Trip Notes for August 29-30, 2020: Sword Dancer, Forego, and more

Aug. 29

Saratoga
Saranac (race 3)

COMMENT: The race was moved from the inner course to the Mellon course so the inner course wouldn’t get chewed up and could be saved for the Grade 1 Sword Dancer later on the card. Turf course listed as soft after steady rain. Bye Bye Melvin, a son of red-hot sire Uncle Mo, was no match for today’s foe Vanzzy when second to him in the Jersey Derby at Monmouth July 26, but a completely different type of footing and the addition of blinkers did the trick in the Saranac. Bye Bye Melvin broke well, was content to sit just behind pacesetters Don Juan Kitten and Embolden while saving ground. He remained there to the far turn, seemed in a bit of trouble turning for home, but came off the rail, found room between horses, went after leader Don Juan Kitten and just got him at the wire. Bye Bye Melvin’s last win also had come on non-firm footing. The footing and the fact none of the closers could make an impact in the lane likely make you not want to read too much into this result except that the top two handled the ground and ran well. The winner could come back in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Belmont Oct. 3. Don Juan Kitten, coming off a big allowance win here July 25, went right to the lead, moved to the rail after clearing Bye Bye Melvin to his inside, and took pressure from Embolden to his outside. He set a slow pace, opened up a bit into the lane, and looked on his way to victory only to get nipped. Bodecream, 10th in a stakes at Churchill May 23 after a lousy start, sat a few lengths off the lead while a few lanes off the rail, made a mild move turning for home, was unable to threaten the top two in the final furlong but kept to his task to get third. L’Imperator, a French invader who was the 5-2 second choice off proven non-firm turf form overseas, was slow into stride, sat at the back of the pack, and never mustered a run. Despite his success in France, maybe this particular course didn’t suit him. None of the others were able to get involved as the top four early in the race were the top four at the end.

Saratoga
Amsterdam (race 7)

COMMENT: Main track listed as muddy (sealed) as rain continued. First trainer Steve Asmussen unleashed the monster Mitole. This year, his Volatile has been a sprint revelation. Well, here’s part 3 as the lightly raced Yaupon, a $255,000 son of Uncle Mo, made it three wins in as many starts and stamped himself a potential replacement for Mitole. Trying stakes waters for the first time here after a romping optional-claiming win here July 18, Yaupon went right to the lead while holding the fence, took some pressure from Long Weekend to his immediate right and Wondrwherecraigis wider out, dispatched with those two into the lane, drifted off the rail, and had little trouble keeping Basin at bay in the stretch. Asmussen said he wasn’t sure what would be next, but said the horse might horse might be able to go longer, potentially making the Mitole comparison even more apt. Basin, back to sprinting after trying the Triple Crown trail, sat inside in Yaupon’s wake, started to advance on the far turn, and stayed on the rail as Yaupon drifted out into the lane. Basin switched off the inside to try to make a run at the winner, but couldn’t get to him. The return to sprinting appeared the right move. Premier Star, an easy optional-claiming winner at Laurel Aug. 6, bided his time early while well off the rail, made a mild move turning for home while still wide, but flattened out some in the lane while still able to finish third, well clear of the others. Long Weekend, third (awarded second by disqualification) in the Gold Fever in slop at Belmont July 10, didn’t appear comfortable in the warm-up. He tried to go with Yaupon while just outside that rival but couldn’t keep up and gave way in the lane.

