Trainer Michael Maker is looking to score his first win Saturday in the 77th running of the $150,000 Sapling Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park when he sends the 3-1 morning line favorite Maybesomaybenot to the starting gate.
Maybesomaybenot heads a field of nine horses that have been entered in the Sapling Stakes. However, Nacho Saint (7-2), Chipshot (4-1) and Printing Press (15-1) have been cross-entered in the $250,000 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (G1) which is scheduled to be run on Monday at Saratoga.
I like Maybesomaybenot for the win. He’s coming into the race with two solid wins – both at 6-furlongs. In his last race, Maybesomaybenot scored a 1 ½ -length win over runner-up Nacho Saint in the Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga. A bullet work out on August 25 and it appears that Maybesomaybenot is ready to run another good race.
Maybesomaybenot is a descendent of the Mr. Prospector sire line and since 1989 there have been seven horses from that line to win the Sapling Stakes: Western Smoke (2009), He’s Got Grit (2005), Don’t Tell The Kids (1999), Double Honor (1997), Smoke Glacken (1996), Boone’s Mill (1994) and Carson City (1989).
Maybesomaybenot’s sire, Sunday Break, won races from 7-furlongs to 8 ½-furlongs and was a pretty good middle-distance runner. His grandsire, Forty Niner, also was a good middle-distance runner and he won the 1987 Sanford Stakes.Sunday Break has six winners from 13 juvenile starters for 46 percent.
The possible defection of Nacho Saint and Chip Shot for the Hopeful would impact my exotic wagers as I, most likely, would use them with Maybesomaybenot in the exacta and trifecta.
Nacho Saint always puts in a solid performance. In three starts, he has three second-place finishes and a bullet work out August 29 indicates that he may be ready to run another good race.
Nacho Saint is a descendent of the Bold Ruler sire line and his sire, Yes It’s True, won the 1998 edition of the Sapling Stakes. Yes It’s True is the only horse from the Bold Ruler sire line to win the Sapling Stakes since Doubly Clear won it in 1984.
Chipshot encountered traffic problems in his last race, the Sanford Stakes, and finished a well-beaten fifth. But prior to that race, Chipshot had been progressing nicely and if he moves forward, I look for him to be competitive. A bullet work out on August 17 and another sharp work out on the August 31 and Chipshot should be ready to run a good race.
Chipshot is a descendent of the Mr. Prospector sire line. His sire, Peace Rules, also has 6 winners from 13 starters for 46 percent.
Vengeful Wildcat (9-2) is undefeated in two starts and comes into the Sapling with a 3 ½ -length win in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth on July 25. If he continues to move forward, he should be competitive.
Vengeful Wildcat is a descendent of the Bold Ruler sire line and his sire, Vindication, has six winners from 23 starters for 26 percent.
This race has tortured me for two days now, Calvin. And to make things worse, Barry points out Printing Press, so now I like almost everyone! Hopefully by the time I get home from work today, I'll have made up my mind (and like you said, it depends on what happens with Chipshot and Nacho Saint too). Alot of potential in this race!
ReplyDeleteSharon,
ReplyDeleteI like Maybesomaybenot for the win. If Nacho Saint and Chipshot run in the Hopeful, I'll probably use Printing Press and Vengeful Wildcat with Maybesomaybenot in the exotics.