This week we’re heading over to Malaysia for the running of one of the richest races in the region, The Singapore Cup, a Group I race that will be run over a mile and one quarter over the turf. Offering up to the runners is a prize purse of $2,000,000. There will be scattered thunderstorms in the area for almost the entire week leading up to the race, however, it looks like we’ll probably be getting a break as the storms move out of the area before the race, leaving us with what will likely be a firm turf course on Saturday. The Singapore Cup (G1) had its first running last year when wicked’s colt Spartiate (ENG) won the inaugural running of the race by one and three-quarter lengths. Another horse will be going down in the history books this weekend. Despite the high purse offered and a firm racing surface, the race has only drawn seven horses into the race this year. Let’s take a look at the contenders.

1. Portman’s Perfect - (Pleasantly Perfect x Sadler’s Wells x Irish River (FR)) - nijinsky4 of Mv4ever Stables - G. O’Donnell - 5/2

With a total of two hundred four stakes points, the Kentucky-bred five-year-old is one of the most accomplished horses gong to the gate this weekend. The chestnut horse is out of the graded stakes winning broodmare N. Portman. With a total of nine career victories, the horse has won a total of $6,120,406 in lifetime earnings. The most recent start for the horse came in the Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic (G1) over twelve furlongs in Dubai. Breaking out of the gate at the middle of the pack, the horse made his move when the field entered the stretch. However, the chestnut horse only managed to finish third in the race, five and a quarter lengths off the pace. He recorded a speed figure of one hundred eight. The horse’s latest victory was in The Alyrap Roar Challenge, a listed stakes race over eleven furlongs in North Korea. Some of the horses’ great triumphs include victories in to 2008 Sydney Derby (G1), Derby de English (G1), and the Coalminer Cup (G1), along with a second place finish in the 2008 Coffeefields Cup (G1). The horse will likely break towards the middle of the pack on Saturday, likely not making a major move until the stretch.

2. Cozy Bend (IRE) - (Refuse To Bend (IRE) x Cozzene x Kingmambo) - rlogan of Oneworld Stables - D. Ledwith - 7/2

Out of the stakes placed broodmare Cozy Mambo, the four-year-old roan colt has won eight races over the course of his twenty-two race career. The Irish-bred has also brought home $741,354 in lifetime earnings. Making his most recent start in The Ambrosia (G3) over ten furlongs in Italy, the colt was held just off the pace of a couple of front runners after the break from the gate. He would surge past them late in the stretch as the duo started to fade, leaving him crossing the wire two and a half lengths in front of the rest of the field under jockey C. Indy. The colt set a speed figure of one hundred nine for the race. Prior to this start the colt finished second by a head in The Winter Derby (G3) over ten furlongs. Other prestigious starts for the colt include a fourth place finish in last years Eclipse Stakes (G1) in Newmarket, England. The roan colt will likely be forwardly placed this weekend in The Singapore Cup (G1), as he is for most of his races. He will likely be held just off the pace of a few front runners, likely settling back no further than fourth or fifth off the pace early on.

3. Conglomerate King - (North Light (IRE) x Sadler’s Wells x Northern Dancer) - hewett of Briant Breeding & Racing Empire - S. Fairchild - 6/1

With thirty lifetime starts, the five-year-old brown horse has a total of $164,824 in lifetime earnings. Nearly all of the horse’s starts have come over the turf, including the fife lifetime wins the Kentucky-bred has scored. The horse made his most recent start in The Milers Cup (G3) in Japan last month. The colt broke out of the starting gate in the middle of the pack but faded badly late in the race, ultimately finishing ninth, eleven lengths off the pace. Despite this, the colt set a speed figure of one hundred one. The horse last emerged victorious last year in an eight and a half furlong allowance race held in the United States. He went wire to wire in this race, winning by a length and three quarters. The horse is winless in graded stakes company, his best finish coming in the Honery Queen’s Plate (G3) where he finished two lengths behind in fifth. Unfortunately with the more stakes experienced field going to the gate this weekend, the brown horse will probably have his work cut out for him. He will likely be forwardly placed, right on the lead if possible out of the gate.

