A war for five and half furlong!
It will be all-out war in Sunday’s War Zone Sprint at five and a half furlongs in which five of the eight runners are renewing rivalry out of a five-furlong straight race won by a rank upsetter, 12-1 shot LOOSE BALL, who returns hunting a hat-trick of wins with apprentice Raddesh Roman.
LOOSE BALL is among three Wayne DaCosta runners in the event, joining SIR ALTON and EAGLE ONE, United States-bred colts, who, since winning maiden events, have been catching hell against class horses such as MAHOGANY and recently injured RACE CAR.
Having both broken their maiden over the straight course, SIR ALTON and EAGLE ONE, were expected to have done better at the trip on August 1. However, a four-month COVID19 lay-up and inside draw worked against SIR ALTON whereas EAGLE ONE failed to capitalise on the three runs he had under his girth, running from mid-track.
The field was cut down by run-on sprinter LOOSE BALL, who came from behind speedsters SHE’S A HIT, SIR ALTON and EAGLE ONE, diving down to the inner rail inside the last furlong, but still lasted home from the quietly whispered importee, SOLID APPROACH, who came flying on the stands’ side, going down by a neck.
Now on the round course and joined by three quick runners, LABAN, SPEECHLESS and American-bred CRAFTY AND READY, a helluva fight is expected, pointing to the possibility of the speed again collapsing, especially with an additional half-furlong to run.
LABAN stunned a quality field at five and a half furlongs on July 25, scoring at 15-1, to complete back-to-back wins after breaking his maiden at five furlongs round. He returns at the same weight, 114lb, with Dane Dawkins and is well draw at stall two to make a bold bid.
However, he’s up in class and facing SHE’S A HIT, a filly who is hardly ever led in a race. She had stumbled and went to her knees at the start last time out, breaking from post-position one, but still recovered sufficiently to carry the field on to the main track.
With Dick Cardenas aboard at 111lb, SHE’S A HIT will be gunning the lead from the word go, alongside whomever decides to take her on, the likes of CRAFTY AND READY, EAGLE ONE, LABAN and one of two Gary Crawford runners, SPEECHLESS.
SPEECHLESS ran really well in the 1000 Guineas, improving into fourth at the furlong pole in the 13-horse field before being relegated to fifth. She will carry approximately 117lb with Robert Halledeen, who was aboard her for a four-length win at five furlongs round on June 20.
Whereas SPEECHLESS’ speed could be nullified by SHE’S A HIT, her United Statesbred stablemate, SOLID APPROACH, could be the sleeper horse in the event. Though burdened with 122lb under Shane Ellis, SOLID APPROACH could relish the additional half-furlong as she appeared to have been begging for a little more real estate at five furlong straight.
In her previous race, when treated with lasix for the first time, SOLID APPROACH was battling EAGLE ONE when RACE CAR split them a furlong out at six and a half, an event in which SHE’S A HIT and CRAFTY AND READY had also alternated on the lead.
If Shane Ellis sits in the catbird seat with SOLID APPROACH, who is not void of pace, and times his run with the big weight, the house of speedsters should come tumbling down to him inside the last half-furlong.