Trip Notes for April 2-3: Florida Derby, Skip Away, Orchid, Tokyo City Cup, and more...

Saturday, April 2

Gulfstream - Skip Away (race 5)

COMMENT: Valid is just a cut below the best in the game, and he had no trouble dispatching with this group. Coming off a tough-trip fourth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, he pressured early leader Enders Cat, took over before the field had gone a half-mile, held a clear lead into the lane, and came home strongly. The sloppy track didn’t bother him in the least. Team Colors stalked the pace, tried to make a run at Valid turning for home, kept after him, and finished well clear of the rest. Enders Cat set the early pace, relinquished those duties quickly to Valid, and was no danger to the top two in the lane. Savoy Stomp stalked early, moved closest to Valid going to the far turn, but couldn’t sustain his bid.

Gulfstream - Gulfstream Park Oaks (race 7)

COMMENT: Go Maggie Go, making her first start against winners and routing for the first time, handled the big step up in class. The daughter of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper stalked as Paola Queen set a solid pace, took command on the far turn, and steadily extended her margin. Paola Queen took pressure first from Hold On Momma and then Go Maggie Go, relinquished the lead to Go Maggie Go on the far turn, kept after her but just wasn’t good enough while edging 4-5 favorite Off the Tracks for second. Off the Tracks, unbeaten in three starts, all sprints, stalked the pace, moved up ominously turning for home, got within a length of the winner by midstretch but then weakened.

Gulfstream - Appleton (race 8)

COMMENT: The turf was listed as good, and the fractions and final time were a tad slower than these horses might run on a firm course. That was just fine with Reporting Star, who was purchased by his owners after winning a stakes here Dec. 12 and finishing second in the Sunshine Millions Turf here Jan. 16. He stalked in third as Long On Value set the pace under pressure from Force the Pass, remained there to the top of the lane, moved up to challenge, and stayed on to edge a couple tough rivals. Divisidero, who rallied for third in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf here Feb. 27, his first start in almost seven months, was well back early. He moved up to fourth while staying wide and in the clear, just behind the eventual winner, going down the backstretch, and finished with the winner but couldn’t get to him. Force the Pass, making his first start in over nine months, dogged Long On Value from the start, took over going to the far turn, held the lead to deep stretch, but couldn’t fend off the top two. He can certainly benefit from this first run in a long time. Long On Value, second in the Canadian Turf, took pressure in front from Force the Pass while holding the rail, lost the lead to that rival on the turn, and battled on to near midstretch before giving way.

Gulfstream - Orchid (race 11)

COMMENT: Grade 1 winner Photo Call pressed early pacesetter Quiet Kitten from the start, quickly took command from that foe before they’d gone a half-mile, was able to set dawdling splits, opened up a bit of an advantage, saw the field creep closer on the turn, opened up again into the lane, and kept Songoficeandfire at bay. Songoficeandfire was sidelined 15 months before running second here Feb. 3. She took a nice step forward here. She lagged well back early, started a run on the far turn, was forced to steady and wait for room turning for home, shifted out for room, got going again, and finished smartly. Achnaha, third in a 1 1/2-mile stakes here Feb. 11, was last to the top of the lane, swung wide, and finished decently. Maximova lagged back, came with a run into the lane, but couldn’t sustain her bid.

Gulfstream - Honey Fox (race 12)

COMMENT: Celestine got her first graded stakes win here. She went right to the lead, set slow splits, looked in danger when Mississippi Delta came up to challenge into the lane, but then shot away again. Mississippi Delta, an allowance winner here March 6 in her first start in almost seven months, chased the winner, moved up to challenge into the lane, but couldn’t keep pace. Sandiva, the favorite, stalked while inside, came with a steady run, and finished a neck behind Mississippi Delta. Tammy the Torpedo lagged back and never made a run. Lady Lara, winner of this race last year, was just behind Tammy the Torpedo from the start and basically stayed there. With speed holding up all the way around, these two had little chance to rally.

