Gierkink's preview: Charlie Barley Stakes grows in appeal
The featured Achievement Stakes lured just five horses, making the eighth race, the Charlie Barley Stakes, a much more appealing betting proposition. The $100,000 Charlie Barley is scheduled for a mile on the turf, on which lane 1 will be used.
Nine 3-year-olds were entered, including two speedy sons of successful turf sire Speightstown, Speightsong and Speightsland. Speightsong is the 8-5 morning-line choice off a decisive score in the seven-furlong Queenston Stakes on the Polytrack, but he’s questionable going this far on the lawn. Speightsland, who was supplemented for $2,000 by trainer Mark Casse, won a seven-furlong maiden special last time out on the Polytrack. He is out of a Grade 1 stakes winner on dirt.
Stakes winner Jose Sea View is experimenting on the grass. His sire, Badge of Silver, has produced a good 15 percent winners on the lawn, most notably stakes winner Silver Max. Jose Sea View’s versatile dam was a turf stakes winner, and she’s thrown three turf winners from five starters.
One Destiny, who has never tried the grass, figures to be scratched because he’s cross-entered in Sunday’s $1 million Queen’s Plate.
Race 5 scratches
A host of runners will be scratched from the fifth, an $8,000 conditioned claimer, because they are entered back in an identical event Sunday. They are Jurasgoodasitgets, I’m No Fairytail, Open Ice Hit, Executive Barlee, Donna’s Boy, That Sonofagun, and Love Hammer.
There isn’t much left in terms of quality contenders, and the race could be dominated by Executive Story if the seven-furlong distance is within his range. He graduated over six furlongs in his penultimate start and was recently a wide/closing third in a five-furlong non-winners-of-two tilt for $12,500 claimers.
Horse to watch
NETTI SIOUX
Trainer: Brian Lynch
Last race: July 4, 4th
Finish: 2nd by 1
She awaited room early in the stretch before closing inside for second behind a late-running rival who enjoyed clear sailing on the outside. She lugged in a little in deep stretch in that maiden-special sprint on the grass and should earn her diploma when she gets her act together.