Trip Notes for August 21-22: Fourstardave, Alabama, Pacific Classic

Aug. 20

Saratoga

Fourstardave (race 9)

COMMENT: Tourist, off since finishing second in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita June 4 to Midnight Storm (who came back to win the Grade 2 Eddie Read and the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile), got his first Grade 1 win after some close calls. He dogged pacesetter King Kreesa through modest splits, moved up alongside that foe into the lane, opened up a bit, and was never threatened thereafter. He did have to withstand a claim of foul from the rider of runner-up A Lot for interference out of the gate. A Lot, fourth in the Grade 3 Jaipur at Belmont June 11, bumped hard with the eventual winner and was last to the far turn while saving ground, angled out into the lane, and finished well. Grand Arch, winner of this race last year, stalked in third, loomed a threat into the lane, and finished evenly. King Kreesa, coming off a nose win over Force the Pass in the Forbidden Apple at Belmont July 16, set modest splits, battled back when hooked by Tourist, but relented in the final half-furlong. Force the Pass lagged back and made a mild move while wide into the lane. He’s now winless in six starts since taking the Grade 1 Belmont Derby in July 2015. Ring Weekend, second to in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico on Preakness Day, May 21, got pinched back at the start, was still able to establish a nice stalking position in fourth while saving ground, but came up empty.

Saratoga

Alabama (race 10)

COMMENT: Songbird again showed she’s head and shoulders above the rest of her division, remaining unbeaten in 10 starts. She pressured early pacesetter Go Maggie Go, took command under her own power on the far turn, and cruised home to win in a romp. Going for Broke, stepping up to try stakes for the first time after three straight wins, sat well back while inside and came with a run to get second. Family Tree, easy winner of the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and Grade 2 Indiana Oaks in her last two starts, stalked in fourth, moved closer going to the far turn, and finished evenly. Go Maggie Go, winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and fourth in the Grade 1 Acorn, tried to take the race right to Songbird. She was under constant pressure from that rival, and proved no match for that gal when the real racing began. Dark Nile, winner of four straight including the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks, stalked in third early but gave way and was eased.

Monmouth

Monmouth Oaks (race 9)

COMMENT: Unbridled Mo continued her ascent and her love affair with this track, as she notched her first graded stakes win and her third straight win overall. She beat maidens here May 29, then beat winners here July 3. Today, in just her fourth start, the daughter of Uncle Mo chased 8-5 favorite Tejana through modest splits, went after her into the lane, and wore her down. Tejana set modest splits under pressure from the eventual winner, and battled back inside when challenged by that foe. Mo d’Amour stalked in fourth, edged closer after bumping with Mo’ Green to her inside turning for home while between horses, kept after the top two, but couldn’t get to them. She had to withstand a claim of foul from the rider of Mo’ Green for the bumping going to the far turn. Mo’ Green stalked while saving ground, bumped with Mo d’Amour going into the far turn when in tight, had to check and steady, lost her action, and gave way.

Del Mar

Del Mar Oaks (race 6)

COMMENT: Harmonize invaded the West Coast, faced the best 3-year-old turf fillies there, and prevailed in a blanket finish. Coming off a fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks July 9, she bided her time early as Lady Valeur went out to set a solid pace, came with her run between horses in the lane, and just got up to win the four-horse finish. Decked Out, who’d been knocking heads with the West’s best before shipping East to finish ninth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, bounced back to form with the return home. She was last to the far turn, swung out into the lane, and finished strongly to just miss. Stays in Vegas, a rallying third to Mokat in the Grade 2 San Clemente here July 23, stalked the pace, surged to a clear lead into the lane, but got nailed late by the top two, losing by just a head and a nose. Mokat, romping winner of the San Clemente, sat just behind Stays in Vegas, didn’t accelerate as quickly as that gal into the lane, but found her top gear in the final furlong only to run out of ground. Barleysugar, easy winner of the Sandy Blue here July 17, her first start in the U.S. after racing in England, pressed Lady Valeur early, pulled back a bit to sit a stalking trip in fourth, and failed to muster a run.

