King Congie

Jim Lisa

Date	Track	Race	Finish	Chart	Distance	Time	BSF	Video
5/21/11	PIM	Preakness	7th		1 1/16 mile	1:56.40	90
4/16/11	KEE	Blue Grass	3rd		1 1/8 mile	1:50.80	93

King Congie Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds Trainer: Thomas Albertrani Record: 6-2-0-2 Best Beyer: 93 Breeder: Bob Austin Tomlinson Distance Rating: 306 Auction: $30,000 short yearling (Keeneland, January 2009); $47,000 yearling (Keeneland, September 2009); $100,000 juvenile (Fasig-Tipton February, 2010) Dosage Profile: 2-0-4-0-0 (6) Dosage Index: 2.00 Center of Distribution: 0.67

PROFILE

By Steve Klein

STRENGTHS
He has been improving steadily, a fact underlined by his Beyer Speed Figures, which have improved in all five of his races since his debut. He crossed the wire first in three consecutive races, including two stakes, but was disqualified and placed third in the Hallandale Beach two starts ago. He lost a three-horse photo by a head last time, in the Grade 1 Blue Grass. If he is asked to do so, he can stay within comfortable striking distance of the leaders, but he can also be effective as a deep closer, as he was in the Blue Grass. He was considered to be a turf specialist, but he ran his best race last time, in his first start on Polytrack.

WEAKNESSES
It is a concern that he finished eighth on dirt at Saratoga in his debut, and that he was a well-beaten fourth on dirt at Belmont in his second start. But 14 1/4 of the 20 1/2 lengths he lost by at Saratoga belonged to Uncle Mo, in his maiden win. And he missed second behind Fort Hughes by only 5 1/2 lengths second time out. Dirt may not be his preferred surface, but when you look at his steady improvement, an argument can be made that he is in much better form now than he was in his first two dirt races, so he deserves another chance to show how good he is on dirt in the Preakness.

BETTING VALUE
He is a talented, improving horse. But bettors will probably be very sensitive to the fact that his early dirt form was much less impressive than his subsequent turf and Polytrack form, so generous odds are likely. If you believe he deserves the benefit of the doubt, you will probably be well rewarded if you are right.

PEDIGREE ANALYSIS

By Dan Illman

Sire:
Badge of Silver was a Grade 2 winner on dirt and turf, won races at distances ranging from 4 ½ furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, and earned 12 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures during his career.

From his first crop at stud, Badge of Silver has produced King Congie and Silver Medallion, the winner of the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at nine furlongs on Tapeta.

Dam:
All 12 of the dam’s career victories came in sprint races. She was 0-4 in races contested at one mile or over. Wise Ending is a full sister to Wise Sweep, a 14-time sprint winner that took a restricted stake at 4 ½ furlongs at Charles Town. Wise Sweep did win at 1 1/16 miles. A half-brother, Grand Champion, was a multiple stakes-winning sprinter (never routed, 105 Beyer top) while another half-sibling, Smoking Wise, was a stakes-winning sprinter at two (also won at a mile). Yet another half-sibling, Smooth It Over, was a stakes-placed sprinter at two (won at 1 1/16 miles).

This is the family of Grade 1 route winner Hurry Up Blue.

Outlook:
King Congie has a solid middle-distance pedigree and could be best at distances up to nine furlongs.