Abundance of Pace In Commonwealth Turf Aids Closers

The stakes schedule for the first Saturday after the Breeders' Cup is understandably light. The $175,000 Commonwealth Turf Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs is the only graded stakes to be run in North America Nov. 9, and also the richest.

Three of the four other stakes worth six figures are at Aqueduct Racetrack, beginning with the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie, which was originally scheduled for closing day at Belmont Park but postponed when wind-driven rain prompted a cancellation after one race. The seven-furlong Pumpkin Pie for fillies and mares is the first leg of the late pick four and it also begins an all-stakes pick three that continues through the $150,000 Artie Schiller for older grass males and the $100,000 Atlantic Beach for juvenile turf sprinters.

A combination of rain and unseasonably cool weather heading into the weekend could render the turf in Kentucky and New York something other than firm. Churchill Downs moved its scheduled turf races to the main track Nov. 7-8 after rain Thursday.

The $100,000 Frost King at Woodbine attracted a field of 10 Ontario-bred 2-year-olds headed by 2-1 morning-line favorite Owlette and 3-1 second choice Artie's Princess, a pair of Wesley Ward-trained fillies with early speed who are a combined 5 for 5 over the local synthetic surface. Either could lead the boys a merry chase, but both are nominated to the Nov. 16 South Ocean Stakes so there is a possibility at least one of them could bow out Saturday and await that 1 1/16-mile spot against their own gender.

It's also Sunshine Millions Preview Day at Gulfstream Park West, where nine $75,000 stakes leading to Sunshine Millions Day at Gulfstream Park January 18 feature two-time Princess Rooney Stakes (G2) winner Stormy Embrace in the Millions Distaff Stakes and Mr. Jordan trying to win the Classic Preview Stakes for the fourth straight year.

Commonwealth Turf (CD, race 10, 5:36 ET): The top four finishers from the Jefferson Cup are among this overflow field of 16 sophomores, and in all likelihood Spectacular Gem (6) won't get the same easy lead that produced his front-end win over Tracksmith (7), Faraway Kitten (13) and Clint Maroon (3) that day.

Also expected to vie early are Osage Moon (2), who comes off two wire-to-wire wins at Woodbine; Pirate's Punch (4) and Knicks Go (9), who each try turf for the first time; and Mr Dumas (11), who dueled early en route to an allowance win earlier at the meet.

Pirate's Punch could be scratched, having been re-entered in an allowance Nov. 10 at Churchill Downs.

Tracksmith rallied smartly in the Jefferson Cup to nip Faraway Kitten for second, and while the latter fared poorly at the draw it could prove notable that he has won twice on non-firm turf. Along the same lines, two of Clint Maroon's better efforts came on rain-softened ground earlier this year.

Tiz Plus (8) goes after his seventh win of the season and ships in from Remington Park making his first start for Steve Asmussen, who sent out 2018 Commonwealth winner Hot Springs. The new face fits on speed figures based on a recent score against the older grade 3 winner Keep Quiet, and possesses consistent tactical speed.

Louder Than Bombs (12) withstood pace pressure to beat heavily favored older rival Emaraaty last out. He is capable of rating and is back in top form after getting most of the summer off.

A - 7, 8

B - 12, 13

C - 3

Pumpkin Pie (Aqu, race 7, 2:50 ET): Philanthropic (1) has improved considerably winning her first two starts for Jason Servis, and she looms the lone speed while getting a five-pound break from her main pursuers.

That being said, she has to get an additional furlong here and is no faster on paper than several others. I get the sense bettors will hammer her down below the 2-1 morning-line quote.

Pink Sands (5) is the strongest closer in the mix and has won her last three non-graded stakes starts, all of those victories accomplished under Jose Ortiz, who is aboard Saturday. She cuts back after being victimized by very slow fractions in both the Locust Grove Stakes (G3) and Shuvee Stakes (G3) around two turns, and we're going to hope Saguaro Row (6) and/or Majestic Reason put at least some pressure on Philanthropic early.

Saguaro Row was close-up winning two in a row with Joel Rosario in the spring, and reunites with him after lagging inexplicably far back and trying to rally widest of all at Laurel Park on short rest.

Majestic Reason started the season with two wins, before running second in a salty allowance at Laurel that spawned four next-out winners, three of them in stakes. Like Saguaro Row, she was too far back most recently when third in the Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2).

Honor Way (4) is the only two-time winner at seven furlongs and is not outgunned by the numbers.

A - 5, 7

B - 1, 6

C - 4

Artie Schiller (Aqu, race 8, 3:20 ET): Among 10 entered for turf the only one with local experience is last year's Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) winner Voodoo Song (10), who notched his maiden victory at the Big A at the 2016 fall meet. It's taken Voodoo Song most of the season to get back into form, and the free-running horse has a tough row to hoe drawn outside rival speeds Gidu(7) and Dr. Edgar (9) in search of his first win of 2019.

The pace scenario favors Frontier Market (1) and Caribou Club (8), who were heads apart finishing one-two in the Baltimore/Washington International Stakes (G3T) seven weeks ago.

Frontier Market, cataloged for next Wednesday's Keeneland November Sale, has never been worse than second from six starts at the one-mile trip.

Caribou Club has made 19 of 21 career starts on firm turf, the exceptions an off-the-board finish in this year's $2 million Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1T) in Dubai and a fourth in the 2017 James W. Murphy Stakes behind eventual dual grade 1 winner Yoshida (JPN).

Just Howard (4), was a close fifth behind Caribou Club and Frontier Market after finishing in close quarters between horses last time. He has won on yielding turf.

So has Dr. Edgar, who has at times shown the wherewithal to sit second early.

Curlin's Honor (5) was in the money in five straight graded stakes, among them a close third to eventual Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) winner El Tormenta, before taking an optional claimer at Woodbine last out.

A - 1, 8

B - 4

C - 5, 9, 10

Atlantic Beach (Aqu, race 9, 3:50 ET): No fewer than 14 juveniles signed on for this dash and there's no shortage of speed here, either. The Mark Casse-trained duo of Old Chestnut (2) and Jack and Noah (4)  have some zip, and so do So Street (1) and Montauk Daddy (7).

Looking to find a sweet spot in range of the early leaders are Freewheeler (5), Turned Aside (6) and Embolden (8).

Freewheeler raced greenly but widened impressively when unveiled for a maiden win over the summer, and rallied to edge Embolden for second in the Futurity Stakes (G3T) at Belmont behind Four Wheel Drive, who then took the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) to remain unbeaten through three starts.

Freewheeler and Embolden both add blinkers for the rematch.

Turned Aside has progressed nicely through three starts climaxed by a convincing maiden win from just off the pace. He is yet another grass winner by leading freshman sire American Pharoah, also the sire of Four Wheel Drive.

Fly Fly Away (10) could fall through the cracks at 12-1 on the line for Christophe Clement. The New York-bred by First Samurai has had a respite since a pace-pressing fade in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T), which came 19 days after a maiden sprint win from midpack, and he blew out swiftly Nov. 5.

A - 5, 6

B - 8, 10

C - 2