CC Futurity- Grade I

                                 12/17/11  Hollywood Park

                                         Two-Year-Olds

                                    1 1/16th Over The Dirt

                                         Purse: $750.000

Saturday, the Grade I CC Futurity at Hollywood will feature a field of eleven 

juveniles in the $750.000 1 1/16 race over the dirt, and many of these horses

are well acquainted with one another; having been rivals in one or more races

over the past eight months. They come here to close out the year, facing off

one last time in the star studded CC Futurity, which looks to be one of the

most exciting two-year-old races we have seen in 2011.

Many here last ran in one of the BC races, and this is a field full of some very

talented colts and geldings. Last year the CC Futurity was won by super filly

Mai Mia Bambina trained by Rouge River Stables, and while there are no fillies

in the race this year, Rouge River Stables is back, bringing gelding D Here, 

to the CC Futurity, looking to win back to back editions of this Grade I stakes.

Righteous, trained by Eastern Equine leads the field Saturday, having just

missed winning the Grade I BC Juvenile last time out, coming home 2nd a

short head behind the winner. That was the first career defeat for the colt by

Dam That Fusion, who prior to the lose, had won all five of his career starts;

three of those being stakes wins, two of them graded stakes wins. Righteous

has never finished worse than 2nd in all six of his lifetime starts, and despite

breaking from post 1 on the rail, looks like the one to beat in the CC Futurity.

Skeleton Key, trained by Pan Farms enters the CC Futurity on a winning

streak, having won his last two races, which were both graded stakes, and

both at this 1 1/16 distance on dirt. His last race came on 11/19/11, when he

won the Grade III $1,000.000 DED Jackpot, and prior he was the winner of the

Grade I Breeders Futurity at KEE. Skeleton Key goes for his 3rd consecutive

graded stakes on Saturday, and looks like he could be a real threat here.

Jerry Garcia Racing will send out Condottieri, who finished 5th in the BC

Juvenile in his last start, which was run at the 1 1/16 CC Futurity distance.

In that race, Condottieri closed beautifully, and despite a few minor traffic

issues early, finished strong just a length behind the winner. Although he

breaks from post 10 Saturday, if he gets a clean trip, he looks dangerous.

His win in the Grade II SAR Special, last August came after breaking from

the far outside 12 post, and with his very sharp recent works, this talented

colt looks to have a great shot here.

While these three look to be the ones to beat here, they have their work

cut out for them in a field this size, and will face some other tough horses

Saturday. Of the remaining eight horses in the field, Guilty As Sin and

Bombay Dancer are also both stakes winners, and three of the other

six starters have ungraded stakes wins. So get ready to close out 2011

with a juvenile race of All-Stars in the Grade I CC Futurity at Hollywood!

The Field:

Race Description: CCFutr-G1

1    Righteous: Trained by Eastern Equine, this colt by Dam That

      Fusion is making his 5th stakes start, and has three stakes

      wins, two of them graded. Highest speed figure to date: 98

      Last ran 11/5/11, in the Grade I BC Juvenile, where he just

      missed the win, finishing 2nd by a head. Closed well in that

      race, which was run at this same 1 1/16 distance on the dirt.

      Righteous won his five races prior to his BC run, including two

      graded stakes wins, which were both at one mile on the dirt.

      He won the Grade I Champagne at Belmont on 10/8/11, and

      the Grade III AP Washington Futurity at AP on 9/10/11. On

      10/25/11, worked six furlongs over the Churchill dirt in 1:11.

     -Looks like Righteous is going to be tough to beat here. He

      will have to overcome breaking from the rail, but the distance

      should be a great fit with the way he closed in the BC Juvenile.

2    Skeleton Key: Trained by Pan Farms, this colt by Die Laffin

      makes his 5th stakes start here, and has two graded stakes

      wins, which came in his last two races. Goes for 3rd straight

      graded stakes win here Saturday. Highest Speed Figure: 94

      Coming off of a win in the Grade III $1,000.000 DED Jackpot,

      run at this 1 1/16 distance at Delta Downs on 11/19/11. Prior,

      Skeleton Key won the Grade I Breeders Futurity, run at KEE

      on 10/8/11, which was also at 1 1/16 on the dirt. Worked one

      mile over the EVD dirt on 11/10/11 in a very sharp 1:37 and 1.

     -We know Skeleton Key can get the distance here, as both

      of his graded stakes win have been at 1 1/16 on dirt. Looks

      good coming into the CC Futurity, and may be able to get

      his third straight graded stakes win Saturday.

