Trip Notes for April 21-22: Charles Town Classic, Elkhorn, and more

April 21

Charles Town
Charles Town Classic (race 11)

COMMENT: Something Awesome may be a 7-year-old now, but it could be the son of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Awesome Again is better than ever as he notched his fifth win in his last six starts, and while the prior five came at Laurel he showed here he could handle another track. Coming off a game win in the Grade 3 Gen. George (a sprint) on Feb. 17 and then a romping win in a route stakes at Laurel on March 17, he bided his time early as favored Diversify set a decent pace, remained well back to the far turn, came with a strong run to go past then leader Afleet Willy and outfinish a game War Story for the win. The Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 18 could be next. War Story stalked the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane but just couldn’t quite outfinish the winner. Fear the Cowboy lagged back, racing with the eventual winner, lacked room turning for home, had to wait to find a lane, found it and came through gamely in the lane but the damage was done. Diversify, the heavy 6-5 favorite making his first start since he set the pace and finished fourth in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24, went right out to the lead, took some early pressure from Afleet Willy, opened up a bit of an advantage going down the backstretch while saving ground, battled back when hooked by ‘Willy going to the far turn but then gave way badly to end up last in a disappointing effort.

Keeneland
Elkhorn (race 9)

COMMENT: One Go All Go couldn’t quite fend off top-class Hi Happy in the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream on March 31, but his speed proved lethal here as he proved another example of the danger of speed. The 6-year-old son of Fairbanks went right to the lead, got away with murder up front setting a slot pace, looked in trouble when 2-1 favorite Itsinthepost ranged up alongside to challenge him into the lane but rebuffed that rival and stayed on gamely to keep that foe and hard-trying Oscar Nominated at bay in the final furlong. Oscar Nominated, fourth in the Pan American, stalked in fourth, stayed wide and in the clear into the lane, loomed a big threat by midstretch but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. Itsinthepost, the defending champ and favored off three straight Grade 2 wins at Santa Anita, chased the winner from the start, crept closer going to the far turn, ranged up alongside to challenge into the lane, got repelled and couldn’t quite do enough to challenge while between horses in the final furlong, losing second in the final strides. Call Provision sat midpack from the start while saving ground, came off the rail turning for home, moved back toward the inside to make his run in the lane, loomed a big threat by midstretch but couldn’t sustain his run. Hayabusa One, second to Itsinthepost in those last two Grade 2s at SA, sat midpack, was still there going down the backstretch but then gave way in a disappointing run. Bullards Alley, fifth in the Pan American, was well back early and pulled up after suffering an injury under the wire the first time. Sadly, he had to be euthanized after suffering a lateral condylar fracture to his left hind leg.

Santa Anita
Kona Gold (race 5)

COMMENT: Bobby Abu Dhabi’s fine second in the Grade 1 Triple Bend here March 10 was highly flattered when the horse he chased that day, City of Light, came back to impressively win the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, and another strong run here in victory shows this guy belongs with the sprint elite out West. He broke sharply, pressed inside as Calculator set the pace, moved up to challenge for the lead turning for home while holding the fence, surged to shoot out to a clear lead and stayed on well to keep Ransom the Moon at bay in the final furlong. The top sprints out West figure on his docket. Ransom the Moon, the defending champ and favorite who was making his first start since a good fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint last November, showed more speed than usual, sitting just behind the leaders while on the outside, remained wide and in the clear, got fanned out farther coming into the lane, kept to his task well but couldn’t get to the winner. He figures to run into the winner again soon. Along with these two, the division out West looks good, led by champion Roy H, the aforementioned City of Light as well as Mr. Hinx, American Anthem, Edwards Going Left and others. Blameitonthelaw, stepping up off a good rallying second in a stakes at Sunland Park on March 25, the longest-priced horse in the race, was last early, still last turning for home and plugged along to get third though he was never a danger to the top two. Ten Blessings, a sharp winner of an optional claimer here March 30, stalked the pace but took a bad step and was pulled up on the far turn and had to be vanned off. He suffered fractures to his left fore sesamoids and had to be euthanized.

Santa Anita
American (race 8)

COMMENT: When on his game the past couple seasons What a View showed he could compete with the West’s top milers, but things hadn’t gone well the past 10 months or so and you had to wonder if the 7-year-old was past his prime. Well, he caught the right type of pace situation here and turned back the clock, notching his first graded stakes win in two years. The son of Vronsky used his main weapon, his speed, to go right out to the lead, set a strong pace under pressure from Blackjackcat and Sawyer’s Hill, opened up some on the turn while holding the fence as Blackjackcat kept after him, maintained a clear advantage to midstretch and had enough to get to the line before a hard-charging Colonist. Off this he likely deserves a shot at the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile here May 28. Colonist showed that this type of trip is likely his best and may be pointed to the Shoemaker Mile as well. After a smart win at this trip against optional claimers here Feb. 15 he stalked, loomed a threat but faded to fourth in the 1 1/2-mile Grade 2 San Luis Rey here last time out March 24. Moved back to a mile, he got back to his best as he sat well back early, remained toward the back going to the far turn, pitched out into the lane and finished resolutely, just failing to catch the winner. Kenjisstorm stalked the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane but couldn’t sustain his bid. Blackjackcat, the 3-2 favorite after a superb third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile Nov. 4 and a fifth in the Grade 3 Thunder Road here Feb. 10, dogged the winner from the start but couldn’t keep pace with that rival when it really mattered.

April 22

Santa Anita
San Juan Capistrano (race 6)

COMMENT: Nessy invaded from the East Coast with a seeming class edge, coming off two fine placings at Gulfstream, first in a Grade 3 and then a Grade 2, and that advantage played out on the track as he handled every bit of this long trip to prevail, notching his first graded stakes win. As the heavy 9-10 favorite he stalked in third as A Red Tie Day set a modest pace for the distance, remained stalking in third to the top of the lane, came out for room in the stretch and powered home to catch and go past the pacesetter. Too bad he doesn’t have many other distance options like this on the table. A Red Tie Day went right to the lead, set a modest pace for the distance, opened up some into the lane looking as though he might steal it but then couldn’t withstand the winner’s rally in the final half-furlong. Rye lagged back biding his time, started his run on the far turn, moved to the inside to continue his rally and just failed to catch the runner-up. Evo Campo, a mare facing males but proven at this long-distance game, sat second chasing the pacesetter; moved closer to that rival going into the far turn but then couldn’t keep up in the final quarter-mile.