Laurie Ross
tracksideview.com

IRON MAIDENS
September 28, 2008 – Santa Anita
Norfolk Stakes

RATINGS:
*           Not optimal for this horse
**         Below average talent
***       Average talent
****    Superior talent
*****  Graded stakes winning talent
***       For sprint and distance both – falls into miler category

Ratings are assigned according to how a horse compares to the rest of the field in a given race. They are based upon pedigree strength, precociousness, surface preferences, speed and stamina influences, and the horse’s works or previous races.

The inaugural running of the Norfolk in 1969 was won by June Darling, a filly. Talented winners of this race, Chief’s Crown, and Capote, have gone on to victory in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Colts.  Other winners include Bertrando, Best Pal, Free House, Dixie Union and Roman Ruler.

Norfolk Stakes Grade 1
Race 8 | 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather Track) | Purse: $250,000

REGAL RANSOM (Distorted Humor – Kelli’s Ransom, by Red Ransom) World class sire gets runners at all distances and is a superior synthetic track sire. Dam sire set a track record for five furlong in his debut at Saratoga. He gets turf runners at all distances and his offspring include Electrocutionist, Perfect Sting, and Comic Strip. Dam is a half sister to Grade 2 route winner Minister Eric and turf stakes placed River God.  Regal Ransom won a seven-furlong maiden race by three-quarters of a length on the lead at Saratoga on Aug. 25. He has worked three times on the synthetic surface including a bullet four furlong on Sept. 14. He has good stamina influences in his pedigree and this distance shouldn’t be a problem.
DP = 6-3-14-0-1 (24) DI = 2.00   CD = 0.54 – GSV = 71.47
Precocity: ***   Synthetic: ****
Sprint:  ***       Route:  ****

AZUL LEON   (Lion Heart – Quick Blue, by Cure The Blues) Leading first crop sire won the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity and Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue at two. Dam sire was a stakes winner at two, produced winners on dirt and turf and is a known mud sire. The NY stallion is also considered a good broodmare sire. Dam, the only black type in two generations, won the Grade 3 Royal North and was third in the Woodbine Oaks in Canada. Azul Leon won the Grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile Champion Stakes and also Grade 2 Best Pal, that one on disqualification. Both races were at six furlongs and Azul Leon shows an average five-furlong work on Sept. 21. 
DP = 2-3-7-0-0 (12) DI = 2.43   CD = 0.58 – GSV = 59.66
Precocity: *****   Synthetic: ****
Sprint:  ***           Route:  ***

DEL CONTE (Point Given – Dirty Diana, by Flying Continental) Top sire imparts stamina to his offspring who can run on any surface.  Dam sire was a Grade 1 handicap champion. The good handicap horse Continental Red was his best offspring. Dam won two of her four starts and comes from an Australian female family. Del Conte broke his maiden in his fourth start when stretching out to a mile on the turf. He’s had a couple of good, steady works since then.  Point Given is considered a good synthetic track sire, so it remains to be seen if Del Conte benefited from a switch to the turf or a longer distance. He has turf influences top and bottom in his pedigree so he may be better suited to turf as his speed figures jumped 12 points when switched from synthetic track.
DP = 1-0-3-0-0 (4) DI = 1.67   CD = 0.50 – GSV = 55.82
Precocity: **   Synthetic: **
Sprint:  **       Route:  ****

STREET HERO  (Street Cry – Squalling Linda, by Summer Squall) second ranked Third Crop Sire has been on fire, producing Grade 1 winners left and right, from Kentucky Derby and Preakness stakes winner, Street Sense to this year’s undefeated sensation Zenyatta and Breeder’s Cup Sprint candidate Street Boss. Multiple Grade 1 stakes winning dam sire produced dual classic winner Charismatic and multiple graded stakes wining mares Summerly, Summer Colony, and Eclipse two year old filly Storm Song. Dam is a stakes placed earner of over $154,000 in 17 races. All of her foals have earned money. She is a half sister to stakes winner, Kohen with a K. Street Hero has the RF factor (Rasmussen Factor inbred to superior female within in 5 generations) to Natalma through her son, Northern Dancer and daughter Raise the Standard. He has good speed that should carry past a mile. He closed well to finish third, beaten by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and shows two live works coming into this race.
DP = 6-3-7-0-0 (16) DI = 3.57   CD = 0.94 – GSV = 67.71
Precocity: ***   Synthetic: ****
Sprint:  ***       Route:  ***

LITURGICAL (Songandaprayer – Ra Hydee, by Rahy) Sire gets precocious sprinter/miler types on all surfaces. Rahy is a versatile dam sire, as evidenced by his offspring Serena’s Song, Dancing Forever and Dreaming of Anna. Liturgical is a full brother to Group 2 UAE Derby placed Jack Junior, who is the only other foal from this dam to race.  Dam is an unraced half sister to Jonowo, second dam of the good stakes horse Nightmare Affair and Off the Richter.  Liturgical has no inbreeding within five generations. Previously raced in England over turf, he will be making his first start in this country over the synthetic surface. His works over the surface have not been inspiring.
DP = 5-4-8-0-1 (18) DI = 2.60   CD = 0.67 – GSV = 59.44
Precocity: **   Synthetic: **
Sprint:  ***     Route:  ***

