32Red Burradon Stakes Racing Roundup

©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

This weekend, we’ll log a lot of miles on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. On Friday the last race on the European road to Derby glory takes us to Newcastle Racecourse at High Gosforth Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Saturday, the road takes us first to Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, the “City of Gold” in the United Arab Emirates and finally we’ll travel to Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

At Newcastle Racecourse, GRONKOWSKI heads a herd of ten runners as the 2-1 Twinspires.com morning-line favorite of the 32Red Burradon Stakes.

Gronkowski comes into this race with a 3-1-0 record in five starts with an impressive win in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

GRONKOWSKI took keen hold, held up, rapid headway to press leader three furlongs out, ridden to lead over one furlong out, edged right inside final furlong, ran on.

Lonhro, the sire of Gronkowski, was a champion racehorse in Australia that compiled a 26-3-2 record in 35 starts with $5,790,510 (AUS) in earnings.

Some more notable races won by Lonhro include 11 Group One races: the Australian Cup (2004), C F Orr Stakes (2004) George Ryder Stakes (2003, 2004), Caulfield Stakes (2002, 2003), George Main Stakes (2003), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2003), Chipping Norton Stakes (2003), LKS MacKinnon Stakes (2002) and the Caulfield Guineas (2001).

Lonhro was selected as the 2002 Australian Champion, the 2004 Australian Middle Distance Champion, Australian Racehorse of the Year and World Champion Miler. In addition, Lonhro led the 2011 Australian Leading Sire List and in 2014 he was inducted in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

Gronkowski has a low D Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® score but his Behavior Index could, potentially, make him competitive.

A long shot I like is De MEDICI (20-1) who comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts including a third-place finish in a 32Red Casino Novice Stakes last out. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

De MEDICI raced wide close up, hampered and bumped approaching final two furlongs, effort and every chance inside final furlong, not quicken towards finish.

Makfi, the sire of De Medici, was a Classic Champion Thoroughbred that compiled a 4-0-0 record in six starts with $867,460 in career earnings.

During two racing seasons, Makfi raced in England and France. In November of 2009, he won his only start as a two-year-old at Fontainebleau Racecourse.

As a three-year-old, Makfi was 3-0-0 in five starts winning his season debut in the Prix Djebel (Group 3). He went on to win the Stanjames.com Two Thousand Guineas (Group 1) and the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard-Jacques Le Marois (Group 1).

De Medici has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he’s the best-bred colt in this herd. He’s cutting back to a mile which he won in his maiden debut in a decent time of 1:36 and change.

DeMedici has the breeding to be competitive in this race and, perhaps, upset at a nice price.

PURSER (7-2) comes into this race with a 2-0-1 record in four starts including a third-place finish in the Masar Godolphin Autumn Stakes (Group 3). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

PURSER raced wide in touch, ridden and headway over one furlong out, kept on one pace final furlong.

Mizzen Mast, the sire of Purser, began his racing career in France where he was a Group 3 winner before he was shipped to America where he won several graded stakes. During his racing career, Mizzen Mast compiled a 5-2-0 record in 11 starts with $554,146 in earnings.

As a two-year-old, Mizzen Mast was 1-1-0 in three starts with a second-place finish in the Prix des Chenes Royal Thalasso Barriere (Group 3).

At the age of three, Mizzen Mast was 3-1-0 in seven starts with victories in the Prix de Guiche (Group 3), Bien Bien Stakes and Malibu Stakes (G1). He finished secone in the 10-furlong Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Group 1)

In his only start at the age of four, Mizzen Mast won the Strub Stakes (G2).

Purser has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him potentially competitive in this race.

Honorable mention goes to Freescape (20-1), Fortune’s Pearl (12-1) and Nyaleti (3-1).

*****

EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. *MENDELSSOHN, 20, Aidan O’Brien, $747,307

2. Saxon Warrior (JPN), 20, Aidan O’Brien, $245,017

3. *GRONKOWSKI, 20, Jeremy Noseda, $0

4. Roaring Lion (USA), 14, John Gosden, $136,807

5. f-Happily (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $543,648

6. *THREEANDFOURPENCE, 8, Aiden O’Brien, $54,076

7. Court House (IRE), 8, John Gosden, $0

8. *SEAHENGE, 4, Aiden O’Brien, $145,630

9. Olmedo (FR), 4, Jean-Claude Rouget, $113,505

10. Nelson (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $99,826

11. Delano Roosevelt (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $38,074

12. Fortune’s Pearl (IRE), 4, Andrew Balding, $1,800

13. Masar (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $101,264

14. The Pentagon (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $71.981

15. Mildenberger (ENG), 2, Mark Johnston, $64,634

16. Warm the Voice (IRE), 2, Brendan Duke, $12,904

17. f-Blackgold Fairy, 2, Michael Halford, $4,618

18. Ventura Knight (IRE), 2, Mark Johnston, $0

19. Verbal Dexterity (IRE), 1, Jim Bolger, $280,269

20. Kew Gardens (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $28,605

21. Woodmax (GER), 1, Nicolas Clement, $23,610

22. Petrus (IRE), 1, Brian Meehan, $7,182

          *Mendelssohn, Gronkowski, Threeandfourpence and Seahenge are only horses nominated for Triple Crown. Here’s the video of Mendelssohn’s win in the Patton Stakes. Here’s the video of Gronkowski’s win in the Conditions Stakes.