Trip Notes for April 23-24: Charles Town Classic, Elkhorn

April 23

Keeneland
Elkhorn (race 9)
COMMENT: Da Big Hoss and Kaigun continued their rivalry, and Da Big Hoss made the score 2-2 as he came home resolutely to beat his rival. Da Big Hoss saved ground, and that may have been the difference. He stalked early as A Red Tie Day set a slow pace, crept closer going to the far turn while remaining inside, still had to work to get past a stubborn A Red Tie Day inside the eighth pole, but hugged the rail to get by, and rebuffed a challenge from hard-charging rival Kaigun. Kaigun ran well again but couldn’t outdo his rival. Coming off a second in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream (Da Big Hoss ran fifth) and a win in the Grade 2 Pan American there April 2, he lagged farther back than Da Big Hoss, pitched wide turning for home, and closed on Da Big Hoss. Royal Albert Hall, stepping up after a win over optional claimers at Santa Anita March 25, lagged back, was still a couple lengths behind the top two turning for home, and finished well to close the gap. A Red Tie Day, another Southern California raider, set a slow pace, kicked clear turning for home, still held the lead by midstretch but weakened a bit once headed inside the eighth pole. Up With the Birds, making his first start of the year, was last until turning for home, angled out, but was unable to make a dent in the lane. He hasn’t won since July 2014 and you wonder if this level is a bit beyond him at this stage of the game. Twilight Eclipse, a Grade 1 winner, got his usual trip stalking the pace, was still in the hunt turning for home, but fell away in the final furlong. This comes after a dull seventh in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in his 2016 debut, and it makes you wonder if at age 7 he’s lost a step or three.

Charles Town
Charles Town Classic (race 12)
COMMENT: Stanford, coming off a tough-beat second in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, used his speed to get his first graded stakes win. He went right to the lead and set dawdling splits with Page McKenney close by but not really pressuring him. He held the fence and had plenty of fuel left to edge away in the lane. Page McKenney, third in this race last year and coming off a win in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel Feb. 15, sat just off the winner and couldn’t get to him. He was actually losing ground in the final furlong. Donworth, favored after being a troubled seventh in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 12, was in tight early and wasn’t able to use his speed. He was eager and pulling while in midpack early, steadily advanced, came with a threatening wide run down the backstretch and into the far turn, but couldn’t sustain it. Imperative, winner of this race in 2014 and fourth last time out in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, lagged well back early, moved closer going down the backstretch, but left himself with far too much to do. S’maverlous, coming off a win in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at the Fair Grounds March 26, stalked the pace, was still in the hunt turning for home, but gave way.

Los Alamitos
Great Lady M. (race 8)
COMMENT: Finest City flashed graded stakes ability when second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica at Santa Anita Jan. 23, but her two subsequent starts were less than dazzling, including a fourth in the Grade 3 Las Flores there March 20. A change of venue and change of tactics got her back on track and she posted the mild upset here. Usually one to show speed, she instead lagged well back early as Thirteen Arrows set a sharp pace. Finest City swung wide turning for home and rallied past the leaders to win and set a track mark. Could be they’ve found something with this new style. Fantastic Style, the heavy favorite, had won this race last year and romped in the Las Flores. She dogged the pacesetter, took over into the lane, opened up as if going on to victory, but then had no answer for the winner’s charge and flattened out some, nearly losing the place. Lost Bus, winner of the Grade 2 Santa Monica at Santa Anita Jan. 23 and a tough optional claimer there March 11, was just behind Fantastic Style. She was no match when the winner swept by, but nearly caught Fantastic Style for second. Minks Aprise, easy winner of the Camilla Urso at Golden Gate March 19 and racing on fast dirt for the first time, was last early. She swung very wide into the lane and finished decently.