4. Alondra Power (IRE) - (Galileo (IRE) x Rahy x Summer Squall) - haackslew of Otto Haack - D. Doughty - 9/1

Returning to the turf this weekend after taking a detour to run on the dirt for the fist time in her career, she’ll also be making her eighteenth start this weekend. The only filly in this weekend’s race, she’ll be challenging the boys for the first time in her career. With eight career wins, the Irish-bred will be pointed towards number nine this weekend. The filly made her most recent start over the dirt during The Roger A La Bird Memorial, a listed stakes race over ten furlongs in the United States. The filly was settled behind a few front runners in the race, but when they tired later on in the race, she was right there to take over, winning the race by a length and quarter with a speed figure of one hundred two. All of the fillies other starts have come over the turf. Her most recent victory was in The Queens Vase (G1) over ten furlongs, also in the United States. The filly won this race impressively by two and a quarter lengths, recording a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred seven. Her biggest challenge this weekend may be the caliber of the race she is going into, as well as the challenge of facing the boys for the first time in her career. She will likely be forwardly placed, just off the pace of a front runner or two, likely in second or third at the break.

5. Storm’s Gone Again - (Awesome Again x Storm Cat x Gone West) - tlsgold of Crandy Stables - F. Foster - 10/1

The oldest horse in the race at the age of seven, this Kentucky-bred is looking to find his form again, having been on a steady decline in his most recent races. The seven-year-old brown horse has made fifty-three lifetime starts, winning a lucky thirteen of them, and bringing home career earnings of $1,526,430 for Crandy Stables. The most recent race for the brown horse was in the nine furlong Slowness Stakes (G3), run this year over a good turf track. Breaking towards the back of the pack in the race, the horse started to move as the field entered the turn, but it was far too little to late as the horse would cross the wire in eighth, back off the pace by ten and a quarter lengths. He would record a speed figure of ninety-nine on the off turf track. The horses’ most recent win was last August during The Snowy Hill (G3), a ten furlong race over a good turf course in Surrey, England. Breaking in the middle of the back, the horse would make his move in the stretch, winning impressively by two and a quarter lengths, setting a fantastic speed figure of one hundred twelve. However, since that start, the horse has finished on the board only once, leaving some to question wether the seven-year-old is past his racing prime, at least at graded stakes level. The horse finished third in the 2007 Eclipse Stakes (G1). He will likely run off the pace of the field this weekend, looking to run the position as a closer, waiting until the last minute until guided to make his move.

6. River Sun - (Sunriver x Icecapade x Dr. Fager) - wispa4 of Willow Stables - R. Wilhite - 3/1

With career earnings of #1,091,110 for a total of fourteen lifetime starts, the four-year-old light gray New York bred will be looking to redeem himself back to winning form after going through a tough last start, coming up just short at the wire. The striking colt made his most recent appearance in the Manha Manha Challenge (G1) over ten furlongs in South Africa. Breaking at the center of the field during the turf route, the colt quickly made up ground in the field, but would still be caught finishing in third at the wire, though it was by a narrow margin of three quarters of a length that the colt missed his victory. He set a speed figure of one hundred eight. Prior to this the light gray colt had won three consecutive races, including The Sanka High (G2) in Japan. Debuting on the dirt and even on the Derby trail until an eighth place finish in the Arkansas Juvenile (G1), the colt has since found his forte on the turf. The colt is a versatile runner, capable of being placed anywhere in the pack successfully. Where he goes on Saturday will have a great deal to do with with pace this weekend,

7. Vindianapolis - (Vindication x Fappiano x Buckpasser) - icbomber4 of The Empire - F. Williams - 4/1

Bred in Kentucky, the four-year-old colt has found his forte running over the turf. The chestnut colt has made seventeen lifetime starts, thirteen of these coming over the lawn. The colt has made his most recent start in the Great Beer Cap (G3) over eleven furlongs in New Zealand. The chestnut broke out an inside post quickly and sprinted to a four and a quarter length lead out of the gate. He couldn’t hold up the pace though over the entire eleven furlongs and eventually surrendered the lead to finish second at the wire, back off the pace by two lengths. He would set a speed figure of one hundred eight for the race. Prior to this the colt made a start in the Sunken Treasure Challenge, a listed stakes race over ten furlongs in Queesland, Australia. The colt won by two and a half lengths, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred twelve. The colt will be making just his fourth graded stakes start of his career this weekend. He has a single graded win, coming last year in The Timberland Lodge (G3). The colt is fairly versatile, capable of running either on the pace at the front of the back, or in the position as a closer. We were most likely see the colt running mid-pack this weekend, however, likely around the fifth or sixth horse out of the gate.

Flrancho’s Picks
Win: Cozy Bend (IRE)
Place: Portman’s Perfect
Show: River Sun