Trip Notes for August 19-20: Pacific Classic, Alabama, Del Mar Handicap, and more

August 19

Saratoga
Lake Placid (race 8)

COMMENT: Proctor’s Ledge, coming off a win in the Grade 3 Lake George, showed she’s the real deal. She bided her time off a slow pace set by Party Boat, who was pressed by Coasted and La Coronel, remained midpack as Coasted took the lead going down the backstretch, and came with her run on the turn. Party Boat had to pitch wide for clear sailing but maintained her momentum, grabbed the lead, and kept Uni at bay in the final half-furlong. A race like the Grade 2 Sands Point at Belmont Sept. 16 could be next. Uni, a rallying third in her U.S. debut, the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks July 8, ran well again. She was last as the field was tightly bunched going to the far turn, came with a run into the lane while saving ground, angled out very wide into the stretch, was still last at the eighth pole, but found her top gear and went after the winner. The Sands Point figures on her radar as well. Party Boat, a rallying second in the Lake George, took the early lead, relinquished pacesetting duties to Coasted going into the backstretch, sat a nice stalking trip, loomed a threat into the lane, but couldn’t finish with the top pair. La Coronel, who’d beaten the winner a couple times this spring, stalked the pace, came abreast of the leader, but was unable to keep up in the lane.

Saratoga
Alabama (race 9)

COMMENT: Elate finished second to Abel Tazman in the Grade 1 CCA Oaks here last month, and delivered the win here. She bided her time early as It Tiz Well set a strong pace. Elate came with a run on the far turn to engage It Tiz Well, opened up in the lane, and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. It Tiz Well backed up her win in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks with another good effort here. She battled back when hooked by the winner turning for home, and stayed on to just hold second. Salty, second to Abel Tasman in the Grade 1 Acorn and third in the CCA Oaks, sat just behind the eventual winner, tried to rally with that foe on the turn, and just missed getting up for second. New Money Honey, trying dirt for the first time after winning the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks July 8, stalked in third while saving ground, and was still in the hunt on the far turn when she was in tight and had to check. She was then one-paced to the line. Holy Helena, winner of her last three including beating males in Woodbine’s Queen’s Plate on synthetic footing July 2, stalked the pace in fourth, moved to second going down the backstretch, but gave way. Could be she’s just not as good on dirt. Unchained Melody, winner of 3 of her previous 4 starts, including the Grade 2 Mother Goose at Belmont July 1, chased It Tiz Well, but gave way readily going down the backstretch and was pulled up and vanned off.

Monmouth
Violet (race 11)

COMMENT: Tricky Escape, second in an allowance race washed off the turf at Delaware July 29, appreciated the return to turf and posted the mild upset. She was away slowly to be last early as Gianna’s Dream set a slow pace, remained at the back going to the far turn, started her run on the turn, and swept past her rivals to win going away. Light Up the World, favored off a fourth in a Grade 3 at Parx July 4, stalked the pace, had to steady while inside, and came with a nice run in the lane to get second. Gianna’s Dream, winner of an optional claimer at Laurel last time out July 15, kicked clear into the lane as but tired in the final furlong and was headed in the final strides for second. Beauly, coming off a rallying stakes win at Indiana Downs July 15, came with a modest run in the lane but wasn’t good enough.

Del Mar
Del Mar Handicap (race 7)

COMMENT: Hunt backed up his Grade 1 Eddie Read win here last month at 1 1/8 miles with a win at 1 3/8 miles. He stalked in fourth as Mr. Roary set a slow pace, came inside to make his run in the stretch, and finished resolutely to get up for the score. His best races have come over this course so the Breeders’ Cup Turf here Nov. 4 figures on his radar. Itsinthepost, back to Southern California after dueling for the lead and fading to fifth in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth July 1, was fairly unlucky. He bided his time early while saving ground, had to check and steady going into the far turn, got back into stride, but still had to wait for room. Itsinthepost moved out for clear sailing to make his run, moved back to the inside, and finished smartly. Flamboyant sat just in front of Itsinthepost, came wide into the lane, and finished well. Ashleyluvssugar, winner of this last year and a second to Hunt in the Eddie Read here last month, stalked in third, moved closer on the turn, came with a run into the lane to grab the lead by midstretch, but couldn’t sustain his bid. His rider, Gary Stevens, reported afterward that his saddle slipped.

Del Mar
Pacific Classic (race 8)

COMMENT: Arrogate’s bubble of invincibility appears to have burst. While he ran much better here than he did in his Grade 2 San Diego flop, he still got beat and did not look like the horse who seemed destined to be ranked among the greats. Still, it was trainer Bob Baffert who got the laurels, as his surging Collected led all the way. Coming off three straight wins, including the Grade 2 Californian and Grade 3 Precisionist at Santa Anita, Collected was able to set modest splits under minimal pressure from Accelerate to his outside, dispatched with that foe into the lane, opened up, was obviously tiring, but got to the line before favored stablemate Arrogate got to him. Originally Baffert had mentioned the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt mile for Cllected, but off this win he’s surely in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic picture. Arrogate was urged out of the gate from his outside post and got a dream stalking position third. He came under a ride on the far turn, did not respond immediately, ducked to the inside, changed leads, moved back to the outside, and closed well. Accelerate, romping winner of the San Diego, stalked Collected, challenged him turning for home, and was not abused to get third. The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile here Nov. 3 is his target.

Del Mar
Del Mar Oaks (race 10)

COMMENT: Dream Dancing, seventh in the Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga July 21, notched her first Grade 1 win. She sat well back early as Blame It On Alphie set a modest pace under pressure from Meadowsweet. Dream Dancing swung very wide into the lane with Beau Recall to her inside and Madam Dancealot on the rail, and just got her nose in front at the line. Beau Recall, sixth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks July 8, did everything right, only to lose a heartbreaker. She sat a couple lengths in front of the winner, came with a strong run into the lane, and led until the final stride. Madam Dancealot, winner of the Grade 2 San Clemente here July 23, remained well back to the far turn, and finished strongly to miss by just a nose and a neck. The top three may face each other again in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland Oct. 14. Con Te Partito, winner of a 24-horse stakes in England last time out June 21, lagged back until turning for home and finished well. Pacific Wind stalked the pace, came with a run into the lane, veered in during the stretch run forcing a couple rivals to steady, and flattened out to end up ninth. She was disqualified to 10th.

August 20

Del Mar
Del Mar Mile (race 8)

COMMENT: Blackjackattack, winner of the Wickerr here July 23, made it three straight wins and posted the biggest victory of his career. He dogged pacesetter Midnight Storm, pushing him through hot splits, crept closer to that foe turning for home, got the better of him by midstretch, and stayed on to edge Vyjack. Vyjack, second to Blackjackcat in the Wickerr, got a dream trip stalking the pace, came out into the lane to make his run, but couldn’t quite get to the winner. Om, second in this race last year and second in the Grade 3 American at Santa Anita July 4, his first start of 2017, was just behind Vyjack early. He raced in tandem with Vyjack from the midpoint on the backstretch into the lane, but couldn’t stay with him in the final half-furlong. He’s eligible to improve off that run. Midnight Storm, fourth in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita at 1 1/4 miles May 27, set a strong pace and weakened a bit late. Bal a Bali, seemingly the leader of this division out West after wins in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita March 11 and a win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile last time out there June 3, stalked the early pace but then came up empty and faded to last.