SC Synthetic Marathon Preview

[Karl Smythe]

Just in case you don't read the Feature Race Articles.

Eight horses will go for the $400, 000 Marathon on Monday. The Grade 1 event will be run over 1 ½ miles of all weather track at Artificial Arena and will go as the 2nd race on the card.

The Marathon is headlined by Ghazi’s Dream. The four year old Alex Safka owned colt is a six time winner with earnings just under $700k. The five time stakes winner is looking to take back to back victories in the Marathon after taking last season’s version with a victory over Bluegrass Stakes, Augmenting and Del Mar Derby, all retired since then.
Ghazi’s Dream took the Elvis Stakes two starts ago at the distance and enters here off a fourth place finish going shorter in the Plastics Classic. He should be able to rebound off that effort and take another win in the Marathon.

Brown Eyed Beauty will represent her owner Arthur Cutler as she goes for her biggest victory to date. She has a stakes win going 1 3/8 miles this season in the Stills Stakes and a 2nd place finish in the Wild Horses (in open company).

The Nena Olson runner Claws seems to have come into his own this season at the age of four. He is a two time stakes winner this season with a win over 1 3/8 miles in the What A Long Trip Stakes and the 1 ¼ Thoughts Alone Stakes. He enters off a third in his latest and his affinity for the longer distance may make him a major player as they run for the wire.

Gossiper will represent his owner Jeff Wall. He looks to step up in company but has had his finest year at five as he won the Queen’s Riot Stakes and took an allowance victory in his latest. He will have to be at his best if he wants to take a share in the spoils.

The Greg Mey colour bearer Life Out West looks to make his first start over the all weather a winning one. The three time winner has two stakes victories to his credit including the King of Jesters Stakes this season. Earlier works over all weather indicate an affinity for the course and he may be the dark horse in the field. I look for a top three finish from this colt.

The six time stakes winner Perfect Sunday will represent his breeder Norman Architecture. He may just be the horse to beat behind Ghazi’s Dream. His wins this season include the All Weather Derby three starts back and he enters here off back to back 2nd place finishes to Time Turner. The versatile runner can run on the lead and from off the pace so his race will not be dictated by one style. He defeated Ghazi’s Dream in his latest and looks to go one better with a win over the Marathon distance.

The Jolene Danner homebred Seek and Defend is a top flight filly with two wins at the distance in two starts. She took the Madonna Stakes two starts ago and finished a closing 4th in the Plastics Distaff in her latest going 1 ¼. Her love for the distance puts her right in the thick of things.

The final runner to enter the gate is The Elder Wand. The three year old colt represents his breeder Kasie Gillespie. ‘Wand’ is a two time stakes winner with his major victory over the Marathon distance three starts ago. He is nice colt with a decent chance to pick up a cheque off his ability going 1 ½ miles.

A tough race to handicap, I look for Perfect Sunday to beat his older rival Ghazi’s Dream with anyone of Claws, Seek and Defend and Life Out West in with a chance to upset.

Jon Smythe

Disclaimer :
All opinions are in fun and not to be taken seriously by anyone entered in the Marathon.