Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Stable Mail: A-Z (Part III)

TDN’s Racing Editor Steve Sherack takes a closer look at his stable mail account in this continuing series. Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveSherackTDN.

PACIFIC (c, 3, Smart Strike): Steel-gray brought $1.8 million from Stonestreet Stables after posting a jaw-dropping bullet in :9 4/5 (video) at last year’s OBSMAR sale, but is yet to make it to the races. No works since five-furlong breeze at Palm Meadows in late November.

PLEASE EXPLAIN (f, 3, Curlin): Stamped herself as a serious filly with a powerful last-to-first six-length victory in Tampa’s Suncoast S. Feb. 1 (video) after breaking her maiden at fourth asking at Gulfstream Dec. 19. Another very promising runner for her red-hot sire.

REVOCATION (g, 4, Broken Vow): Posted a breakthrough wire-to-wire first-level allowance victory (100 Beyer) while making his first attempt for trainer Kelly Breen at Belmont last September (video), but failed to stretch his speed to two turns when a distant second in Delaware’s Barbaro S. most recently Oct. 9. Still awaiting his return to the worktab.

SCHOOLOFHARDROCKS (c, 3, Rock Hard Ten): Visually impressive come-from-behind debut winner going a mile over the Del Mar Polytrack Aug. 31 (video) continues to gear up for a return to the races at Santa Anita (worked 4f in :49 1/5 Feb. 2).  Subsequent GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero New Year’s Day earned his diploma two races later while also covering the mile distance in 1:36 4/5. Amerman homebred from the David Hofmans barn was scratched from the GI FrontRunner S. at Santa Anita Sept. 28.

SCREEN GODDESS (f, 3, Giant’s Causeway): Well-bred George Krikorian homebred came from a mile out of it to post a very good-looking maiden win in her turf debut at Hollywood Dec. 21 (video). The long-striding half-sister to GISW Star Billing worked an easy five furlongs in 1:02 at Santa Anita Feb. 4.

SHADOW BANKING (c, 3, Harlan’s Holiday): Hailing from a very deep Dr. Chandler family, including grassy GISWs Dynaforce & Cetewayo, the $250k BESMAR graduate announced his presence with a jaw-dropping debut victory going long over the Belmont lawn Sept. 11 (video). He left himself with way too much to do in the GIII Pilgrim S. Oct. 6, and had to settle for a distant second behind stablemate Bobby’s Kitten. Nothing on the worktab since.

SHAKIN IT UP (c, 4, Midnight Lute): Will be the first to admit that I wasn’t a big fan of his during his abbreviated sophomore campaign, but he has certainly caught my attention following a pair of very good-looking victories in the seven-furlong GI Malibu S. Dec. 26 and the 1 1/16-mile GII Strub S. Jan. 18, respectively. Let’s see if he can keep it up as the distances continue to increase.

SHE’S A TIGER (f, 3, Tale of the Cat): Recently-crowned Eclipse champion is back with trainer Jeff Bonde’s So. California string after enjoying a well-deserved vacation at co-owner Mark Dedomenico’s Pegasus Training Center in Washington. Can’t wait to see her run again.

SILENTIO (h, 5, Silent Name {Jpn}): Very nice to see the strapping dark bay put it all together with a game tally over subsequent GII Ft. Lauderdale S. hero Summer Front in the GII Citation H. Nov. 29 (video) following a huge third-place finish at 31-1 in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. The best is yet to come.

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