Trip Notes for April 27-28, 2019: San Francisco Mile and more

April 27

Golden Gate
San Francisco Mile (race 10)

COMMENT: Blitzkrieg was claimed for just $25,000 when a smart winner down the hill at Santa Anita Jan. 19. After that came two more big wins down the hill while stepping up in class. He took a big step up in class while moving to a longer trip here and proved more than up to the task. The son of War Front validated Doug O’Neill’s claiming eye with his fourth straight win and first graded stakes win. He showed the speed to sit behind Many Roses who set a solid pace, moved up handily outside that rival going into the far turn, took command, blew the race open with a strong run into the lane and had more than enough of a lead to keep hard-trying favorite River Boyne at bay in the lane. Off this there’s no reason a shot the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita May 27 can’t be considered. River Boyne, the favorite off a series of smart graded stakes efforts, got the worst of the draw as he was stuck with an outside post. He was midpack early, got fanned wide, as expected, on the first turn, got shuffled on the far turn, came out wider for room and finished well but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. The Shoemaker Mile figures on his radar as well. Choo Choo, coming off a big optional-claiming win on this main track March 30 but proven on turf as he’s won on grass, stalked in third, tried to run with the winner into the lane, proved no match for that foe but kept on well, even if unable to finish with the runner-up in the final furlong. Bowies Hero, a Grade 1 winner on turf and making his first start since finishing 11th in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Handicap last Aug. 19, broke slowly from his rail slow to be at the back of the field, was still last going into the far turn, saved ground as he made a bit of a run, came off the rail into the lane, kept to his task to pass a few but was unable to be a factor.

Santa Anita
Santa Margarita (race 8)

COMMENT: There was a time a couple years ago Paradise Woods ranked among the elite distaffers. Alas, after a super 2017 she hadn’t been much of a threat in 5 starts since, though she ran second in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile here in June 2018 and again here last time out March 30. Well, she looked like the gal we once knew in this spot as she thoroughly dominated her rivals. She broke to sit second to the outside of pacesetter Just a Smidge from the start, pressured that rival through as those two moved out well ahead of the others, had no trouble taking over from that tiring foe into the lane, opened up and won with authority while in hand late. Sure, she wasn’t facing the division’s power here but you had to like how she won. Off this, the Grade 2 Santa Maria here June 1 is her next target, and should all go well there, the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar July 28 would be her next goal. La Force, second in three Grade 1’s last year and making her first start since finishing eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Nov. 3, lagged back, as is her want, remained there to the far turn, came out into the lane and finished well but was never a danger to the winner while finishing far clear of the others. The Santa Maria may be next for her as well. Exuberance stalked in fourth, tried to make a run at the dueling leaders on the far turn but was unable to make a dent. Lemoona, coming off a romping win on turf here April 6, sat back just behind Exuberance, tried to move with that gal on the far turn but came up empty in the lane.

April 28

Lone Star
Steve Sexton Mile (race 7)

COMMENT: Mocito Rojo has held sharp form for a year and came into this off a stakes win at Delta Downs March 9. He was stepping into graded stakes ranks for the first time and racing here for the first time but the 5-year-old son of Mutadda proved up to the task, gamely prevailing with a late charge to take his record to a terrific 14 wins from 22 starts. From his outside post he was a bit slow into stride, sat well back while wide into the first turn, remained midpack down the backstretch, came with a smart wide run on the far turn to reach contention, engaged leader King Abner, poked his head in front of that foe after a long duel to midstretch and edged clear late. King Abner, a dangerous SoCal invader coming off a sharp second in the Tiznow at this same mile trip at Santa Anita March 3, sat second behind pacesetter Minister of Soul who set a solid pace, took over from that tiring rival going into the far turn, was immediately engaged by the eventual winner, battled gamely with that foe to inside the eighth pole but then couldn’t keep pace with that foe while staying on well to hold second. Title Ready, coming off a good second in the Stymie at Aqueduct at this same trip March 9, sat midpack from the start, remained there to the far turn, came with a nice run in the lane to pass a few and get third, though he was never really a danger to the top two. Air Strike, another SoCal raider, was slow into stride to be last early while very wide on the first turn, remained well back while wide going to the far turn, made some headway while staying wide on the far turn and into the lane, finished well but was unable to threaten. Surely the wide trip cost him. Shotgun Kowboy, third in this last year before winning the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap last May but coming off modest form at Oaklawn this year, was wide early while stalking the pace, remained wide while midpack but was basically one-paced to the line without being able to threaten.