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Metaboss, Royal Son, Imperia among dozen in Spiral
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| Metaboss is two-for-two at the Spiral's 1 1/8-mile trip
(Shane Micheli/Vassar Photography) |
El Camino Real Derby (G3) winner Metaboss (Street Boss) will take on John
Battaglia Memorial romper Royal Son (Tiznow), as well as rebound candidates
Imperia (Medaglia d'Oro) and Conquest Typhoon (Stormy Atlantic), in Saturday's
$550,000 Spiral S. (G3) at Turfway Park. The 1 1/8-mile Polytrack event offers a
total of 85 points toward the Kentucky Derby (G1), on a sliding scale of
50-20-10-5 to the top four finishers.
An overflow field of 15 signed on when entries closed Sunday, but with no
provision for also-eligibles, the Spiral field is set at a capacity 12.
According to Daily Racing Form's Byron King, the three excluded
were Pepper Roani (Broken Vow) and Milwaukee Mist (Milwaukee Brew), respectively
second and third to Royal Son in the Battaglia, and Saham (Lemon Drop Kid).
Metaboss has blossomed since stretching out to two turns. Best of the rest
behind Bolo (Temple City), the eventual Eddie Logan winner and San Felipe (G2)
third, in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden, he has since won two straight over the
Spiral's nine-furlong distance. The Jeff Bonde trainee uncorked a visually
impressive turn of foot to break his maiden on the Santa Anita turf January 4,
and did the same to capture the February 14 El Camino Real Derby by 2 1/2
lengths on the Golden Gate Fields Tapeta. Hall of Fame rider Alex Solis will be
back aboard. |
Royal Son took a great leap forward in the final local prep, the Battaglia,
becoming yet another Derby hopeful in Todd Pletcher's quiver. Adding blinkers
off a non-effort in the January 31 Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, the
WinStar Farm homebred posted a wire-to-wire tour de force. His 5 1/4-length
conquest was good for a 103 BRIS Speed rating, best in the Spiral field.
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| Royal Son registered the field's only triple-digit BRIS Speed rating when airing in the Battaglia
(Coady Photography) |
Conquest Typhoon was only third in the El Camino Real Derby, but the Mark
Casse pupil had a tough task while arguing the pace off a 2 1/2-month layoff.
His best performances have come from off the pace -- wins in the Summer S.
(Can-G2) at Woodbine and Cecil B. DeMille (G3) at Del Mar. Yet those came on
turf, and Conquest Typhoon is 0-for-3 on synthetic, including a second to
eventual Risen Star (G2) and Lecomte (G3) hero International Star (Fusaichi
Pegasus) in last fall's Grey S. (Can-G3). He could answer that stat under a more
typically patient ride by Hall of Famer Mike Smith.Two Spiral entrants, Imperia and Another Lemon Drop, have been beaten by
International Star at Fair Grounds.
Imperia never got involved as the 3-5
favorite in the February 21 Risen Star, where he clunked up in fifth, and
trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has spotted him here in hopes of a resurgence. The
Godolphin colt has yet to race on synthetic, but he proved his turf proficiency
by breaking his maiden in the Pilgrim (G3), and earned dual surface credibility
when just missing to El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2).
Imperia's also bred for versatility as a son of triple-surface threat Cocoa
Beach. Eligible to do better second off the bench, Imperia switches from Smith
to Joel Rosario.
The Philip Bauer-trained Another Lemon Drop likewise tries synthetic for the
first time. Fourth to International Star in the January 17 Lecomte, he reverted
to turf for the February 28 Black Gold and couldn't catch front-running 63-1
shot Tuba (Magna Graduate) as the even-money favorite. But Another Lemon Drop
will benefit from the added ground of the Spiral, having broken his maiden going
1 1/8 miles on the Keeneland turf in October.
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Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott sends once-beaten Dubai Sky (Candy Ride), who
racked up his third straight score in the January 24 Kitten's Joy at Gulfstream.
Campaigned exclusively on turf so far, the full brother to Grade 1 star Twirling
Candy ought to transition smoothly to synthetic.
Rounding out the field are Wireless Future (Scat Daddy), who brings a
three-race winning streak from Fair Grounds for Tom Amoss; Mike Maker's trio of
Firespike (Flower Alley) and Task Force Glory (Badge of Silver), fifth and sixth
in the Battaglia, and Gulfstream turf allowance winner Watchyourownbobber (Hard
Spun); Magic of Believing (Badge of Silver), coming off an Oaklawn allowance
score for Kenny McPeek; and Hutcheson (G3) third Big Family (Any Given
Saturday), most recently no match for Khozan (Distorted Humor) in a February 22
Gulfstream allowance.
Post positions will be drawn Wednesday.
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