Hammersly preview: Pace the key in Torrey Pines
There doesn’t seem a way around it. The Grade 3 Torrey Pines, at a mile on the main track, has at least three speed types who don’t figure to jump suddenly and change their style. Delta Flower, on the rail, is a three-time sprint winner. When she stretched out June 21 for the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita , they did try to rate her. The result? She chased Jojo Warrior and gave way in the lane. She’s best if allowed to run free. Fashion Plate isn’t just speed. She’s classy speed. She led all the way to win the Grade 1 Las Virgenes and Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks. She blew the start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks but chased a hot pace June 7 in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont before fading to ninth. She’s been freshened, drops, and has worked well, and since all three career wins came wire to wire, there’s no reason to believe they’re suddenly going to change tactics with her.
Finally, More Complexity comes off two straight wins. Both were sprints in which she was right on top of the pace from the start, so again, for her first route, they don’t figure to take a sharp filly and drastically change her style.
All of this seems to point to a sharply contested pace. While Jojo Warrior easily won the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in wire-to-wire fashion, she’s by no means a need-the-lead type. In fact, her maiden win – which came on this track a year ago no less – was accomplished from off the pace. While she showed in the Summertime Oaks she can make the running if need be, she doesn’t have to do so. In other words, she may well fall into a dream trip behind those three speed types and pounce when their early toil starts to take its toll.
No margin for error for Enterprising in Derby
Enterprising always had talent. Heck, he’s finished in the top three in eight of his nine starts. But the son of Elusive Quality now has won three of his last four, all stakes. His last two wins, the Oceanside and Grade 3 La Jolla, were accomplished over this course, so you know he likes it here. He’s the one to beat no doubt, and his versatility is key.
All that being said, this is the toughest spot he’s seen. He must deal with Flamboyant, the horse responsible for his lone loss in that four-start stretch as Enterprising ran third April 19 in the La Puente as Santa Anita when Flamboyant won. It’s noteworthy, too, the runner-up in the La Puente, Home Run Kitten, won his next two starts, both on the turf at Santa Anita, including a stakes, and shows up here as well.
There’s also new shooter Aventador. The French invader showed talent when second in a Group 3 there April 21 (to Gailo Chop, who this summer came to the U.S. for the Grade 1 Belmont Derby after four straight wins in France and was a solid fourth, then returned to France and easily won a Group 2). He then was fifth in a Group 2 (runner-up Adelaide ran second in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby then won the Grade 1 Secretariat) and was seventh in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club. He dropped into an ungraded stakes June 25 and drew off to win impressively, so he’s back on his game. Trainer Darrell Vienna has had plenty of success over the years with European imports, particularly for the Red Barons Barn.
As noted, Home Run Kitten comes here sharp and showed before he can run with Flamboyant and Enterprising and Sammy Mandeville ran on well and was beaten just 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 lengths by Enterprising in the Oceanside and Grade 3 La Jolla, respectively, so he’s by no means out of his element.
Spot play
Race 6 – BOOZER (#4, 5-2) looked super blasting Cal-breds here July 18 and had a troubled trip when third on this course Aug. 9 or he may well have beaten this caliber of open competition. He obviously fits very well with these, Bejarano stays, and there’s a nice work since. His tactical speed is a big asset in this big field as he can be forwardly placed and shouldn’t have as much traffic to deal with. He may well go favored, but by the very nature of where this race goes on the card, he can be your linchpin for numerous multi-race wagers.
Horse to watch
STORM COMIN THRU
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Aug. 29, 5th
Finish: 2nd by 1
He appears very much on the upswing. He gamely beat cheap restricted claimers here July 24 and, despite a big step up in class, was solid again. He was a bit slow into stride but came with a smart run between horses through the lane and, while unable to outkick the winner, stayed on smartly. If he can take this form to dirt, he can be dangerous at the upcoming meets.