MIDSHIPMAN (Unbridled’s Song – Fleet Lady, by Avenue of Flags) Talented sire is a good synthetic track producer. Dam sire was second in the Grade 2 Hollywood Juvenile Championship and his offspring include Grade 1 winners Notable Career, Joey Franco and Cambiocorsa. Midshipman is a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner, Fast Cookie and his dam is a multiple graded stakes earner of over $600,000 in 23 starts. Midshipman has plenty of speed that should carry past a mile. He won the seven-furlong Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity by a nose over Coronet of a Baron in his last start. He’s had a couple of sharp works leading into this race.
DP = 7-8-15-0-2 (32) DI = 2.37   CD = 0.56 – GSV = 68.14
Precocity: ****   Synthetic: ****
Sprint:  ***         Route:  ****

BELIEVE IN HOPE (Thunder Gulch – Hope Rises, by Mr. Greeley) Sire is a steady producer, with most offspring preferring a route of ground. His progeny include sire Point Given, champions Spain and Balance. Speedy sire is an anomaly.  Despite being a sprinter/miler on dirt, he has sired two European and one Australian champion. Both sire and dam sire are good synthetic track sires. Dam is a minor stakes winner of over $100,000 in six starts and this is her first foal. She is a half sister to the dam of Graded stakes winners Not Tricky and Saint Daimon, and to the grand dam of Smooth Air. Believe in Hope made a good four wide move in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity to finish three-and-three-quarter lengths behind Midshipman.  He’s had two good works since that race.
DP = 7-0-7-0-0 (14) DI = 3.00   CD = 1.00 – GSV = 62.77
Precocity: ****   Synthetic: ****
Sprint:  ****       Route:  ***

TIGER BLITZ (Tiger Ridge – Glittering Sky, by Air Forbes Won) Sire (Storm Cat – Weekend Surprise, by Secretariat) finished in the money twice in five starts and is a half brother to A.P. Indy and Summer Squall. He was very closely inbred to Secretariat and sent to South Africa after standing in Florida.  His offspring include Storm in May, Tiger Belle, Therecomesatiger and Leah’s Secret.  Grade 1 winning dam sire was a good NY sire, producing Yanks Music, Shawklit Mint and is the broodmare sire of Her She Kisses and Crafty Shaw (I just love those shawklit horses!). Tiger Blitz is a half brother to two minor stakes winners. Dam won her only start and has been a steady producer of winners. Tiger Blitz won when stretching out to a mile (beating Chocolate Candy!) in his second start.  He’s had three progressively slower works leading to this race.
DP = 6-5-9-0-0 (20) DI = 3.44   CD = 0.85 – GSV = 59.54
Precocity: ****   Synthetic: ***
Sprint:  ***         Route:  ***

SILENT VALOR (Lion Heart – Few Choice Words, by Valid Appeal) Sire is the leading first crop sire and a good synthetic track sire. Dam sire, a Grade 2 winning miler, is a known broodmare sire.  Silent Valor is a half brother to two minor stakes winners. Dam is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Nannerl, who produced Grade 2 winner, Magicalmysterycat. Silent Valor won the Grade 3 Sapling Stakes in his last start but shows no works over a synthetic track.
DP = 4-1-5-0-0 (10) DI = 3.00   CD = 0.90 – GSV = 59.54
Precocity: ****   Synthetic: ***
Sprint:  ***         Route:  ***

BRUSHBURN (Unusual Heat – Little Hottie, Afternoon Deelites) Sire is an Irish group 3 winner. He is a superior synthetic track sire and counts Golden Doc A, Lethal Heat, and Bel Air Sizzle as some of his progeny. Dam sire won the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity and Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue at two. He is considered a good synthetic sire and his offspring include stakes winners Deeliteful Irving, Miz Pickums, and Three Hour Nap. Brushburn’s full sister Hotitude, has earned close to $60,000 in 15 starts. Dam earned over $50,000 in 11 starts and comes from a modest but durable family. Brushburn was a gaining fourth, beaten by one-and-a-quarter lengths in the six-furlong state-bred I’m Smokin Stakes at Del Mar. Since that race, he’s had two average works.
DP = 3-0-13-0-0 (16) DI = 1.46   CD = 0.38 – GSV = 62.61
Precocity: ****   Synthetic: ***
Sprint:  ***         Route:  ***

WHO DO I LIKE?

AZUL LEON IS undefeated and keeps improving. He has a little more experience than MIDSHIPMAN, who will be the probable favorite in this race.  STREET HERO is still a maiden, but was only three-quarters of a length behind Midshipman in their last race and the added distance looks to benefit him. BELIEVE IN HOPE could be an overlooked longshot who should be running at the end.