Free: Cedillo finishing Santa Anita meet with a rush

ARCADIA, Calif. – While wondering if Prosperous Voyage can shake a severe case of second-itis and upset undefeated comeback favorite Inspiral in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes on Friday at Royal Ascot, the North American notebook filled up. Time to dive in.

Cedillo back in big way

Abel Cedillo is returning to prominence in Southern California. He rode four winners Saturday at Santa Anita, and since mid-April has won more Santa Anita races (20) than any jockey but Juan Hernandez (39).

“It’s been a while since I had four wins,” said Cedillo said, whose last four-bagger came in September at Los Alamitos. “But this business is balance, you know? I don’t get down. I just keep working, go ride in a race and smile, every time.”

It’s working. Cedillo’s current top horse is Hollywood Gold Cup runner-up Defunded. Last weekend Cedillo rode Hopper to victory in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes and well-regarded Vegas Magic to victory in a 2-year-old maiden race at five furlongs.

“More distance, she’s going to get better,” Cedillo said.

On Friday at Santa Anita, the over/under win total for Cedillo is 2.0. His five mounts include standout Bolden in race 9.

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O’Neill rich in 2-year-olds

With 25 juveniles in training, it is no surprise Doug O’Neill leads the Santa Anita meet in 2-year-old wins with four. The most impressive of his juvenile winners was Absolutely Zero on May 21, and she runs Saturday in one of the juvenile stakes.

O’Neill also trains aforementioned Vegas Magic, a Good Magic filly whose one-length debut victory earned a 61 Beyer. She was doing her best late and wants more ground. Although O’Neill won just two juvenile maiden races the past two Del Mar summers combined, he is well stocked this season.

“If they stay injury-free, we should have a pretty active Del Mar,” he said, and hinted that Major Nyquist is better than his recent fifth-place debut on turf. Surface switch likely.

Hot Rod Charlie looking good

The first 2-year-old O’Neill started at the 2020 Del Mar summer meet lost three starts as the favorite before he figured it out. The wait was worth it. Hot Rod Charlie developed into a top older horse who has earned more than $5 million. He launches a summer campaign Saturday at Monmouth Park.

“We’re going to know more Saturday night, but he looks phenomenal,” O’Neill said last week at Santa Anita. “He worked unbelievable, he’s put on weight, he’s mentally mature, physically mature.”

Runner-up in the Dubai World Cup in his most recent start March 26, Hot Rod Charlie runs Saturday in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile. Though likely to be undervalued, Hot Rod Charlie certainly is the class of the field.

Miss Bigly: All racehorse

Conspicuous by her absence at Santa Anita is the durable mare Miss Bigly, who would have been a contender Saturday in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes. But the 6-year-old retired from racing and will sell this fall as a broodmare prospect.

Miss Bigly was no champion, just an honest mare who was the epitome of a racehorse. She won four of her last 11, all for trainer Phil D’Amato, including a Grade 3 at Oaklawn Park, and finished second at Santa Anita in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile and the Grade 2 Santa Margarita in her final start April 30. Sired by Gemologist and a sibling to Grade 1 winner Fashion Plate, Miss Bigly won eight races and $781,242 from 28 starts. With her retired, Santa Maria favorites are Santa Margarita winner Blue Stripe and Private Mission. Not exactly Clairiere and Malathaat, but oh well.

Count Again sharpens focus

While world-class racing continues at Royal Ascot in England, the fastest turf miler in America is on summer vacation. Count Again, a two-time Grade 1 winner at Santa Anita including a 108-Beyer corker last out, will target a race in September.

“I think we’re just going to wait until the Del Mar Mile,” D’Amato said, referring to the Grade 2 on Sept. 3.

After that, D’Amato said, “We’ll see if we squeeze another race in after that, or just go Del Mar Mile to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Count Again earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile by winning the Shoemaker Mile in 1:32.40 at Santa Anita. So, who would you like in the BC Mile – Count Again, Regal Glory, or undefeated Baaeed? Yep, same here.

Speed on turf is his game

Luckily for trainer Andy Mathis, his turf-sprint speedballs Give Me the Lute and Mikes Tiznow never have had to face each other.

“They’d probably go 42 for the half and set it up for a bunch of closers,” the trainer said, laughing.

Give Me the Lute wired the Albany Stakes for a second time on Saturday at Golden Gate, giving Mathis his fourth straight Albany win. Mikes Tiznow wired the stakes in 2019 and 2020. The main target for Give Me the Lute, 6, is the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap in September at Del Mar. He finished second in the race last year. Plans are pending for sidelined 7-year-old Mikes Tiznow.

