Wall Street Trader could close on sprinters in Gregory Park

Saturday’s Gregory Park Sprint has the makings of a pace collapse, which should play into the hands of United States-bred WALL STREET TRADER after his gallant third behind Mouttet Mile runner-up FUNCAANDUN and fourth-placed SUPERNATURAL POWER in the Alexander Hamilton Memorial two weeks ago.

Though the Gregory Park Sprint is all of two furlongs shorter than the seven-furlong Alexander Hamilton Memorial and WALL STREET TRADER carries topweight 126lb, the seven-year-old’s proven class can come to the fore in the racing adage of ‘pace makes the race’.

FLORINDIA, CALIFORNIA CROWN and SHE’S THAT GIRL have one thing in common, speed, which their connections hope will enable them to go all the way at the minimum trip. However, in their haste to escape each other, tactical speed will go out the window, replaced by catch-me-if-you-can.

As impressive as they have been recently, FLORINDIA mauling stablemate MISS GROVE and SHE’S THAT GIRL winning back-to-back races in 15 days, do not hold the weight of WALL STREET TRADER’s third-place run behind FUNCAANDUN and SUPERNATURAL POWER, though it was a middle-distance event.

MISS GROVE is certainly not the fastest on the block, whereas SHE’S THAT GIRL might appear impressive putting away COOKIE DAY N NIGHT and TEFLON DON, but she was the lone speed in both victories, clocking a consistent three-furlong split of 35.0.

CALIFORNIA CROWN being revved at exercise in 1:07.3 for five and a half furlongs, signals trainer Jason DaCosta’s intent with a runner capable of dipping under 34.0 seconds, which will spell trouble for FLORINDIA and SHE’S THAT GIRL on the lead.

WALL STREET TRADER and MONEY MARKET, who ran a terrible but suspect race on last, are the closers, who could pounce late should the speedsters go kamikaze on the lead.

Since his ill-advised return off a four-month break to race in the grade-one Bruceontheloose last December, WALL STREET TRADER won on his third outing this season, easily beating overnight-allowance runners before trying to land the gamble in open-allowance against FUNCAANDUN and SUPERNATURAL POWER dropping class from the Mouttet Mile.

WALL STREET TRADER is no slouch, famously closing at odds of 16-1 to nail two-time Mouttet Mile runner-up LEGACY ISLE in last July’s Hall of Fame Stakes at six furlongs with the handicaps in his favour.

Christopher Mamdeen has a knack of getting middle-distance runners close to the pace without asking too much in sprints, leaving speedsters wondering what hit them a furlong out whenever he produces his mounts. WALL STREET TRADER fits the bill.