3    D Here: Trained by Rouge River Stables, who won this race

      last year with Filly Mai Mia Bambina, this gelding by Northern

      Ruler is making his 3rd stakes appearance, and he has one

      ungraded stakes win. Highest speed figure so far: 94

      Coming off a two length win on 11/12/11 here at Hollywood in

      the $100.000 Real Quiet Stakes, run at 1 1/16 over dirt listed

      as good. D Here earned his highest speed figure of 94 in the

      Grade III Grey Stakes on 10/9/11, where he finished 5th in the

      1 1/16 dirt over the dirt at Woobine. Breezed six furlongs over

      the TUP dirt on 12/1/11 in 1:12.68

     -Not as experienced as some in the field, but D Here has been

      improving steadily, and he looked good winning the Real Quiet

      stakes last month by two lengths. Not sure he can beat some

      here, but look for a big race from him Saturday.

4    Guilty As Sin: Trained by Riggins Racing, this AG colt is by

      HRP-Alibhai, and will be making stakes start number five here.

      He has two stakes wins, both graded. High speed figure: 97

      Ran last on 11/4/11, in the BC Juvenile Sprint, where Guilty As

      Sin finished a disappointing 13th place, three lengths from the

      winner. Prior, he ran on 10/8/11 in the 1 1/16 Grade I Breeders

      Futurity at KEE, where after leading the entire race, he tired just

      before the end to finish 2nd, one length back. Won the Grade I

      DMR Futurity, run at seven furlongs on dirt on 9/7/11, and won

      the Grade III HOL Juvenile Championship at six furlongs back in

      July. On 12/6/11, worked six furlongs here on dirt in 1:11.27. 

     -Guilty As Sin has never won going longer than seven furlongs

      on the dirt, and in his only start at this distance, the Grade I
      Breeders Futurity, the distance was a bit long, as he led the

      race up to the end, when he tired. May need to lay off the pace

      a bit here to get the distance, but always gives 110%.

5    Burnsuwhenitshot: Trained by TwinTowersRacing, this colt

      by Wind Jammer will be making his 2nd career stakes start

      here, and looks for his first stakes win. High speed figure: 93

      Stakes debut came in his last start, the Grade III DED Jackpot

      run at this distance on dirt on 11/19/11, where Burnsuwhenitshot

      finished 2nd, a neck back. He led the entire race, before tiring

      just before the wire and getting passed by Skeleton Key. Prior

      to that, he broke his maiden on 10/8/11 at Belmont in a $51.000

      MSW, which was run at this 1 1/16 distance over dirt. Worked

      six furlongs over the dirt at LAD in 1:11 and 3 on 9/8/11.

     -Distance may be too long here, if Burnsuwhenitshot goes right

      to the lead as he did in the DED Jackpot, but if he can close as

      he did in his maiden win which was also at this distance. Just

      has the maiden win, which came two races back, so this may

      be a tough spot for him.

6    Indian General: Trained by Bush Wackers Of Ohio, this colt

      by Generalmajor will make his 5th stakes start Saturday, and is

      looking for his first stakes win. Highest speed figure so far: 94

      Coming off of a wire to wire win on 11/16/11 in a seven furlong dirt

      $55.900 Allowance race at Woodbine. Prior to that, in his only race

      longer than seven furlongs, the Grade III Grey Stakes run at 1 1/16

      over the WO dirt, Indian General finished 6th, two lengths back after

      leading the entire race, and tiring near the finish. His best stakes

      finish is a 2nd place which came on 7/3/11 in the 5 1/2F, $150.000

      Clarendon Stakes at WO for ON Breds. Worked 5F over the WO

      dirt on 12/7/11 in :59 flat.

     -Looks like the distance may be a bit long for Indian General, if he

      runs like he did in the Grey Stakes. Will need to lay off the pace

      early in the CC Futurity so he can save something for the end. Has

      struggled in his two prior graded stakes starts, finishing 6th in both,

      so this may be a tough spot for him.

7    Bombay Dancer: Trained by Diablo Diablo, this colt is a son of

      Break Dancer, and will be making his 3rd stakes start here. Has a

      graded stakes win, which came last time out. High speed figure: 93

      Won his last race, the Grade II KY Jockey Cup, run at this 1 1/16

      distance over the Churchill Downs dirt on 11/26/11. Prior to that,

      Bombay Dancer finished 3rd, just 3/4 of a length behind the winner

      in the Grade III Iroquois, run at one mile on the dirt, also at Churchill.

      Closed very well in that race, just needed more distance, and proved

      in his Jockey Cup win, the extra 1/16 of a mile was a perfect fit. On

      11/11/11 worked one mile over the dirt at CD in 1:38 and 3.

     -His closing style should benefit him here in the CC Futurity, and

      he has a graded stakes win at this distance. Not as much stakes

      experience as some in the field, but has been on a roll, and doing

      well. Think Bombay Dancer could run a big race Saturday.

