very impressive winning of the Hopeful Stakes as he’s now a perfect two for two for Chad Brown.

Sleeper: Big Gray Rocket – We’ll see what he’s made of this weekend…he’s still my Breeders’ Cup Juvenile pick until he shows me something different.

2 Year Old Females

1. Sweet Loretta – Winner of the Schuylerville and Spinaway Stakes so far makes her the leader in the clubhouse, but it’s wide open.

2. Union Strike – Has a win over Noted and Quoted so you have to keep her ahead for now, however she’ll have some proving to do in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

3. Noted and Quoted – Eye opening win in the Chandelier Stakes over a very good group of fillies.  Looked like a different horse going around two turns.

4. Pretty City Dancer – Targeted the Spinaway Stakes from day one and was able to dead heat with Sweet Loretta.

5. With Honors – Looks like she took to the dirt pretty well with a solid runner up effort in the Chandelier at Santa Anita.  Has several Breeders’ Cup options.

Sleeper: Zapperkat- She got a little tired going two turns, but was making a solid move before flattening out.  Might keep an eye on this one…