Friday, July 16, 2010

Colin Stakes Racing Roundup

Oh Canada

Juvenile stakes racing action moves North of the border Saturday as trainer Wesley Ward’s Madman Diaries heads a field of five 2-year-olds in the 54th running of the $150,000 Colin Stakes at Woodbine racetrack.

Madman Diaries, the 1-2 prohibitive morning-line favorite, looks like the horse to beat. In May, he broke his maiden in a 4 ½ - furlong sprint at Woodbine by 9 ¾ lengths and followed that up last month with a 9 ¼ - length romp in the 5-furlong Victoria Stakes.

Madman Diaries earned a 96 Brisnet Speed Figure for that effort in the Victoria Stakes and that tops the speed figures for all of the horses entered in the Colin Stakes. A recent bullet work out on July 9 and it appears that Madman Diaries is ready to run another good race.

Trainer Nicholas Gonzalez won the Colin Stakes in 2004 with Whoelottabourbon and he starts the 3-1 second choice Glory Game from post position three. Glory Game is stepping up in class and comes into the race off of a 6 ¾ - length maiden win July 2 at Woodbine. Glory Game earned an 89 speed figure for that maiden win.

At 9-2 morning line odds, Devilish Stunt is also stepping up in class but looks like an interesting long shot for a potential upset. Devilish Stunt, trained by Scott Fairlie, comes into the race off a 6-length maiden win, earning a 90 speed figure for that effort.

Fairlie knows how to prepare his charges for big races. Last year, Who’s Big Daddy came in second for Fairlie in the Colin Stakes. A recent sharp 5-furlong work out on July 9 indicates that Fairlie has Devilish Stunt ready to run another good race.

Devilish Stunt is a descendent of the Mr. Prospector sire line and since 1990, five horses from that line have won the Colin Stakes: Fearless Cowboy (2009); Barilko (2006); Miners Mirage (1995); Chip N Charge (1994) and O’Martin (1993).

Glory Game is a descendent of the Northern Dancer sire line and his great grandsire, Deputy Minister, won the 1981 Colin Stakes. Since 1990, three Northern Dancer sire line horses have won the Colin Stakes: Southern Exchange (2008); Bear Holiday (2007) and Judith’s Wild One (1996).

Madman Diaries is a descendent of the Nasrullah sire line. Rights Reserved (2002) is the only Nasrullah sire line horse to win the Colin Stakes since 1990.

7 comments:

  1. Madman Diaries looks a really good one right now, I loved his last race!

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  2. railrunner,

    Madman Diaries looks tough in this spot and looms large as the horse to beat. He was nominated to run in the Sanford Stakes next Sunday but Ward opted to run in the Colin Stakes instead. Other notable Sanford Stakes nominations included Kantharos and J P's Gusto.

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  3. Calvin, Baffert unleashed a good colt named "Smash" yesterday at Hollywood Park.

    Very professional 400Kee buy and rated nicely on the outside, one crack of the whip and he passed the leader with eased. Hand ride to the wire.

    A little on the small side, but has a nice stride. Switch leads and ran straight.

    Trains at Santa Anita as with others.

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  4. Barry,

    Thanks for the heads up on Smash. I see that Smash is nominated for the Del Mar Futurity. The Best Pal nominations close July 29 so maybe Baffert run him in that race and we'll get to see how he fares in stakes competition.

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  5. Hi Calvin,
    Here is an off-the-wall pedigree question for you when you have a chance. Although Mr.Prospector's sire is out of Native Dancer and Northern Dancer's damsire is Native Dancer, the descendants are always listed as either Mr.P's sire line or N.Dancer's. I was wondering why Native Dancer doesn't get the credit for producing all these winners, since he is common to both Mr.P and N.Dancer? Is it possible all those phenomenal traits could be genetically traced back to him? I notice in most sites that they will refer specifically to the Mr Prospector/Raise a Native line and Northern Dancer line, but I've not seen a Native Dancer's line. I was just curious how they determined which horse gets credit for the sire line. Thanks!

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  6. Sharon,

    I guess the short answer is that it is more factually accurate to give Mr. Propector and Northern Dancer the credit since they are closer in the pedigree.

    Often I will give credit to exceptional sons of Mr. Propector and Northern Dancer. For instance: Fappiano/Mr. Prospector or Sadler's Wells/Northern Dancer.

    For me, a lot depends too on the length of the story. When I profile stakes races its easier to give the closest most productive sire the credit.

    However, when I write a lengthy, more detailed, story like the one I wrote for Horseplayer Daily Magazine
    www.horseplayerdaily.com/assets/images/SireLines_17-3_web.pdf

    then I like to give as much information as possible. For instance, Mr. Prospector is a descendent of Native Dancer, Northern Dancer is a descendent of Nearco and all of those horses are descendents of Phalaris.

    I hope that helps.

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  7. Yes, it does help. Thanks, Calvin!

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