Trip Notes for Aug. 30-31: Woodward, Forego, Del Mar Derby and more

Aug. 30
Saratoga - Bernard Baruch (race 5)

COMMENT: He’s baaaaack. Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan showed no ill effects in his first start back from colic surgery and no rust from the layoff as he blasted home, nearly setting a course record. Things were a bit dicey from the start as Wise Dan reared in the gate, unseating his rider. He was backed out, settled down and reloaded with further incident. He broke well to stalk in fourth while saving ground as Five Iron set the pace. He bided his time there, moved out for room after six furlongs, surged past rivals to take the lead and just fended off hard-trying Optimizer. The Mellon course played very fast, and his time of 1:39.08 wasn’t far off the standard of 1:38.91, set in 1991 by another wonderful gelding: Fourstardave. Remember, too, he was giving away a decent chunk of weight. The Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Oct. 4 may be next, and there he might again run into Seek Again, who nearly beat him earlier this year, as well as top-class dirt/synthetic miler Goldencents, who is reportedly targeting that. Should all go well there, a crack at a third straight Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile win at Santa Anita Nov. 1 looms. Optimizer was just behind Wise Dan from the start, didn’t accelerate as quickly as that rival, swung out wide into the lane and came home strongly to just miss. Five Iron bounced out to a clear lead, gamely battled back in the lane, still had the lead in midstretch but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Sayaad stalked the pace from the start, moved up menacingly turning for home to challenge Five Iron but could never quite get past that foe.

Saratoga - Prioress (race 8)

COMMENT: Stonetastic, coming off a romping win at Monmouth (over elders), her first start in nearly seven months, showed she’s back and better than ever as she had no trouble running her rivals here off their feet. She went right out to the lead, took some pressure first from Southern Honey and then Miss Behaviour, kicked away into the lane and drew off to win with ease. She’s a perfect 3 for 3 sprinting and won impressively enough that her connections are seriously considering targeting the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita this fall. Miss Behaviour chased the winner from the start, tried to make a run at her on the turn, proved no match but kept on gamely to hold second. That makes for three straight seconds in graded stakes (Grade 3 Victory Ride, Grade 1 Test). Southern Honey chased the winner with Miss Behaviour from the start, and stayed on gamely to nearly snatch second away from Miss Behaviour. Tea Time lagged back and made only modest headway in the lane. Sweet Whiskey, second in the Grade 1 Acorn and fifth in the Grade 1 Test, was slow into stride, as is her custom, pitched wide on the turn and into the lane but never mustered a run.

Saratoga - Forego (race 10)

COMMENT: Palace dominated the proceedings, though the result was a tad tainted as heavy favorite Clearly Now was eased. Palace stalked in third as Zee Bros set a solid pace. He came up the rail to grab the lead from that tiring rival in midstretch and drew away to win easily. Big Business, coming off consecutive seconds in NY-bred stakes, lagged back and finished well, though he was never a threat to the winner. Vyjack, fourth to Palace in the Vanderbilt, set well back and came with a decent run, though like the runner-up he was never really a danger to Palace. Clearly Now got bumped after the start but seemed in a good position toward the back, but came up empty in the lane and was basically eased under the line.

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Saratoga - Woodward (race 11)

COMMENT: In the Grade 1 Whitney here earlier this meet, Moreno led all the way while Itsmyluckyday chased and ran on for second. The addition of blinkers and a more aggressive ride on Itsmyluckyday turned the tables. Itsmyluckyday broke alertly from his inside slot, took the race right to Moreno as the two dueled from the start. They kept after one another throughout, exchanged bumps in the lane, but Itsmyluckyday finally got the better of Moreno. He did have to withstand a claim of foul from the rider of Moreno. Moreno, a game wire-to-wire winner of the Grade 1 Whitney earlier this meet, nearly pulled off the big double as he again went right to the lead, set a solid pace, gamely battled back when hooked by the eventual winner, and seemed to come out a few times and bump Itsmyluckyday before finishing a game second. Nice as this was, the extra furlong of the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup or Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic may be daunting for these two, especially with all the top-shelf talent expected for those. Moreno will reportedly go to the Gold Cup while Itsmyluckyday will skip that race. Itsmyluckyday is not Breeders’ Cup-nominated so if they do decide to try the Classic he would have to be supplemented for a hefty $200K. Prayer for Relief, fourth in the Whitney, went one slot better as he stalked the top two and gamely chased them home but was never really a threat. Zivo, big winner of the Grade 2 Suburban, lagged back, ran on decently but was never a danger.

