Maiden America Tuesday: Hoop Tea's Hooptie Handicapper picks 2yo races at Indiana Grand, Vancouver's Hastings
Beach + Hoop Tea = A Great Day 😊
Yesterday at Colonial, Conagher, who was sent off at 3/2 odds (which I took) went to the top of the lane with Swift Dancer, dispensed with him, and won going away by 3.5 lengths. That paid $5/$3.20. In the 8th at Indiana Grand, the choice of Humble Warrior had a smooth rail trip and looked to be in a smart position to make a run and came up empty. He got up for third.
Today we have two races – one from from Indiana Grand and the next from the beautiful backdrop of the North Shore Mountains and Burrard Inlet at Hastings Race Racecourse in Vancouver.
Indiana Grand Race 6 - $36 Maiden Special
2yo Indy bred fillies going five furlongs
There is no threat of getting an Oaks contender out of this bunch today and I sincerely doubt we’ll see any of these get past the claiming ranks. #10 Chelsea’s Strength (2/1) raced against similar on June 24, bobbled at the start, ran up to within a couple of lengths of the leader and flattened out. She scored a 47 Equibase number from that and given 2nd Lasix with race day experience, it’s doubtful she’ll equal the 61 par Equibase gave this race. Furthering the case is her latest workout on July 15 going four furlongs in a meager :52.4. #9 Indigo (12/1) was third in the betting in her bow on July 6 and ran like a long shot. Today, she'll either prove that the betting public was right to begin with, or she's just not worthy. Use in exotics. My choice is #1 Mamala Kamala (9/2) based solely on her last workout of 1:01 from the gate – a time that is faster than the experienced ones ran in their last race.
Hastings Racecourse Race 3 - $50K Maiden Optional Claiming
2yo’s going six furlongs
#6 Three Day Bender (6/5) on paper is the deserving favorite given his lone race and 64 Equibase score. His recent work of :48 shows he’s in game shape and he showed closing speed, yet Hastings is biased to closers. Of the eight horses in his last race, three have returned to race at six furlongs (the last race was 3.5f) and all three have plunged in their Equibase numbers. Caveat emptor. #2 Vancouver’s Hunter (3/1) is sired by black type winner Vancouver, out of Madaglia d’Oro. Vancouver went 5/4-0-0 for $1.8M in his career. His dam, Resonating (Smart Strike) won her debut at Belmont and ended up with a respectable 4/2-1-0 for $107K career. Trainer Christine Ammann has brought this colt along, working him twice at 2f, twice at 3f, once at 4f and twice at 5f. Christine is 25% with first timers and jockey Antonio Ambrosio is en fuego of late, nailing 25% winners in the last ten days. #3 Country Cowboy (7/2) has been put through an almost identical work schedule as Vancouver’s Hunter with the exception of two more 5f works. The connections paid two dimes to breed this gelding and he’s running for a $62.5K tag (the exception for Canadian breds in this race) and his dam’s two foals both won their debuts. With a ten workout routine and the connections showing their willingness to sell, I believe he’s positioned to put forth the effort and win tonight. That certainly flies in the face of most handicapping rules, yet makes sense from a business perspective.
Happy Hunting 😊