7/25 CBY CC Emerald 3YO & Up 1 1/16 Mile Turf Purse: $130.000

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A full field of twelve will turn out for the fifth running of the CC Emerald at CBY on Saturday. The race conditions require that each entry must have started for a claiming price of $25.000 or less within the past year. The entries this year range from experienced veterans like Span Bala Band and Veto, each with over thirty career races, to newcomers like Hombre and Virtuoso, both with less than ten. The field is rich with talent, especially for this level. Quite a few here look very competitive and with this large of a field, there are bound to be traffic issues. This race is something of a handicapping nightmare. Competitive entries in a packed field can make for an interesting if sometimes unpredictable race. Here is the field in order of entry:

1. Hombre: Black horse 5YO owned by Getaway1. This autogen horse is the junior in the field with seven career races. He has been doing well in the $16.000 to $30.000 claimer and allowance range. He was off the board in his last two, when he stepped up in class to a G3 stakes and an $80.000 claimer. This is a nice horse, but others here seem more likely to handle a step up in level. Hombre drops blinkers and a shadow roll for this one after his last two trips. Jockey A Von Rosen gets the mount. He is known for weaknesses in turf routing. He makes a risky choice for the one and one sixteenth mile turf CC Emerald.

2. Rko: Black horse 5YO owned by Some Devil Racing. This consistent autogen horse has hit the board nine times out of ten races, with four wins to his credit. He ships here from LS where he wired a turf route $30.000 claimer for an SRF of 98. He is a versatile horse, having won on the lead, off the pace and closing. This talent should serve him well. His works are in order and his speed factors are consistently in the 92-99 range, most often the higher. He routes well on turf and dirt and could factor here.

3. Flashy Owasso: Black gelding 4YO owned by Nelson Stable. This tall gelded son of Owasso was claimed by his new connections last month for the bargain price of $1.000. He is a remarkably consistent fellow, who has a record of 17-8-5-1. He has won or placed in his last twelve races. You have to love that in any horse, no matter what level of racing. The issue here is that he has yet to step above $6.000 allowances. He has some nice speed figures and decent works but may need a wait and see approach for next time.

4. Bay Of Ships: Chestnut gelding 4YO owned by Thinken Stables. This stakes placed grandson of Zippy Chippy looks great after coming off two back to back one and one sixteenth mile claimer wins in 1:41 and change. He scored a 100 SRF in his last. He does well in the mid level allowance and claimer range and has placed in stakes before. He has worked well and looks competitive here.

5. Virtuoso: Bay colt 3YO owned by Hambletonian Stable. This colt is a grandson of multiple graded stakes winners The Maestro and Poisonessmonster. He is fairly new to the scene, with eight career races. He ships here from FG where he wired a seven and one half furlong claimer to win by three lengths. Last fall as a two year old, he stretched out to one mile and one sixteenth turf while stepping up in class in a $50.000 allowance. He finished off the board and this year has done well in the seven furlong range. He will need to stretch out here again and step up in class against older horses. It could be a tall order in this crowded race.

6. Veto: Chestnut 6YO owned by Angelos Stable. This veteran son of Open Sore ships here off a three race winning streak. He is the field leading purse winner, with a record of 36-10-9-3 and earnings of $291.100. The tall lanky gelding shows a consistent love for the sod, short or long. Although his last three were won on the lead or just off it, he can be rated and close from well back as evidenced by prior wins. His works are sharp and he looks dangerous here.

7. Man Of Vanity: Black gelding 5YO owned by Spinetingling. This well known veteran of over twenty five races has competed successfully for quite a few years in the mid level allowance and claimer races. He started the year with a one mile turf allowance second and then followed up with two back to back turf route wins. He last three speed figures were 100 and double 96. He likes to be on or near the lead and has been caught late before, as pacesetters are wont to do at times. Nonetheless, he has run away with many races before and if given an edge could do it here again.

8. Cactus Leaguer: Black gelding 5YO owned by Alydar Racing. This autogen lacks impressive bloodlines and possesses a modest build. Still, he has done well for himself in his relatively short career of eight races. His last claimer was his first maiden. Since breaking his maiden early this year, he raced in four allowances and one stakes. He hit the board in three of those races, including a place in the Hall Grand Canyon Handicap and a nice close on an off track to win a five furlong turf sprint in his last. He is less polished than others, but has raced at higher level than some and comes from a veteran barn.

9. Span Bala Band: Bay gelding 6YO owned by Thinken Stables. Second to Veto in the veteran department, this gelding has a record of 32-10-8-2 and earnings of $181.990. A son of Onemanwreckingcrew, he has raced for many seasons and still knocks some good ones out. He hit the board in four of five this year with two crisp turf route wins. This is the second entry for his connections, who look to have quite a one two punch with Bay Of Ships and Span Bala Span.

10. Cat Attack: Chestnut gelding 4YO owned by Maxmillion Farms. Yet another autogen relative newcomer to the scene, this tall well built gelding has two wins and a place in eight races. He started turf early this year and has stayed with it. He ships here from PEN where he won a one and one sixteenth mile turf $10.000 claimer in a nice time of 1:41.1. He was claimed in that one and now races for the first time for his new connections. He is a nice looking horse who could figure but has little to compare yet with others. Perhaps a wait and see is needed here as well.

11. Astro Nerd: Bay gelding 6YO owned by Hambletonian Stable. The second entry for his connections, this double VG autogen stallion has an ideal build to match his nice bloodlines. However, his record suggests he may have peaked early in his thirteen race career. He broke his maiden first time out back in 2007 and went on to win two turf routes before finishing second in an $80.000 claimer. He earned some nice speed figures then, including a career high 100. His last win came in March 2008. Since then he hit the board three of nine tries. He had a crisp 1:34.1 one mile turf work recently, but that was in company and further clouds the issue of class.

12. Knight Gangster: Chestnut colt 4YO owned by Hambletonian Stables. The third entry from Hambletonian is a son of Zen Forever. He had a nice three year old season racing best in high level MNR claimers and some low to mid level allowances. His last win came in the summer of 2008. He hit the board in six of his tries but came up short each time. Most of these races were at mid level allowances. He stepped down to $25.000 claimers for his last two but a win still eluded him. This colt has done well before but looks to be stepping down against others stepping up and looking sharper. The outside draw hurts as well.

Picks:

(7) Man Of Vanity

(4) Bay Of Ships

(6) Veto