Sham Stakes (G3) 1/11/2014

[Zenyatta]

Race 5
$100,000
1 Mile, 3 year olds & 10 Derby points.

1    1    Kristo (KY)               3/C    L    R Bejarano    118    J W Sadler    2/1
2    2    I'll Wrap It Up (KY)       3/C    L    T Baze    118    D F O'Neill    8/1
3    3    Life Is a Joy (CA)       3/G    L    C S Nakatani    118    J Hollendorfer    12/1
4    4    Ontology (KY)               3/C    L    M Gutierrez    118    S Callaghan    8/1
5    5    Top Fortitude (AZ)       3/C    L    K Stra    118    R K Owens    2/1
6    6    Midnight Hawk (KY)       3/C    L    M E Smith    118    B Baffert    8/5

I like the AZ bred, Top Fortitude. My only concern is 56 days since his last race.  Kristo for 2nd, with the Baffert horse Midnight Hawk running 3rd.

Midnight Hawk will either be a freak and run off, or he'll have to hang on for the dough. He wore blinkers first time out, this time they'll be off. We shall see.

[BaroqueAgain1]

  Unfortunately, both Top Fortitude and Life Is a Joy are scratched. Down to a field of 4, and no show wagering.

[The Tin Man]

Midnight Hawk wins very unimpressively ...

It is a ... ahem ... Sham ... when this horse has Derby points when an infinitely more impressive Futurity winner gets none ...

Yawn.

This horse will do nothing if it runs in The Derby.

[Zenyatta]

Anyone know why the other two entries scratched? Disappointed that Top Fortitude didn't run.

Midnight Hawk won, but I wasn't that terribly impressed. We'll see how well the hawk on the other side of the country fares.

[Vic in Chicago]

WAIT!  How did I miss this?  Midnight Hawk is co-owned by Joel Quenneville, the coach of our beloved Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks!

Wow!  I've got my Derby horse.  Go Baby Go!   :chickendance: