Turnback should be to Table Bay's liking
Table Bay makes his first start under claiming conditions in Saturday’s co-featured fourth race at Emerald Downs while returning from a short rest after a disappointing finish as the heavy favorite.
Table Bay, trained by David Martinez, showed some promise when defeating maiden special weight rivals in his career debut in late May. His connections thought enough of him to try stakes competition in just his second career start. Table Bay stumbled at the start of the Auburn Stakes on June 18 and then raced a bit wide on the turn in a race won by Clovisconnection, who has since won two additional stakes without a loss.
Four weeks later, on July 15, Table Bay tried his hand at the one-mile distance and went to post as the 3-5 choice in the wagering. Despite setting a slow early pace, Table Bay surrendered the lead and then backed up to finish last, beaten 15 1/4 lengths. The winner that day was Deshambeau, who in his next start finished a strong second in the Muckleshoot Derby to heavily favored invader Prince Abu Dhabi.
There’s a good chance that Table Bay wasn’t cut out to go one mile as he is by Grade 2-winning sprinter Atta Boy Roy and from a mare by strong sprinter Abraaj. The switch back to six furlongs figures to agree with the lightly raced colt.
Chief among the opposition is Time ’er Too, a Kay Cooper trainee who might sit a great trip behind what should be an abundance of pace in the small field. Time ’er Too was a narrow maiden winner at six furlongs on June 23 in a somewhat modest for Emerald time, 1:09.46, on what was the fastest day of the season. The 3-year-old has tried Saturday’s $15,000 claiming nonwinners-of-two level twice and been quite competitive in each, netting third place on July 21 and then second, beaten a nose, on Aug. 4.
The pace will be the key to everything for handicappers, with Mister Mafioso, trained by Faustino Patino, seeming most likely to be found on the early lead. Last-out maiden winner Single Merit earned that win at the $5,000 claiming level and will now race for triple the asking price after romping by eight lengths on Aug. 11 in wire-to-wire fashion. Single Merit is trained by Debbie Van Horne.
Mr. Bugs is another last-out maiden winner at the $5,000 claiming level and was the rare 5-year-old maiden to be claimed from three consecutive maiden events. Mr. Bugs is now trained by Hilario Perez after having been claimed from his winning effort on Aug. 19.
Saturday’s eighth race offers identical conditions, though restricted to fillies and mares. In the eighth race, Driveway and Yogya are the most likely winners as each is exiting the Washington Oaks on Aug. 13. Yogya faces claiming company for the first time.
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