2015 Robert B. Lewis Stakes Preview
Saturday features two Kentucky Derby Prep races with both the grade 3 Withers Stakes and the grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on the slate. The Robert B. Lewis Stakes features only 6 horses but two of them are coming back after a thrilling finishing in the grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity.
This grade 3 event will be at one mile and one sixteenth on the dirt with a purse of $150,000. The winner of this race will get 10 points, the second place finisher will receive 4 points, 2 points for the third place finisher, and a point for the fourth place finisher. Post time is scheduled for 5:36 PM Eastern time.
Below is a look at each of the six horse’s in the 2015 Robert B. Lewis Stakes. Free past performances can be found here.
1. Tizcano (15-1 Morning Line) – The son of Tiznow broke his maiden in June of 2014 with a six and a half length score going 4.5 furlongs at Gulfstream Park. After being sent to the West Coast he took part in back-to-back stakes races where finished third and seventh. He won his second start at Del Mar in November before a trip back East resulted in a fifth place finish. He will need to improve quite a bit to have a chance.
2. Rock Shandy (6-1 ML) – He ran a solid race in the grade 3 Sham Stakes on January 10. He finished second by 4 1/4 lengths behind Calculator that day in what was his first start on dirt. He does not appear to be as talented as the two outside horses, but he has s mall shot of winning this race. Use him underneath here.
3. Sebastian’s Heart (30-1 ML) – The longest shot on the board has a long way to go before he will challenge in a race like this. He broke his maiden in a $75,000 claimer in his second race before trying stakes company. He finished second in the Speak Easy before a fourth place finish in the grade 3 Bob Hope. His first start on turf was a disastrous last place finish (8th) in the grade 3 Cecil B Demille Stakes. Pass on him in this spot.
4. Hero Ten All (10-1 ML) – This guy also ran in the grade 3 Sham Stakes where he had a poor showing. He finished sixth beaten 10 lengths and figures to be coming from behind just as he has in his first three races. He does not figure to get that kind of set up. Pass here even with him getting blinkers on.
5. Firing Line (7-5 ML) – The second choice on the morning line comes out of a thrilling race with the horse to his outside. He was second by half a length in his debut and then won his next race by 4 1/4 lengths. His first start at a route saw him prompt the pace before losing an exciting race by a head to Dortmund. He figures to go to the lead and wire the field. He has a huge chance to win this race.
6. Dortmund (4-5 ML) – The son of Big Brown won the aforementioned grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity while also winning the previous two races. In that race he came off a hot pace to just win by a head bob, but he does not figure to get that same hot pace again. He has been working quite well in the morning and like the guy to his inside he figures to have a big chance.
Selections
This race comes down to the two outside horses. Firing Line figures to be alone on the lead while Dortmund will be close in tow. It is hard to imagine one of these two not winning. Rock Shandy looks to be the best of the rest.
1. Firing Line
2. Dortmund
3. Rock Shandy
4. Hero Ten All