Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park
Las Vegas, NV - The 43rd running of the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes is on tap for Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky this Saturday, March 23. Three year old males will be featured in this "Road to the Kentucky Derby" points race as they chase the winner's share of the $550,000 purse and the 50 qualifying points that go along with the win. The Derby contenders will go 1 1/8 miles on Turfway Park's polytrack surface.
The Spiral Stakes has drawn a full field of 12 Kentucky Derby hopefuls for race 10 on Turfway Park's Saturday card. Post time is 5:50 PM. Here is a look at the credentials of all 12 combatants ahead of this important points gathering Grade 3 stakes.
2013 Spiral Stakes Race Favorites
Uncaptured - Mark Casse trained colt enters the Spiral having won six of seven career starts - a fifth three back in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes being the lone blemish. His last two starts have been in graded stakes action - a win in the Grade 3 Iroquois in October was followed by a win last time out in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes November 24 - both of those wins coming at Churchill Downs after his previous five starts were at Woodbine.
Balance the Books - Chad Brown trained colt looked mighty impressive in winning the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga August 30 after a second in a Maiden Special Weight. Last time out was a nice third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf after another graded stakes win - the Grade 3 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland October 7. He has two wins, a second and a third place finish in his four career starts and has to be on the radar for the Spiral.
Spiral Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Capo Bastone - Todd Pletcher colt won his career debut on August 4 and has been OK in his last four starts - a fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity was followed by a good third behind Power Broker in the Grade 1 FrontRunner September 29. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream February 16 after a respectable third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November - a race that gave him four points on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" where he stands right now, in a log-jam in the standings.
Mac The Man - local contender and Jeffrey Greenhill trainee enters the Spiral Stakes on a three race win streak - all on this track. Last time out was a win in the minor 9 96ROCK Stakes February 2 after another minor stakes score in the Turfway Prevue Stakes January 5. He has seven career starts with four wins and a second place finish.
My Name Is Michael - shipped in from Woodbine for the Sam F. Davis Stakes last time out and finished a very respectable third after four starts in Ontario yielded a win, a second and a third place finish. He was a good second in the minor Display Stakes December 1 two back in his stakes debut at Woodbine.
Black Onyx - will be making his stakes debut Saturday for trainer Kelly Breen. He has won two of his last three starts - an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out at Gulfstream February 23 and a MSW at Aqueduct three back November 11. He has two wins and a second place finish in four career starts.
General Election - is coming off a win in the minor John Battaglia Memorial Stakes on this track March 2 in his stakes debut after a sixth and a second respectively in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Fair Grounds. He has four career starts with two wins and a second place finish.
Spiral Stakes betting at Turfway Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Taken by the Storm - Kenneth McPeek colt won an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out at Gulfstream March 9 after a sixth on that same track. He has to wins and one second in six career starts.
Fear The Kitten - Michael Maker trained colt has been competitive in his five race career with two wins, a second and a third place finish. Last time out was a second in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park February 18 after a third in the Grade 3 LeComte January 19 at Fair Grounds. He is one of the horses on the bubble for a berth in the Derby and will be looking for a good result Saturday.
Channel Isle - D. Wayne Lukas trained colt has two wins, a second and a third place finish in eight career starts but has won two Allowance races in his last four starts. He made his stakes debut three back with a twelfth in the Remington Springboard Mile and last time out was a respectable fourth in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park February 18.
Giant Finish - has four career starts for trainer Anthony Dutrow and is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Aqueduct January 17 and a second last time out in the John Battaglia Memorial here February 2 behind General Election. He has two wins and a second place finish in four career starts.
For Greater Glory - Steve Hobby trained colt is coming off a third in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes in his fifth career start. Prior to that was a MSW score at Oaklawn Park and a pair of seconds and a third in MSW races at three different tracks.
