Hutcheson Stakes: Travelin Man looks to step-up
by Matt Gardner on Feb 24, 2011 4:04 PM EST
in General Horse Racing
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PrintSaturday's Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park (4:51 Eastern post time) is a Derby prep in the same manner that last Sunday's San Vicente Stakes was as Derby prep - it's a three-year-old graded stakes race, so it can impact the earnings table, but because it's a seven furlong sprint, it's not a race we really look to to find a Derby winner.
3-Travelin Man (5/2), a son of Trippi out of a Gone West mare (West Side Dancer), jumps into the graded stakes ranks following a runaway win over a group of maidens at Gulfstream on January 6th. The Todd Pletcher trainee picked up a 106 Beyer for his effort (105 Bris), easily the best figure for any horse in the field. Travelin Man is the morning line favorite at 5/2.
Others in the Hutcheson field:
1-Crossbow (5/1), a son of Bernardini out of a Forest Wildcat mare, has notched back-to-back wins against Maiden Special Weight and N1X company. He scored his first win at Aqueduct on January 2nd and then came back to pick up an allowance win at Gulfstream on January 29th.
2-Madman Diaries (6/1) tried the lawn last time out when he finished 4th (2 1/2 lenghts) behind Pluck in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Trainer Wesley Ward gave him the winter off and now rolls him back into stakes company after a couple of lightning fast works over the Gulfstream main track.
Over the last five years, Wesley Ward is 44-for-199 with horses coming back after 60 to 180 days off (22%, $1.69 $2 ROI). Filtered for just graded stakes races, he's 2-for-10 ($1.31 ROI) with Final Mesa (G3 Old Hat) and Pleasant Prince (G3 Ohio Derby) his two winners during that time frame.
5-Flashpoint (4/1) was a runaway maiden winner in his first career start back on January 15th at Aqueduct. A Richard Dutrow trainee with a sprinters pedigree (Pomeroy - Two Punch mare), he'll try to gun it from the moment the gates open.
7-Leave of Absence (12/1) tried his luck in the Holy Bull last time out and finished a distant 6th.
8-Black N Beauty (8/1) also comes out of the Holy Bull where he finished well back of Dialed In.
Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes
Gulfstream Park
7 furlongs
Three-year-olds
Purse: $150,000
Post time: 4:51 Eastern
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML |
| 1 | Crossbow | R. Dominguez | K. McLaughlin | 5/1 |
| 2 | Madman Diaries | J. Sanchez | W. Ward | 6/1 |
| 3 | Travelin Man | J. Velazquez | T. Pletcher | 5/2 |
| 4 | Razmataz | J. Castellano | T. Pletcher | 10/1 |
| 5 | Flashpoint | C. Velasquez | R. Dutrow | 4/1 |
| 6 | Little Drama | J. Bravo | D. Fawkes | 20/1 |
| 7 | Leave of Absence | R. Maragh | R. Violette | 12/1 |
| 8 | Black N Beauty | K. Desormeaux | D. Romans | 8/1 |
| 9 | Manicero | L. Saez | L. Azpurua | 12/1 |
| 10 | Royal Currier | E. Trujillo | P. Farro | 8/1 |
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Hey Matt....
Kitten’s Dancer is finally running! Saturday night Race 11 at Turfway, it’s a 50,000 stakes race called the Valdale Stakes for fillies 3 year old and upward. I have to admit, I’m a little surprised by a staks run right now, but have to think if she does well they will have some bigger plans. Hopefully, jumping up in class from claimer, having a 3 month layoff and only 1 race under her belt, spells nice odds.
Finally!
I would think she’ll be at a healthy number on the ML.
Looks like Maker was looking for the right spot. Did she go a mile in her first start or was it a sprint?
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
Yes
The first race she ran was 1 mile. I haven’t looked at the rest of the field yet, but regardless I’m betting her hard, especially with good odds. He obviously didn’t think she was just another horse. So many other first time starters he’s had this meet have won and have run back again or even 2 times in some cases.
I just hope she wins! Otherwise I’ve been waiting around for 2 1/2 months for nothing!!!!! lol. I’m going to follow this horse for a while though. I have a good feeling she’s going to be a good one.
Looking at the field
I’m a little concerned about a couple of entries. Harlan’s Ruby, despite not running since the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Filly, scares me pretty bad. Although that makes me think she’s going to be the overwhelming favorite, so good for Kitten’s Dancer’s Morning Line.
Just one more comment about it
and I’m done. Angelica Zapata and Maegan’s Princess are looking pretty strong too. I’m thinking Kitten’s Dancer could see some really nice odds. Sounds like it’s going to be a good little Stakes race. Looks like both are accustomed to shorter races. Anyway, I’m really excited.
You just going to jump into the win pool...
or are you thinking of keying her in an EX or TRi?
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
by Matt Gardner on Feb 25, 2011 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
My first thought was just to do a win
but, now I’m thinking she’s going to have some nice odds, so I’ll probably be keying her in an exacta and tri. I may even do a double and pick 3.
I’m confident she’s going to do well, but it’s just my luck that she’ll have a bad day or won’t fire lol.
It is the only
Race I’m going to bet though so, it’s not too big of a deal if she doesn’t win financially. I’ll just be disappointed lol.
Nice.
Honestly, I love waiting for a horse to roll back so that I can bet it next time out. Like I wrote before, it’s like waiting for Christmas. Doesn’t always work out but when it does, man, does it feel good. I hope she’s fires a good one on Saturday.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
by Matt Gardner on Feb 25, 2011 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks
I was surprised to see she’s 5-1 ML. Although at 5-1 she is the 4th pick makes me have some hope that maybe she’ll be closer to 10-1 when the race goes off.
He should fit a lot better in this spot than the BC Juv. Turf.
Plus, 6/1 on the ML and will probably drift up a bit by post time…and Ward can win off the layoff. Could be a decent play.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
Fountain Of Youth
Does anyone like Shackleford at all? I was looking at his past performances and he doesn’t look bad. His one out of the money race was on Poly. Obviously Soldat and To Honor and Serve look a lot better coming in, but I don’t know, at least I think he doesn’t look bad for the exotics.
I wonder if he'll have the speed to hang in with the early leaders...
and if he doesn’t, can he relax and make a run from a bit farther back than he’s used to? I think that might be his biggest hurdle. But I also think there’s some things to really like about him: he ran very well when stretched out to two-turns and in his first start off of a layoff. If he can improve off that performance he should find himself in the mix.
"A bad day at the track is better than a good day at the office."
And Down The Stretch They Come | @PressThePace
by Matt Gardner on Feb 25, 2011 4:35 PM EST up reply actions
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