Del Mar

Del Mar Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Ashleyluvssugar ran second in this race last year but was then sidelined 10 months with body soreness. He’s come back maybe even better than ever, as he was second in the Grade 2 Eddie Read here July 17 and proved best at this longer trip. He sat just behind early pacesetter El Huerfano, took over after three furlongs, opened up a large lead (six lengths at one point), still had two lengths on the field by midstretch, and got to the line just before the hard-charging Metaboss. Metaboss, an explosive winner on this course July 23, came up a nose short. He was well back to the far turn, swung very wide into the lane, and finished strongly. Texas Ryano, a longshot, stalked in fourth and kept to his task to finish third. Finnegans Wake, who once would have humbled these, was in the back half, as is his custom, and never mustered the necessary run. Flamboyant, who figured tough off a sharp third in the Grade 2 Eddie Read here July 17, his first start in four months, lagged well back and never made a move.

Del Mar

Pacific Classic (race 9)

COMMENT: As good as Frosted is, as good as Beholder is, as good as Songbird is, a romping win by California Chrome here left little doubt he’s in a league of his own right now. The 2014 Horse of the Year, facing some top-notch competition in defending champ Beholder and multiple Grade 1 winner Dortmund, dominated from the start. From his rail slot he went right out to a clear lead, set modest early splits, picked up the pace with a strong mile in 1:35.69, and won geared down. Beholder chased California Chrome from the start, tried to make a run at him on the turn, and stayed on well to be a clear second. Dortmund, who gave California Chome a big scare when second to him in the Grade 2 San Diego here last month, stalked in third, tried to make a run at the winner on the turn, and the finished evenly to hold third.

Aug. 21

Saratoga

Lake Placid (race 8)

COMMENT: Time and Motion couldn’t quite get to Catch a Glimpse in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks. Well, a shorter trip and a more aggressive ride helped her gain her revenge, as she gave Catch a Glimpse her first loss in nine starts. Time and Motion, a daughter of Tapit, stalked in third as Catch a Glimpse set a modest pace, moved out for room into the lane, and edged past Catch a Glimpse in the final strides. Catch a Glimpse set a modest pace, battled back when hooked, but couldn’t outduel the winner. Diamond Fields, eighth in the Grade 2 Lake George here July 22, her U.S. debut after racing in Great Britain, lagged back and came with a nice run for third. Elysea’s World, sixth to Time and Motion in Belmont’s Wonder Again June 5 and then second in the Grade 2 Lake George July 22, stumbled badly at the start. She started to advance but had to angle wide around My Impression, who had slipped on the wet turf.

Monmouth

Cliff Hanger (race 8)

COMMENT: Can’thelpbelieving was not disgraced vs. some of the game’s best turfers in his last three, and the 5-year-old notched his first graded stakes win here. He bided his time early as European raider Il Segreto set a modest pace, remained fifth to the far turn, swung wide and finished strongly to win going away. Hothersal, back to routing after fading to ninth in the Grade 3 Jaipur at six furlongs at Belmont June 11, stalked in third while saving ground, came with his run into the lane while staying inside, and kept on well to be second. Il Segreto battled back gamely when challenged into the lane, still had his head in front at the eighth pole, but couldn’t keep pace with the top two in the final furlong. Captain Dixie lagged back, swung out into the lane, and made modest headway.

Del Mar

Del Mar Mile (race 4)

COMMENT: Midnight Storm was the overwhelming favorite, coming off wins in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita and Grade 2 Eddie Read here, and he proved a prompt choice, though Om made him work. As expected Midnight Storm went right out to the early lead. He set solid splits while being pressured by Ambitious Brew, dispatched with that foe into the lane, but then had to fend off Om in the final furlong. Om, making his first start since finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in early March and then being sidelined with sore feet, stalked in third, came with a run in the lane to challenge the winner, and finished far clear of the others. While these two ran well it’s worth noting that many of the top Southern California milers – including Obviously, What a View, and Bolo - were not here. Ohio stalked in fourth, tried to make a run at the top pair into the lane, and stayed on to get third. Ambitious Brew dogged the winner from the start and weakened from those efforts.