Midnight Mojo has figure edge but might be vulnerable

Midnight Mojo figures to be a clear favorite when meeting a small cast of allowance foes in Saturday’s feature race at Emerald Downs.

On paper, Midnight Mojo might seem like a standout based on his last-race Beyer Speed Figure of 73 in a field where the only other contestant above 54 last out finished six lengths behind Midnight Mojo in their last start.

The five-horse feature race has no proven speed and that factor will likely have a major bearing on whether the favorite can get things to go his way in the end. Midnight Mojo also happens to be a 4-year-old who is meeting a trio of lightly raced sophomores, any of whom could pick Saturday to improve suddenly as is typical for 3-year-old horses during the last half of the year.

Of particular interest is Table Bay, who will be making just his third career start for trainer David Martinez. The son of Atta Boy Roy was a narrow winner first time out and the pair of runners who were second and third in that race each returned to win their next start.

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Table Bay gets speed from both sides of his pedigree, though his female family should get him the one mile of Saturday’s assignment. That speed may prove very important in a race where the pace picture is murky at best.

Also in Saturday’s field is Kahala, a stablemate to Table Bay whose stock rose last weekend when his younger half-sister Appeal Factor won the Angie C Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in her career debut. Their dam, Karula, had won the same stakes event by 11 lengths in her own career debut in 2015.

Kahala beat a poor maiden field at a mile on May 21 before returning to be fourth, beaten seven lengths, on June 25 in the race where Midnight Mojo was beaten just one length. Kahala does not seem to have significant early speed, though he should be well positioned to outrun his odds in the event Table Bay gets used up on the pace.

Another facing the starter is Deshambeau, a son of Lea trained by Frank Lucarelli. Deshambeau has a little early speed himself and may take his chances on or near the early pace in an attempt to gain a tactical edge over the likely favorite.

The other starter is Rhodesia, who is probably overmatched considering he finished last, beaten 22 lengths, when facing Midnight Mojo on June 25. Rhodesia won an $8,000 maiden-claiming event on May 28 when meeting six others who have now combined for a single career win from 61 combined starts to date.

Midnight Mojo is the most accomplished of the group, but his lack of positional speed, his win-shy record, the small field, and a trio of lightly raced, younger foes may combine to give chalk players fits.

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