2011 SPIRAL STAKES: Entries and Post Positions

With $500,000 in graded earnings on the line at Turfway Park, the Grade 3 Sprial Stakes will feature a fairly wide-open field of three-year-olds running nine furlongs on the Polytrack.  Due to the changeover at Santa Anita from synthetic to dirt, the Spiral is the first poly-prep of 2011.  Among the notable entries in the Spiral are:

• Positive Response - Won the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway on March 5th.
• Thirtyfirststreet - 4th to Anthony's Cross in the Grade 2 Lewis at Santa Anita.  Broke his maiden at Hollywood Park on a synthetic surface.
• Rescind the Trade - Finished 5th (beaten 10 3/4 lengths) in the Whirlaway at Aqueduct on February 5th.  He'll try Polytrack for the first time.
• Beachcombing - Raced first three times on turf, including a 2nd to Data Link in an N1X at Gulfstream on January 23rd.
• King Congie - Won the Hallandale Beach on the turf at Gulfstream Park on 2/6.
• Decisive Moment - 5th in the G2 Risen Star on 2/19; won the listed Jean Laffitte at Delta on 1/14; 2nd to Gourmet Dinner in the Delta Jackpot.
• Glint - Scratched out of the Rebel to ship to Turfway.

I've only had a chance to take a brief look at the PPs for this race, but I already like the looks of King Congie in this spot.  He didn't run much at all on dirt but has looked like a different horse on the lawn and when stretching out to two-turns (three straight wins).  The switch to the synthetic is a bit of a question mark, but I'm willing to take a chance if the odds are right.

The Spiral is the 10th race on Saturday's Turfway card and is scheduled to go to post at 5:31 ET / 2:31 PT.