johnnym Wrote:
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> Moving forward Sueño pattern is pretty solid

The history of the Southwest Stakes includes only few stars. The biggest being Afleet Alex. Baffert had a few promising colts at the beginning of this decade topped by Secret Circle.

In the race's earliest days, the late 80's, we had a couple who made some impact on the track and breeding shed such as Rare Brick (A.J. Foyt III), Demons Begone (Jerry Bailey) and Proper Reality Sire to Smile, Relaunch and Grandsire to Tiznow..

The Southwest is an interesting race because of the absence of genuine stars. It's curious to me that in 2012 they had so many entrants they ran two races one division won by Castaway the other by Secret Circle both trained by Bullet Bob Baffert! Who may not have been back since then.

IMHO, the race is as it appears a prep for the Rebel which is in turn a prep for The Arkansas Derby and a gathering place for bona fide Kentucky Derby contenders. The event attracts a lot of young horses with a dubious futures. Colts which have given given their connections causes to believe they may have something special.

This years rendition was a great betting race. A race that I expected the Risen Star to be but wasn't. Its improbable any of the participants will make the Derby field. But it's fun to latch on to a colt that has an upside and support him.

Of course in the end, its how fast did they run? Realizing that horses who ran faster as juveniles have yet to start their three year old season.

Sueno (i.e. a dream in English) started in a MCL @ DMR and has done everything right. Few would argue that Desormeaux doesn't know what he's doing. Sire Atreides (most famous from Frank Herbert's classic book Dune) descends from the coffee conglomerate Medaglia d'Oro, El Prado, Sadler's Wells. I'd consider a future on the Arc de'Triomphe before one one the Kentucky Derby. Then Looking back there had to be a good reason this colt originally sold for only $1,500 @ Kee. But even the $61k the current owners Silverton Hill paid seems a deal today.

My Guess a TG 3-4 but a stretch to expect much more improvement given where he started. I really want to see this one try the turf which can't happen in ARK.