Free: A deeper look into last Saturday's major stakes

From the time a filly made an auspicious career debut in a graded stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park, to a workmanlike victory by an older gelding against an ordinary field of grass horses Saturday at Santa Anita, a lot happened. Stuff like this . . .

◗ The best 3-year-old filly to run Saturday at Gulfstream finished third in the Forward Gal Stakes. Nikki and Papa made her debut in the seven-furlong Grade 2 race, which was a curious spot rather than the maiden race she entered Sunday. It turns out Nikki and Papa could have won the stakes. She broke last veering left at the break, made an extended run, weaved through traffic, and finished third by less than six. Impressive debut.

“I actually thought she could go right to the front,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. “She had broken perfectly the last time I broke her, so [the slow start] was unexpected. She tried to finish, probably got a little tired, galloped out well, and handled the dirt great.”

Did she ever. Nikki and Papa, whose majority owner is Ron Paolucci, was purchased for $500,000 at a 2-year-old sale. Hess believes the daughter of Mineshaft wants two turns, which is one reason she ran seven furlongs versus winners rather than six against maidens. Not that she would have won Sunday; Eve of War romped by more than seven lengths.

But watch out for the Mineshaft filly. Nikki and Papa might be the real deal. We’ll find out if she is “fast” next out. For now, one must accept her 59-Beyer Speed Figure debut was low-rated.

◗ The Forward Gal was won by Tonalist’s Shape, who became the fifth odds-on winner of the race in eight years. She will not scare anyone when she runs later this month in the Grade 2 Davona Dale. Her 1:24.77 Forward Gal earned a 70 Beyer, lowest by a winner of the race since Beyers were published in 1992.

◗ Other fillies with figures include 94-Beyer maiden winner Venetian Harbor. She runs Feb. 8 at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes. Starting to wonder if her high-fig maiden romp might be phony. Third-place Eyes Open ran Saturday, her Beyer declined 18 points as she finished second. The runner-up from Venetian Harbor’s maiden win, Princess Mo, declined 11 points in her next start. Just maybe, Venetian Harbor is not all that. This handicapper initially thought she was. Keeping an open mind.

◗ Just when it seemed a filly will never again run in the Kentucky Derby, here comes Taraz to ensure a filly will never again run in the Derby. That is, unless a victory Saturday in the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park made Taraz a Derby contender. Not with an 85 Beyer over three overmatched rivals. Taraz has big-time potential, but it would be a surprise if she is sent down the Derby road while challenged by points and pedigree. Taraz, by Into Mischief, is good. I’m just not sure if her Oaklawn route victory proved anything, against nothing.

◗ Sackatoga Stable owner Jack Knowlton trolling skeptics? He sensed negativity after Tiz the Law followed his Champagne victory by ending his juvenile season with a loss. Knowlton repeated to Gulfstream publicity what others thought of Tiz the Law after his juvenile season ended: “Well, he isn’t what we thought he was. He isn’t that good.”

It turns out Tiz the Law is everything they thought he was. He is that good. His visually impressive 100-Beyer victory Saturday in the Grade 2 Holy Bull re-established the colt as a legit Kentucky Derby prospect. But here’s some Holy Bull trivia: Since the race went to 1 1/16 miles in 2013, the seven Holy Bull winners produced just one in-the-money finish in the Kentucky Derby – Audible finished third in 2018.

Tiz the Law is trained by Barclay Tagg, who was a young man of 65 when he won his first Kentucky Derby with Funny Cide. If Tagg wins the Derby with Tiz the Law, he would be the oldest Derby-winning trainer. Tagg is 82; Art Sherman holds the record. He was 77 when California Chrome won the Derby in 2014.

◗ Parx Racing winners made a mark Saturday at bigger tracks. Parx Juvenile winner Mischevious Alex, by Into Mischief, powered to a nine-length, 93-Beyer victory in the Grade 3 Swale to emerge as a premier one-turn 3-year-old. Parx allowance winner Max Player scored a not-so-impressive 86-Beyer victory in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct.

Do good horses emerge from Parx? To name a few: Smarty Jones, Cathryn Sophia, Spun to Run, Imperial Hint, Jaywalk, and Discreet Lover. So, the answer to the Parx question is – yes. Duh.

◗ Love this quote by Max Player’s jockey Dylan Davis after the Withers: “It was a good thing I watched his replays . . .” Dylan was referring Max Player’s discomfort with kickback, and he is right – replays are essential for jockeys and handicappers. It is surprising the number of purported experts who clearly do not watch video. It shows.

◗ Who do you like in the Big Cap – Midcourt or Gift Box? Midcourt pummeled the Grade 2 San Pasqual at Santa Anita, gate to wire with a 102 Beyer. Victor Espinoza rode Midcourt for speed from the gate, and the rest was history. Midcourt won by 3 1/2 lengths It was a contrast to Midcourt’s slow-start third last out, seven lengths behind Gift Box. Hopefully, they meet again for a nice Big Cap match race March 7.

◗ United scored a workmanlike victory over modest Cleopatra’s Strike in the Grade 2 San Marcos on Saturday at Santa Anita. Tough to like United against world-class company next month in a Group 1 in Dubai. However, United previously finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, a head behind Bricks and Mortar. Still tough to imagine United winning a $6 million race in Dubai.