Gulfstream - Pan American (race 13)

COMMENT: Kaigun couldn’t quite get to Grand Tito in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida here March 5, but he got his revenge, and after four straight seconds got his first victory since November 2014. Kaigun sat well back early as Seeking Alpha set a slow pace, shifted out into the lane and battled to the wire to just get there before hard-charging Wake Forest. Wake Forest, a European import who was sixth in the Grade 1 Arlington Million last summer, was last early, remained well back to the top of the lane, unleashed a strong run up the rail, and just failed to get to Kaigun. Grand Tito stalked the pace, moved to the lead turning for home, still had a clear lead by midstretch, but couldn’t finish with the top two. O’Prado Ole pressed the early pace but then gave way readily before the field had gone six furlongs.

Gulfstream - Florida Derby (race 14)

COMMENT: This was supposed to be a pre-Derby summit between unbeaten champion Nyquist and unbeaten challenger Mohaymen but only Nyquist held up his end of the bargain, remaining unbeaten in seven starts and confirming his status as the favorite in the Run for the Roses. Nyquist went right out to the lead, set modest fractions while taking pressure from longshots Sawyers Mickey and Chovanes, and braced himself for a duel as Mohaymen came up to challenge. Nyquist quickly rebroke, dispatched with Mohaymen, and drew off to win easily while drifting out in the final half-furlong. Majesto, coming off a maiden win here Feb. 27, lagged back and came up the inside to get second, though he was never on the winner’s radar. Fellowship, third to Mohaymen in the Grade 2 Holy Bull and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, finished third again here, though he beat Mohaymen. He once again lagged back and finished well. Mohaymen seemed well positioned early stalking in fourth, was asked to get involved on the turn, loomed ominously turning for home, but then had no answer when Nyquist rebroke. According to his rider he wasn’t pulling him to the lead as he normally does.

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Turfway - Bourbonette Oaks (race 9)

COMMENT: Wonderment went right out to the lead, took pressure from Marquee Miss, was able to scoot clear into the lane while off the rail, and widened her margin to the wire. Inconclusive showed no speed, remained well back going down the backside, started to advance with a wide run going into the far turn, and got up for second. Marquee Miss, the 3-1 favorite, dogged the winner from the start, tried to make a run at her a couple times, but weakened and lost second in the final strides. Dorodansa, well backed after running fourth in the Grade Honeybee at Oaklawn March 12, was never slow into stride and remained well back.

Turfway - Spiral (race 10)

COMMENT: Oscar Nominated sat midpack early as Ralis and Azar dueled up front, swung very wide into the lane, and powered home to get up in the final strides. Azar still had a head in front of a number of challengers in deep stretch before getting nailed late by the winner. Surgical Strike, impressive winner of the Battaglia Memorial here March 12, was well back on the far turn, swung exceedingly wide for the stretch run, and finished strongly to lose by just two necks. Ralis, winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful last summer at Saratoga, only succumbed in the final yards to be part of the blanket finish. Airoforce, trying to revive his Kentucky Derby aspirations after a 10th in the Grade 2 Risen Star on dirt at Fair Grounds, seemed in a great spot stalking the pace, was trapped behind horses on the far turn, was able to extricate himself, but then had no punch.

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Santa Anita - San Simeon (race 7)

COMMENT: Guns Loaded notched his fourth straight grass win. He dueled early with Mr. Sexy through sizzling splits. He got the better of that foe after the dirt crossing, and edged clear in the final furlong. Cape Wolfe, cutting back in distance after finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Arcadia at a mile, bided his time in fifth, was asked for run after the dirt crossing, came through nicely between horses, moved to the rail, and finished well for second. No Silent stalked in third, loomed a threat into the lane, but was unable to fend off Cape Wolfe in the final strides. Hey Dude bided his time in sixth early and made only modest headway to finish fourth.

Sunday, April 3

Santa Anita - Tokyo City Cup (race 8)

COMMENT: Big John B sat last early as John’s Success set a sensible pace for the distance. He started to advance going to the far turn, found his top gear into the lane, and drew away for the easy win. Since being claimed for $50,000 at Keeneland in April 2014 he’s earned over $605,000. Class Leader sat back just in front of the eventual winner, moved a bit earlier than that foe, had the lead by midstretch, but couldn’t counter the winner’s charge while finishing well clear of the rest. Blingo stalked in fourth and was fairly one-paced throughout, getting third. Lieutenant Colonel dogged pacesetter John’s Success, took a brief lead into the lane, but then weakened.