The 2017 Futurity Stakes field includes a number of Group 1 winners and it is set to be an interesting affair at Caulfield on Saturday.
Black Heart Bart has opened as a clear favourite, but he won’t have it his own way against the likes of Lucky Hussler, Turn Me Loose, Tosen Stardom, Palentino and Ecuador.
Will Black Heart Bart record another Group 1 victory or will his unbeaten run over the 1400 metres at Caulfield be ended? We have analysed every horse in the 2017 Futurity Stakes field and you can find our thoughts on each runner below.
Black Heart Bart
Black Heart Bart has the chance to record another Group 1 in the 2017 Futurity Stakes. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Black Heart Bart produced another excellent performance in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes and he meets a fairly similar field in the Futurity Stakes. There is no doubt that he is the horse to beat, but the question is whether you can get him as short as his current quote. I am a big a fan of the horse as anybody, but I can’t back him at the current price. He is a horse that always rates at a very similar level and that should ensure that he finishes in the placings, but there are other horses in this that are capable of going to another level. He can certainly win this race.
Lucky Hussler
Lucky Hussler is racing like a horse whose best days are behind him. He had excuses when he finished seventh in the Magic Millions Cup, but he was very poor in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes and he didn’t really have any excuses. It is very tough to back him off that effort.
Turn Me Loose
Turn Me Loose returned to a semblance of his best form with a tough second in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes last start and that has me optimistic that he can go to another level in the Futurity Stakes. He is at his best when he is allowed to fly along in front and Kerrin McEvoy is an excellent judge of pace. Turn Me Loose has the highest-rated performance of any horse in this field and he is the value at his current price.
Tosen Stardom
Tosen Stardom has had plenty of problems due to injury over the past 12 months and he has had just the one start since he returned to Australia. He is a talented horse, but he will likely take benefit from the run and I doubt that he can beat the likes of Black Heart Bart over 1400 metres.
Fast ‘N’ Rocking
Fast ‘N’ Rocking is the extreme outsider in the 2017 Futurity Stakes betting market. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
This is a big rise in distance for Fast ‘N’ Rocking and he has never really showed that he is capable of winning at weight-for-age level. He is deserving of his status as the extreme outsider.
Palentino
Palentino is the x-factor in the Futurity Stakes field. He has improved each time that he has been seen at the races and he is unbeaten third-up. He beat Black Heart Bart in the Makybe Diva Stakes third-up last preparation, but his record at Caulfield is not great and he may be looking for a mile at this stage of his campaign. In saying that, he must be respected and he is a touch of value at the current quote of $7.50.
Ecuador
Ecuador is racing in career best form and he was as tough as you like in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes. I except another similar performance from the son of High Chaparral and I expect him to be in the race for a long way, but I don’t think that he has the class to win.
He’s Our Rokkii
He’s Our Rokki was not disgraced in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes, but it is tough to see him turning-the-tables on the likes of Black Heart Bart. He could improve again here, but he still needs to take a big step forward to have any chance whatsoever.
Attention
Attention is the sole three-year-old in the Futurity Stakes field. Photo by: Daniel Costello
I have a great deal of respect for Team Snowden and this would be one of their great training performances. He ran fairly in the Autumn Stakes, but he still didn’t get the job done and this is obviously a much tougher race.