The Grade 2, $300,000 Purple Smith Stakes at Aqueduct drew a area of 9, together with two millionaires and two horses which might break via the million-dollar profession earnings threshold ought to they win. Nevertheless, the 2 millionaires, Adhamo and Metropolis Man, have a mixed 2024 report of 0-for-8.
Metropolis Man earned his final win in August 2023 within the West Level Stakes for New York-breds solely and was just lately second within the Mohawk Stakes, additionally restricted to New York-breds. Adhamo has misplaced 9 straight races since capturing the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes in 2022, and he completed 10th within the 2024 United Nations Stakes in his most up-to-date race. The 2 on the brink of millionaire standing, Integration and Grasp Piece, have significantly better latest kind. Integration has earned $976,800 in his profession and two races again completed second within the Grade 1 Arlington Million. Alternatively, Integration has by no means run this 1 3/8 miles distance, together with his longest race the Arlington Million on the distance of 1 ¼ miles. Grasp Piece has earned $943,577 up to now and received the 2023 Purple Smith Stakes. He enters this yr’s race off a third-place effort, crushed a head for second, within the Grade 2 California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Stakes introduced by 1/ST Wager. Each Curbstone and Restricted Legal responsibility are reducing again in distance from for much longer races and is perhaps contenders. Curbstone completed second within the two-mile John Forbes Stakes final month, whereas Restricted Legal responsibility received the Blackwood Distilling Nashville Gold Cup Stakes on the distance of two 1/16 miles. Then there’s Insurgent Purple, essentially the most flippantly raced horse within the area at seven begins. He has received three of 5 races since resuming his profession in america this yr after 18 months off, and he enters the Purple Smith off a career-best effort final month. Pioneering Spirit received the 2023 Bernard Baruch and 2023 Knickerbocker Stakes however has been winless in 11 races since then. Equally, Daunt didn’t win a race this yr or final yr amongst 13 begins, together with a seventh-place end in final yr’s Purple Smith.
Essential contenders:
Since 4 horses among the many 9 entered are winless in 2024, the horse to take a more in-depth have a look at first when contemplating those that have potential to win is Insurgent Purple, who’s one in every of solely two to have received his most up-to-date race. The opposite is Restricted Legal responsibility, whose finest two efforts this yr have come at distances of two miles or extra. Insurgent Purple has by no means run this far however let there be little question he can run this 1 3/8 miles distance efficiently. His sire, Frankel, is likely one of the finest horses of this century who was undefeated in 14 races, and Frankel is likely one of the finest sires on the earth since getting into stud obligation in 2013. Just a few of Frankel’s progeny have raced in North America, however a Race Lens question reveals that amongst 33 graded stakes starters on grass within the final 5 years, 14 have received or positioned, together with Soldier Rising, who was crushed a neck when second within the 2023 Purple Smith. Insurgent Purple will likely be ridden by Jose Ortiz and is skilled by Cherie DeVaux and these two teamed up only one week in the past to win the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile introduced by PDJF with Extra Than Seems to be. Stretching out from 1 1/8 miles to 1 3/8 miles off a career-best 100 Equibase Velocity Determine, this 4-year-old can take one other massive step ahead and earn his first graded stakes win.
Grasp Piece completed 10th within the 2023 Arlington Million previous to the Purple Smith, so he was a bit disregarded by the betting public in final yr’s Purple Smith. Working on the Aqueduct turf for the primary time on this race final yr, Grasp Piece put in a visually spectacular rally to go from fifth and 6 lengths again on the flip, to fourth and two lengths again with an eighth of a mile to go, to win by a neck. That effort earned a powerful 111 determine, which he bettered to 119 three races later within the Fort Marcy Stakes in Might of this yr, additionally on this turf course. After fourth- and fifth-place efforts, Grasp Piece confirmed indicators of bettering kind when crushed a head for second within the California Crown John Henry Turf Championship close to the tip of September. Now again on the Aqueduct turf the place he’s good in two races, in addition to reunited with jockey Jose Lezcano who rode him to victory in final yr’s Purple Smith, Grasp Piece can be no shock if victorious two years in a row.
Pioneering Spirit is fascinating for a few causes although he’s winless in 10 races this yr. First, he’s skilled by Richard Dutrow, who saddled Grasp Piece to victory on this race final yr and is hoping to win once more in 2024. Second, for a while and till final month, Pioneering Spirit had been within the care of Linda Rice, who claimed him for $40,000 in March of final yr. Underneath Rice’s care, Pioneering Spirit received 4 straight races on grass from Might via July of final yr, together with one at this mile and three-eighths distance. Pioneering Spirit additionally received the Bernard Baruch Stakes (on grass) and Knickerbocker Stakes (scheduled for turf however run on dust) final summer season and fall. Having solely completed higher than third one time in 10 races since then, Rice entered Pioneering Spirit into an allowance/optional-claiming race final month, from which Dutrow claimed the horse and now can flip that $62,500 funding into virtually 300% in revenue with the $180,000 winner’s share of this purse. Manny Franco will get on and it’s onerous to disregard their report collectively (per Race Lens) of 8-for-31 (26%) prior to now two years. Pioneering Spirit earned a 110 determine when crushed a neck final month in his most up-to-date race and contemplating that’s almost similar to the 111 determine Grasp Piece earned profitable this race final yr, Pioneering Spirit completely must be thought-about a contender.
The remainder of the sector (with their finest Equibase Velocity Determine): Adhamo (112), Metropolis Man (111), Curbstone (108), Daunt (103), Integration (116) and Restricted Legal responsibility (116).
Win Contenders (in likelihood/desire order):
Insurgent Purple
Grasp Piece
Pioneering Spirit
