Trip Notes for April 18-19: Elkhorn, Charles Town Classic, Illinois Derby and more...

Saturday, April 18

Aqueduct - Distaff (race 2)

COMMENT: La Verdad, coming off a layoff, faced only three foes and had little trouble defending her title here. She was last seen finishing seventh to Salutos Amigos and other males in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight here Nov. 27. Today, La Verdad zipped right out to the lead, took immediate pressure from Aireofdistinction, easily moved clear of that rival going to the far turn, and opened up. Last year after winning this she won Critical Eye (this year a mile May 25) and Dancing Renee (6 furlongs June 28), both at Belmont vs. New York-breds. Another potential target is the Grade 3 Vagrancy at 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont May 16. Frivolity, freshened since a second at Laurel Jan. 15, was last early and rallied for second. Mamdooha chased the winner from the start, tried to make a run at her turning for home, and just lost second in the final strides.

Keeneland - Elkhorn (race 9)

COMMENT: Dramedy had only an optional claiming win at Tampa Feb. 22 of which to boast recently, but the 6-year-old ran to his recent bullet work and posted a 30-1 surprise. He was just behind My Afleet early but took over pacesetting duties by the time they’d gone a half-mile. Dramedy volleyed with My Afleet through slow splits while far clear of the others, put that rival away turning for home and had enough of a buffer to get to the line before a couple hard-charging rivals. Dynamic Sky sat fourth well behind the two runaway leaders, came with a strong run in the lane but fell a neck short. Unitarian, the favorite, lagged back, kicked wide into the lane and finished well. Biz the Nurse sat back just in front of Unitarian and likewise closed decently.

Charles Town - Charles Town Classic (race 12)

COMMENT: What was supposed to be something of a start of a road tour to display his dominance turned into a disaster as Shared Belief, generally considered the top horse in training, stumbled badly at the start and was pulled up on the backstretch before the field had gone six furlongs. He had to be vanned off, and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer reported the next day that Shared Belief was walking sound and would undergo tests. Moreno, a proven commodity vs. top-flight opposition, used his speed to take advantage as he posted the victory. Well beaten by Shared Belief when second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and then a sharp third in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap, he dogged longshot Warrioroftheroses from the start, had little trouble going past that rival coming into the lane, opened up and won fairly comfortably. Once Shared Belief was out of it he was really the best horse on paper, too. He may target the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill downs June 13. Imperative was the defending champ but hadn’t done too well in eight starts since. He lagged back and made a strong run into the lane. He apparently likes it here. Page McKenney, coming off two stakes wins at Laurel, sat midpack and finished decently though he wasn’t a threat to the top two. General a Rod, romping winner of a stakes at Tampa Bay last month, stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home but then gave way. Shared Belief never seemed comfortable while at the back of the pack and his rider opted to pull him up going down the backstretch.

Hawthorne - Sixty Sails Handicap (race 5)

COMMENT: Yahilwa had been facing much tougher out West and the drop in class here showed. Usually a pace factor, she stumbled badly at the start and raced well back early. She moved closer down the backstretch, took over into the lane and drew off to win easily. Awesome Flower, the heavy favorite off a romping optional-claiming win on turf at Gulfstream March 27, tried to make a run into the lane and persevered to just get second. Ketel Twice dogged pacesetter Parc Monceau from the start, and stayed on decently to just miss second.

Hawthorne - Illinois Derby (race 9)

COMMENT: Whiskey Ticket, a son of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, had won a one-mile maiden race at Santa Anita in his only start. The lack of experience and ship to Chicago didn’t stop him, as he helped display the amazing depth of the Bob Baffert 3-year-old team with a nice win. He stalked in fourth as Cross the Line, A. Rod Again and Kantune dueled up front, moved closer going to the far turn, took command from A. Rod Again into the lane, and stayed on resolutely to just get to the line before a hard-charging Conquest Curlinate. Conquest Curlinate, coming off a nice third routing at Oaklawn, was last until turning for home. He swung wide into the lane and finished strongly. Being an Ontario-bred, his main goal may be Woodbine’s Queen Plate in the early summer. Phenomenal Phoenix was just behind Whiskey Ticket from the start, and plugged along to be third without being a danger to the top two. Cross the Line, fifth to Dortmund in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, volleyed up front early, took back a bit to sit third and seemingly in a good spot, but then had nothing to offer when asked for run into the lane. His good work on Golden Gate’s synthetic track hints he may be better on that footing.

Santa Anita - Santa Barbara Handicap (race 7)

COMMENT: Queen of the Sand returned from a second in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar Nov. 30 with a dull eighth in the Grade 2 Santa Ana here March 15. But she apparently got what she needed out of that outing as she bounced back to top form to post the upset. She lagged well back early as Fanticola set a decent pace. Queen of the Sand was in tight turning for home but then found a seam and surged through in the final yards to just get up for the win. Fanticola set modest splits, was still clear turning for home, and looked like the winner late only to get nailed in the final strides by Queen of the Sand. Three Hearts, third in the Grade 3 Frankel and second in the Grade 2 Santa Ana, stalked in third while saving ground, was boxed in turning for home, finally found room late to make her bid, but it was too late. The top three figure to target the Grade 1 Gamely at 1 1/8 miles here May 25. Diversy Harbor, sixth in the Grade 2 Santa Ana, was pulled up. She reportedly suffered a sesamoid injury.

Sunday, April 19

Santa Anita - San Simeon (race 7)

COMMENT: Get Happy Mister came here after dominating the competition at Arapahoe, both sprinting and routing, but he’d never run on turf. This was his first start since August and he was facing much tougher competition. Well, none of that got in his way. He stalked the pace as Sweet Swap and Pure Tactics battled through hot splits up front, looked in trouble when Holy Lute went past him in midstretch, but rallied while inside for the win. He’s now 11 for 14 overall and you don’t do that by accident. The next stakes on this hillside course is the Siren Lure May 31. Holy Lute was cutting back to a sprint after setting a fast pace and fading to seventh in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile. Previously a confirmed front-runner, he bided his time in fifth, and came with a nice run in the lane to briefly look like the winner. Home Run Kitten, coming off third in the Grade 2 Arcadia and Grade 1 Kilroe Mile, both at a mile, was last coming onto the main turf course and finished well. Sweet Swap, generally considered the top male down the hill and who won this race last year, dueled hard with Pure Tactics from the start and weakened.