8    Not Much There: This gelding by Kimbo Slice makes his first start

      here for trainer Kopites, who purchased the two-year-old, just six

      days ago from Mb Stables, for $110.000. This will be his 2nd stakes

      race and he has one ungraded stakes win. Highest speed figure so

      far: 94

      Won his stakes debut, in his last start on 11/12/11, in the $100.000

      Appleton Juvenile Turf Stakes for FL Breds, run at 1 1/16 over the turf

      at Calder. Prior to that, Not Much There won a $27.000 Allowance race

      at HAW, which was at this 1 1/16 distance on the dirt, so he will be

      going for his third consecutive win here, and second stakes win in a

      row on Saturday. Worked one mile over the dirt at AQU on 12/1/11 in

      1:38.76.

     -This may be a tough race for Not Much There to make his graded

      stakes debut, as he faces many here with more stakes experience

      than he has. Has been improving rapidly, and has a win over the dirt

      at this 1 1/16 distance, so he should run well, just not sure if he can

      beat horses of this caliber yet.

9    Embalmer: Trained by Larkhill Stables, this gelding by Ramz It, just

      came out of the auction, where he did not meet his reserve price of

      $88.000. A Maiden, Embalmer makes just his 3rd career start here,

      and is making his stakes debut. Highest speed figure so far: 86

      Last ran on 11/7/11 in a one mile dirt $45.000 MSW at PHA, where

      Embalmer finished second, and was losing ground at the end of the

      race, and distance looked a bit too long. Prior to that made his very

      first start on 9/18/11 at FE in a seven furlong turf $16.800 MSW race

      where he finished 9th. On 11/21/11 he worked six furlongs over the

      dirt at MNR in a time of 1:11.27.

     -Has some sharp works, but it looks like Embalmer may be in over

      his head here. Has yet to break his maiden, and with just two career

      starts, he faces some very tough two-year-olds, many of them graded

      and even multiple graded stakes winners. Not sure that he is ready for

      stakes level races, especially a Grade I at this point in his career. One

      to watch for in the future as he gains experience.

10   Condottieri: Trained by Jerry Garcia Racing, this colt is a son of

      Il Miglio Fabro, and makes his 4th career stakes start in the Grade I

      CC Futurity. He has one stakes win, which was a graded stakes win.

      Highest speed figure so far: 99 (Highest in the field)

      Comes off of a 5th place finish in the 11/5/11 Grade I BC Juvenile,

      run at this 1 1/16 distance over the Churchill Downs dirt. Condottieri

      closed beautifully in that race, finishing just one length behind the

      winner. On 8/15/11, he won the Grade II SAR Special, run at 6 1/2F

      over the Saratoga dirt, earning an impressive 99 speed figure. He

      followed that win by finishing 2nd to Guilty As Sin in the Grade I

      DMR Futurity, run at seven furlongs over the Del Mar dirt. Worked

      a very sharp mile over dirt in 1:37.56 at Churchill on 11/17/11.

     -Although he breaks from one of the outside posts, Condottieri broke

      from post 12 in his SAR Special win, and here he has much more

      distance to recover. Has never won going longer than 6 1/2 furlongs

      on dirt, but he closed impressively at this distance in the BC Juvenile

      race, and had he not run into some traffic early in his BC run, with as

      fast as he was closing at the end of the race, he may have caught the

      earlier finishers. Really like him in the CC Futurity and this talented

      colt could run a huge race.

11   Byaneck: The second entry for trainer Pan Farms, this AG colt by

      HRP-Princequillo will be starting in his 6th career stakes race, and

      has one ungraded stakes win, which came here at Hollywood, back

      in June. Highest speed figure so far: 97

      Last ran on 11/5/11, in the Grade I BC Juvenile race, where Byaneck

      finished 6th, just a neck behind Condottieri. Prior to his run in the BC

      race, he ran in the Grade I Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita on 10/1/11,

      and finished 3rd in the 1 1/16 dirt race, and was just neck behind the

      winner. His stakes win came in the $70.000 Proctor Memorial Stakes

      run at 5 1/2 furlongs over the dirt here at Hollywood on 6/12/11, which

      was the last time Byaneck posted a win. Worked a mile over the dirt

      at GG on 10/23/11 in a nice 1:37 and 3.

     -Has never won at a distance longer than 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt,

      but with his finish in the 1 1/16 Norfolk Stakes, the distance should

      not be a problem if he closes late here like he did in that race. It has

      been a while since Byaneck found his way to the winners circle, and

      his works have been sharp, but against this crowd, he is going to

      have to really give it his all. Expect a big effort from him here.

                               Cyn's Picks: 1 - 10 - 2