Retrospection tries turf in Snack Stakes

Retrospection ran well enough on dirt June 21 to win the $103,500 Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes, and if, as his pedigree suggests, he turns out to be at least as good on turf, Retrospection can take down his second rich Indiana-bred stakes in the $100,000 Snack on Wednesday at Indiana Grand.

Retrospection is one of 11 colts and geldings entered in the Snack, a one-mile turf race for Indiana-breds, and after capturing his most recent race at odds of 4-1, he’s the 5-2 morning-line favorite with Robby Albarado to ride for trainer Mike Maker and owner Beth Burkett.

Retrospection is by Daaher and out of Atherbest, a mare by the strong turf influence Silver Hawk who started in nothing but grass races. Retrospection was entered for turf in his career debut last October, but that maiden race was rained onto dirt, and Retrospection has yet to try the lawn. He did just fine on the main track in the Hoosier Breeders, overcoming a tremendous amount of trouble to narrowly prevail under Albarado.

It is strictly a guessing game assessing turf form in the Snack since there basically is none. Only one of the 11 entrants has started on grass, and that horse, Dox Folly, was beaten 28 lengths in his one turf try. Still, Dox Folly is by Paddy O’Prado, who made his name racing on turf, and is out of a mare bred in Britain.

The one time he tried turf, Dox Folly found early trouble while racing over a course rated “good.” His stalking style could play well in a race with pace, and Dox Folly deserves a second look.

Plainfield did run well in winning the first two starts of his career, but his 3-5 price in the Hoosier Breeders was absurd, and Plainfield, regressing considerably, checked in a flat fifth.

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Whistle Stop in Ellen’s Lucky Star

Whistle Stop turned a soft trip into a stakes win while making her two-turn debut in the $104,300 fillies division of the Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes last out, and at something close to her 5-2 morning-line odds, she is worth playing against Wednesday in the $100,000 Ellen’s Lucky Star Stakes for Indiana-bred 3-year-old fillies.

The Ellen’s Lucky Star is carded at one mile on turf, and there are better-priced options than Whistle Stop who might suit the grass. Whistle Stop has never tried it, and from an inside draw, the habitual front-runner might be in for a pressured trip on or near the lead.

Mike Lauer trains Whistle Stop, and another Lauer filly, Accessorizing, might have at least as good a chance as Whistle Stop while offering a better price. Accessorizing has only sprinted, winning two of her three career starts, but she has shown a willingness to settle and finish and has the pedigree (by Old Fashioned and out of a Summer Squall mare) to stay a middle distance around two turns. Accessorizing won her only start on turf, a five-furlong dash last summer on the Indiana Grand course.

With any luck, Midnight Blvd probably would have beaten Whistle Stop in the Hoosier Breeders, and she came back from that troubled trip to dominate an Indiana-bred allowance race, but this is a filly who brings no turf pedigree into her grass debut.

More appealing at 20-1 on the line is Polar Vortex, who comes out of an open turf allowance and could get a favorable setup.