A son of Langfuhr, the veteran of 65 races since 2004 secured his biggest victory in the 2009 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (gr. I), when he defeated three-time Eclipse champion Gio Ponti over a bog-like turf course. However, he has not won since then and hasn't been in great form as of late. In five starts this year, his best finish has been a runner-up performance in a ten furlong allowance optional claiming race. Last time out, he finished sixth in a $32,000 claiming race.
It will take a much improved effort to score in today's race, but maybe he'll return to form this afternoon.
Here are the entries:
| Post Position | Horse | Morning Line Odds |
| 1 | Interpatation | 8-1 |
| 2 | Kingsville | Scratched |
| 3 | Power Series | 8-5 |
| 4 | Tippity Tap Tap | 4-1 |
| 5 | Volcanic Ice | 30-1 |
| 6 | They Call Him El | 6-1 |
| 7 | Red Alert Day | 2-1 |
His main competition will most like come from the two favorites, Power Series and Red Alert Day. The former has spent most of his career racing in Europe, and has only made two starts in the United States. In the first, a nine furlong allowance optional claiming race, he led passing the eighth pole before being out kicked to finish a close-up fifth. He was on the lead again passing the eighth pole in his most recent start, the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (gr. II), but was out kicked yet again en route to a sixth-place finish, beaten just 2 1/4 lengths.
Red Alert Day also began his career in Europe, but has been in the United States since early 2009. Earlier this year, he had been competing in claiming races -- defeating Interpatation in one -- but after a strong victory in a $32,000 claiming event, he stepped up to compete in the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (gr. I). While he may have seemed completely outclassed on the surface, he actually ran fairly well in the race to finish fourth, beaten just 2 1/4 lengths for second.
Whoever wins, it should be a good race!
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On a side note, there was an interesting article about Rapid Redux on DRF.com today. Here's a link to the piece:
http://www.drf.com/news/thirteen-row-good-any-level
-Keelerman