“We’ll take a look at him after summer, and if he looks good and wants to train, we’ll bring him back,” Mathis said. “If not, we’ll find a nice home for him.”

Give Me the Lute has won 6 of 16, Mikes Tiznow is 6 for 9. Mathis’s turf-sprint training skills get retested Friday at Santa Anita. He starts first-time grass Iconic Sky in race 5, a turf sprint for Cal-bred fillies and mares.

Closer look at Oaks stat

Relevant stat or mere coincidence? Probably the latter, even if Kentucky Oaks starters are 0 for 5 since the race.

That includes losses by Oaks winner Secret Oath, troubled runner-up Nest and third-place Desert Dawn. Oaks fourth Echo Zulu scratched from Saturday’s Acorn Stakes, and also-rans Cocktail Moments and Candy Raid subsequently finished off the board. But context is needed.

Secret Oath ran okay for fourth in the Preakness, Nest ran super for second in the Belmont, and Desert Dawn was eliminated in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks on June 12 at Santa Anita. Favored at odds-on, she went to her nose at the break to be away last, made an extended run, and finished third. The good news, according to trainer D’Amato, is Desert Dawn “has a few scratches on her legs, but other than that she’s sound.”

So, who is the country’s best 3-year-old filly? For now, call it a coin flip between Nest and streaking sprinter Matareya.

Bleecker Street meets challenge

Horseplayers genuinely appreciate horsemen who are able to articulate handicapping nuances. Chad Brown addressed pace and distance after Bleecker Street won the Grade 1 New York Stakes on Friday at Belmont Park. The late-runner had won turf stakes going 1 1/8 miles and the 1 1/4-mile New York was a test.

Brown told NYRA publicity: “I wasn’t sure about a mile and a quarter. She finished her races like she would get it, but . . . handicapping doesn’t always work out that way. Just because they’re closing and you keep on stretching them out, sometimes it has to do with pace, when they make their move and how long their move is.”

Brown’s quote addressed an age-old dilemma – late-runners are uncertain stretching to longer distances. Clearly, 7-for-7 Bleecker Street is an exception. She smoked her final quarter in 21.83 seconds.

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Patience pays with juveniles

Some maidens burst on the scene with a lofty speed figure. Others are like Agency, a 2-year-old colt by Bolt d’Oro who earned a 43 Beyer winning Sunday at Santa Anita with five furlongs in a slow 59.77 seconds.

“He’s a two-turn horse,” trainer Mark Glatt said. “The worst thing you can do with these young horses, unless five-eighths is going to be their best pop, is to send them and get all kinds of speed on their mind.”

Agency rallied from behind under Tyler Baze for Muir Hut Stable, the fourth debut winner from nine Bolt d’Oro starters. As for the low fig, it is early. Just to illustrate, not compare, the 2014 and 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winners started slowly. Texas Red earned a 48 Beyer in his 2014 runner-up debut; Classic Empire earned a 55 winning his 2016 debut. As for Agency, he may target the six-furlong Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 14 at Del Mar.

Sometimes the “eyes” have it

The fastest juvenile so far in 2022 made his debut Friday at Churchill Downs. Gulfport, an Uncle Mo colt trained by Steve Asmussen, earned a division-high 83 Beyer winning by seven lengths in a blazing 56.85 seconds. The filly Wonder Wheel was also an impressive winner in her debut, which came June 3 at Churchill. But like Agency at Santa Anita, the filly did not run particularly fast. Wonder Wheel is an Into Mischief filly who ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.73. She earned a 60 Beyer. Visually, the win was better than the fig. Stay tuned.

It’s an easy game, folks

Bettors can only blame themselves for missing the race-5 superfecta Sunday at Santa Anita. Geez, it doesn’t get any easier.

The winner was Valiancy ($2.20), who entered off a high-figure sprint runner-up. Second-place finisher Angel Nadeshiko had two previous runner-up finishes in routes, and third-place Kura had trained well for her debut. Two others were entered, including one that finished a distant fourth. The 10-cent super that paid 50 cents was a gift. Five-horse fields are fun!

Speaking of parimutuel sarcasm, received a text immediately after Echo Zulu was a late scratch from the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes on Saturday at Belmont: “4-horse field with a 1-5 favorite. Advantage to those of us who bet Santa Anita.”