#qushchi

[fox-onthe-run]

Qushchi and Edgar Prado before the Flower Bowl Invitational.

[ramblingsofashipper]

Flower Bowl Invitational

So this is the second of many stakes races that I'll hopefully be able to do before I work later on in 13 hours.  I may actually be able to do some right before I go to work.

Anyway, here is the field for the Grade I Flower Bowl Invitational, a race I've never seen, so I'm an awful race fan, of course.

PS.  Tannery's trainer's last name reminds me of Mighty Ducks and how everyone on the team always yelled at Goldberg for farting or whatever it was that he constantly did.  (Here's my 90's geek showing.)

 (Number, horse name, jockey, trainer, morning line odds, weight, summary.)

Tannery (IRE) (Javier Castellano, Alan Goldberg, 8-5, 121).  Tannery won the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont in May and most recently finished a hard-charging fourth against males in the Grade I Sword Dancer (gr. IT) after being out wide the entire way in the 12-furlong event. Like her stablemate, Tannery is an Irish-bred, and was sired by Dylan Thomas.  Is there anything to say that she can't get the distance?

Laughing (IRE) (Jose Lezcano, Alan Goldberg, 8-5, 123).  After an up-and-down 2012 campaign, the 5-year-old Dansili mare held on tenaciously to win the Eatontown Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Monmouth Park in June, the Diana (gr. IT) at Saratoga Race Course in July, and the Ballston Spa (gr. IIT) at the same venue in August.  In doing so, she has defeated top runners such as Stephanie's Kitten, Dayatthespa, Pianist, and Dream Peace.  The Irish-bred Laughing is owned by Richard Santulli and trained by Alan Goldberg, and has won half of her 14 career starts. A victory in the Flower Bowl would make her a millionaire. Laughing has only tried the Flower Bowl distance of 10 furlongs once, and that was over yielding turf at Woodbine two years ago, when she finished seventh in the E.P. Taylor (Can-IT). Her victories in the Diana and last year’s Matchmaker Stakes (gr. IIIT) came at nine furlongs.

Mystical Star (Junior Alvarado, Christophe Clement, 4-1, 119).  A Kentucky-bred daughter of Ghostzapper, this filly is just 1 for 6 this season and 5 for 17 lifetime.  She's coming off a stakes victory at Kentucky Downs after a third in the Waya Stakes.  She's a multiple graded stakes placed filly, but has yet to break through that condition.  I think that the longer the going gets, the tougher she is to beat.  I'm not sure if ten furlongs is up her alley, as it is quite a bit shorter than 1 5/16 mile, but we'll see how she does today.

Somali Lemonade (Luis Saez, Michael Matz, 8-1, 119).  A Kentucky-bred daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, this filly has experienced trouble at every turn.  She has only won three starts, but somehow finds trouble in every start.  She finally won two starts back after not winning since her two year old season.  She's 3 for 17 lifetime and 1 for 3 this season.  While I really like her, I can't use her.  She's too trouble-prone and that won't help anyone's tickets.  She has back class, but I fear that won't get her a win.

Valiant Star (Irad Ortiz Jr.  Graham Motion, 12-1, 119).  Stepped up to win a minor stakes at Monmouth last out and will have to run the race of her life to make an impact here. She has two wins from six starts since coming over from Great Britain, most of her races coming in optional claiming and first-level allowance affairs.  A Great Britain-bred daughter of Lemon Drop Kid.

Kissable (IRE) (Mike Smith, Ron Attfield, 5-1, 119).  The European-breds are always supported well in America.  I'm still not sure why, but they seem to find the turf here to their liking.  An Irish-bred daughter of Danehill Dancer, she's 0 for 2 this season and just 2 for 16 lifetime.  I think she's in over her head in this race.

Qushchi (GB) (Edgar Prado, Graham Motion, 3-1, 119).  Another Motion entry, she has not been worse than third in her five stateside starts since coming over from her native Great Britain last spring. She most recently won the Waya at Saratoga at 12 furlongs and is a dangerous off-the-pace type who always runs her race.  

White Rose (John Velazquez, Bill Mott, 15-1, 115).  She has not been off the board in seven starts since her first race, but the 3-year-old is facing elders and going up the class ladder after finishing second in the Glens Falls a month ago.