Trip Notes for April 16-17: Jenny Wiley, Arkansas Derby, Beaumont, and more...

Saturday, April 16

Lexington - Ben Ali (race 7)

COMMENT: Eagle, coming off a couple good graded stakes tries at the Fair Grounds, ran his Keeneland record to 3 for 3 and notched his first graded stakes win. He bided his time early while saving ground, steadily advanced, shifted out into the lane, reeled in pacesetter Noble Bird, and edged away late. Noble Bird looked much more on point than he did in his first start of the year. He set modest splits on a clear lead to midstretch, but couldn’t finish with the winner in the final furlong while far clear of the rest. Breaking Lucky stalked the pace, made a wide bid into the lane but couldn’t sustain it. J S Bach, winner of his last four starts but stepping up to face stakes horses for the first time, chased Noble Bird until the stretch, but then gave way readily.

Keeneland - Lexington (race 9)

COMMENT: Collected was used his speed to flee the outside post, and pressed pacesetter One More Round through decent splits. He moved up to take command into the lane and drew off to win easily. One More Round, a 40-1 longshot, went right to the lead from his rail slot, battled back when hooked by Collected into the lane, but couldn’t keep pace and was just able to hold on to the place. Synchrony lagged well back and came with a nice run but he was never a danger to the winner. Swipe, making his first start since running second to champion Nyquist in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, sat back early after steadying going into the first run, looked well positioned to make a run going to the far turn, but then gave way.

Keeneland - Jenny Wiley (race 10)

COMMENT: Tepin toyed with these. She stalked in third as first Illuminant and then She’s Not Here set a brisk pace, pounced on those rivals into the lane, and blew the race apart in just a few strides. Wekeela, Group 1-placed in France last spring and making her first start in the U.S., lagged well back early after blowing the start, started to advance going to the far turn, and came with a smart run into the lane for second. Illuminant, stepping up off a romping win at this trip at Santa Anita March 10, set the early pace, relinquished pacesetting duties to She’s Not here but seemed quite comfortable stalking while inside, and kept to her task well. Dacita, making her second start of the year, sat back early while saving ground, had to wait a bit to get off the rail, finally swung very wide into the lane when she had room, and found her best stride once straightened away. But by then it was too late to make an impact. Recepta, making her first start since a second in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar last Nov. 29, stalked in fourth but weakened.

Oaklawn - Oaklawn Handicap (race 9)

COMMENT: Effinex couldn’t overcome a case of the hives and a layoff when he finished third behind winner Melatonin in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 12. This time, under a more aggressive ride, Effinex gained his revenge. He was asked for speed to track pacesetter Melatonin from the start, moved up to challenge that foe turning for home, got the better of that foe in deep stretch, and was edging away late for the win. Melatonin, showing his 16-1 Santa Anita Handicap win wasn’t a fluke, set modest splits while under constant pressure from Effinex, battled back when hooked by that foe on the turn, and finally relented in deep stretch. Point Piper, fifth in the Santa Anita Handicap, was last early, steadily moved forward, came with a run into the lane, but was never a danger to the top two. Blofeld stalked while inside but never mustered the necessary run. Upstart was well back early, rallied with Point Piper, but couldn’t sustain the move.

Oaklawn - Arkansas Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: Creator, third to Cupid in the Grade 2 Rebel last month, took advantage of a hot pace to win. Last early, he remained well back going to the far turn, and came with a strong run between horses to grab the lead by midstretch. Suddenbreakingnews also was well back from the start, rallied with Creator while wider and couldn’t keep pace in the final half-furlong. Whitmore was likewise well back early, and rallied into the lane outside Creator and Suddenbreakingnews, but couldn’t keep it going. Dazzling Gem sat midpack, came with a threatening move into the lane, but flattened out. Cupid, the 4-5 favorite off his Rebel win, was in tight after the start, rushed up to contest the brisk pace set by Gettysburg, but then hit the brakes in the lane.

Los Alamitos - Los Angeles (race 5)

COMMENT: The addition of blinkers helped San Onofre get back on track. He stalked pacesetter Sir Kip through brisk splits. San Onofre moved up with favorite Wild Dude to challenge into the lane, got the better of that foe, and was edging away late. Wild Dude, a multiple Grade 1 winner, was just behind the winner from the start, moved up with him while inside, and couldn’t quite finish with him. Raised a Secret sat last early in the small field and finished well. Yiannis dogged pacesetter Sir Kip from the start through brisk splits, and tired.

Sunday, April 17

Aqueduct - Distaff Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Paulassilverlining has blossomed this year and showed she may belong among the top sprinting distaffers with a smart tally here. Breaking from the rail, she sat second behind pacesetter Madam Aamoura, surged past that tiring foe into the lane, and blew the race open. Cavorting, who was favored, bided her time early in fifth, cut the corner into the lane when making her run, but was no match for the winner. Bar of Gold, looking to bounce back off a sixth in Gulfstream’s Grade Inside Information March 19, stalked in third, tried to make a run at the winner into the lane, and lost second in the final half-furlong. By the Moon, last seen finishing third in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga last Aug. 8 (behind Cavorting and Bar of Gold), stalked in fourth, moved closer on the far turn, but couldn’t make a dent in the lane.

Keeneland - Beaumont (race 8)

COMMENT: Lightstream rallied from far back to easily win her Gulfstream debut March 6, earning a huge Beyer (103). She took the big step up in class here, and used the same style to become a Grade 2 winner. She sat wide in fourth as R Girls a Charmer set a brisk pace. She stayed wide into the lane, moved to the rail once straightened away, grabbed the lead from Nickname, and was edging away late. Nickname, winner of the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont last fall and coming off a second to Terra Promessa in the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn last month, stalked the pace while staying well off the rail, came with a run to grab the lead into the lane, and stayed on well for second. Kinsley Kisses, easy winner of her first two starts, dogged R Girls a Charmer, was wide on the far turn, lost position into the lane, but got going well enough to take third. R Girls a Charmer weakened once headed.