Arlington - Washington Park Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Avanzare had shown quality on turf – the only surface he’d seen – including finishing a fourth, beaten less than a length, in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap here July 12. The move to the synthetic main track for this suited him just fine as he proved a game winner. He bounced right to a clear lead, set modest splits while remaining well clear and gamely held as longshot Hattaash and favored Mister Marti Gras cut into his lead significantly at the end. His ability to handle this footing opens up options, including maybe targeting a race at Keeneland in the fall. Hattaash, stepping up after a string of not-so-hot outings, lagged back and finished strongly to just miss. Mister Marti Gras, making his fourth start in this race, sat last early, just behind Hattaash, remained there to the top of the lane, didn’t accelerate as quickly as that rival but came home smartly once he found top gear. Gimmeadrink, previously unbeaten in three starts here, found this level a bit too much as he chased the winner early, tried to make a run at that foe into the lane but fell away.

Del Mar - Del Mar Debutante (race 9)

COMMENT: Sunset Glow had shown big-time ability previously by using her speed, be it on turf or synthetic. She showed here that she is not a need-the-lead type and that she could overcome trouble. The daughter of Exchange Rate was fifth early as Seduire set the pace. She steadily advanced going to the far turn, had to wait for room turning for home, came through between horses to grab the lead in midstretch and stayed on gamely to subdue a tough rival in Her Emmynency. Her next start will likely be in the Grade 1 Chandelier Sept. 27 at Santa Anita. Her Emmynency ran with the winner early, made her move with that rival into the lane, battled gamely but came up just a bit short in a fine try. The Chandelier figures on her radar as well. Conquest Eclipse sat just behind the top two early, didn’t accelerate as quickly but found her top gear late to finish well. Manhatta, an impressive maiden winner here last month, was slow into stride and never mustered a run. Starlet O’Hara, another impressive maiden winner earlier this meet, failed to show speed and never made a move in a disappointing effort.

Aug. 31

Saratoga - Glens Falls (race 6)

COMMENT: Heavy rain came but not early enough to really dampen the turf course as it was still listed as firm. Irish Mission, coming off back-to-back seconds, the first vs. males in the Belmont Gold Cup and then against distaffers in Monmouth’s Grade 3 Matchmaker, broke through and got her first win in over 13 months, benefitting from a clever ride from John Velzsquez. She had enough speed to sit third as Viva Rafaela moved off to a clear lead. She bided her time there, cut the corner turning for home to make her run, shifted out so as not to be behind Viva Rafaela and continued home smartly for the win. Viva Rafaela bounced out to a clear lead through modest splits, was still clear coming into the lane, battled back when hooked by the eventual winner but just couldn’t quite stay with that gal in the final 70 yards. Caroline Thomas broke slowly to be last at the start, remained there to the far turn, commenced a strong run inside and finished well. Aigue Marine, last seen winning a Grade 3 at Delaware July 5, was a bit slow into stride while saving ground and never really mustered a run. Cat’s Claw, stepping up after three straight wins including the ungraded Waya here Aug. 3, sat well back and never made a run.

Saratoga - Spinaway (race 10)

COMMENT: Condo Commando wowed ‘em when she won her debut here (for a $75K tag no less) by 12 lengths Aug. 3. Well, she looked even better here as she loved the slop and showed plenty of quality to win a laugher. From her rail draw she actually got away awkwardly to be last right out of the gate. She remedied that quickly, however, using her speed to fly up the inside and grab the lead. From there she just kept expanding her margin. By the Moon, a game winner of her debut here July 18, lagged back and finished well, though obviously she was no threat to the winner. Angela Renee, the favorite after her nice second to top-class Cavorting in the Grade 2 Adirondack here Aug. 10 and getting blinkers for the first time, got bumped at the start, lagged back, moved closer on the far turn but couldn’t sustain her run.

Del Mar - Torrey Pines (race 5)

COMMENT: The scratch of one of the speed horses (Delta Flower) meant Jojo Warrior might not have the luxury of sitting back off an expected speed duel. So she decided to take control of things from the start. Coming off a big wire-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita June 21, she took command soon after the start, putting other pace players Fashion Plate and More Complexity into chase mode. But the chase was in vain. Jojo Warrior set a solid pace, extended her advantage on the turn, and got to the line before hard-trying closer Tiz Kissable. Tiz Kissable lagged back, came with a smart rally and while she closed the gap on the winner you could pretty see the issue had already been determined. Thegirlinthatsong stalked the paced, tried to make a run at the winner into the lane, and flattened out a bit. More Complexity stalked in third, made a mild run at the winner into the lane but gave way. Fashion Plate pressed the winner from the start but floundered in the lane.

Del Mar - Del Mar Derby (race 9)

COMMENT: Midnight Storm went right out to a clear lead, was able to set modest splits while remaining well clear, opened up a commanding lead and didn’t have a nervous moment. The son of Pioneerof the Nile is really coming into his own and figures to target the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita Oct. 31. Sawyer’s Hill, coming off a game win over this course, was in closest pursuit of the eventual winner from the start, doggedly kept after him and gamely held the place. Talco, a French raider, sat well back and finished smartly. Enterprising, the favorite off big wins in the Oceanside and Grade 3 La Jolla, was last early and with the pace being slow was unable to make any dent when it mattered. Flamboyant lagged back, made a mild move turning for home but flattened out.