Saratoga
Forego (race 8)

COMMENT: Rain intensified before and during the running, making the main track sloppy (sealed). Win Win Win pulled a Silky Sullivan. Coming off a second to today’s rival Complexity in an optional-claiming mile at Belmont July 2, Win Win Win was very slow into stride to be last, far behind the rest of the field, to the far turn, commenced a strong wide run on the turn, pitched about 10 wide into the lane, and absolutely stormed home to just get up in the final strides and get his revenge on Complexity. His connections may have found his niche: seven furlongs to a mile around one turn. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at 6 furlongs is likely too short for him, and an option could be the Grade 2 Kelso at Belmont Oct. 3. Complexity did everything right. He got into an immediate duel with True Timber to his inside through fast splits, and was getting the better of that rival in midstretch only to have victory snatched away by a horse rallying a good eight lanes wide of him. The Kelso figures on his radar as well. True Timber continued to fight with Complexity to midstretch, and stayed on gamely for third. Funny Guy, the 3-1 favorite off two recent wins, including a statebred stakes here July 30, was midpack toward the inside early, had to steady some going to the far turn, swung out some turning for home, and made a threatening move into the. Whitmore, the terrific old warrior who won this in 2018 and came into this off a second to Volatile in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt here July 25, sat back early while wide, made a mild wide move on the far turn, but came up empty. Firenze Fire, a solid fourth in the Vanderbilt, sat back, remained very wide throughout, and never made a move. This is his second straight poor outing in the slop.

Saratoga
Sword Dancer (race 9)

COMMENT: Continuing rain has the inner course listed as soft. Channel Maker hadn’t run badly of late (fourth in the Grade 2 Bowling Green before getting move up to third via disqualification) but didn’t seem to be the same horse who won the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont in May 2019. Well, Channel Maker got back on track with a clever ride by Manny Franco, who used the 6-year-old’s speed to run them off their feet. Channel Maker went right to the lead, took some pressure from Marzo while setting slow splits, remained clear to the far turn as Marzo fell away, and blew the race open into the lane. The Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Oct. 3 figures next, and he’ll likely see many of the same faces there. Cross Border, the 3-1 favorite who ran second in the Bowling Green before being awarded the win with the disqualification of Sadler’s Joy, was 5 for 5 on turf here. He bided his time early, steadily advanced going to the far turn, came with a run into the lane, and finished well to easily be second. Aquaphobia, winner of the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth July 18, stalked while saving ground, moved closer going to the far turn, tried to make a run at the winner on the turn, and ended third, well clear of the rest. Sadler’s Joy, second in this last year, was washy going to the post, broke slowly, and had no speed, per usual. He remained at the back of the pack while saving ground, came out on the far turn to start a run, and made a little progress.

Del Mar
Pat O’Brien (race 10)

COMMENT: Trainer Peter Miller claimed C Z Rocket for $40,000 at Oaklawn April 30, and the 6-year-old went on to rattle off three straight wins in Kentucky. Miller brought him West, tossed him into graded stakes waters and the gelding handled it all well, posting his first graded stakes win. He pressed the issue from the start just outside of Law Abidin Citizen and Flagstaff, continued to dog those two to the top of the lane, and went after leader Flagstaff to his immediate inside in midstretch as Law Abidin Citizen relented just a smidge on the rail, and gamely outdueled Flagstaff to the line. The Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at Santa Anita Sept. 27 could be next. This win earned C Z Rocket a ticket to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland, but he looks better suited to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Flagstaff, a rallying second after a miserable start in the Grade 3 Count Fleet at Oaklawn April 18 and then fourth in the Grade 2 Triple Bend at Santa Anita June 7, hounded early pacesetter Law Abidin Citizen who was to his while taking pressure from C Z Rocket to his outside. He continued to press the issue to the top of the lane, was getting the better of Law Abidin Citizen to his inside when confronted by C Z Rocket to his outside, and battled on gamely for second. The Santa Anita Sprint Championship figures on his radar as well. Law Abidin Citizen, third in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby here Aug. 1, set a modest pace under heavy pressure, battled gamely to midstretch, and relented in the final half-furlong. Giant Expectations, winner of this in 2017 and a sharp second last year, was making his first start since finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita last Nov. 2. He was a bit slow into stride, got position sitting a few lengths off the lead while a few lanes off the rail, made a mild move while wide on the far turn, but was unable to sustain it.

Aug. 30

Saratoga
Shuvee (race 9)

COMMENT: Letruska was a monster in Mexico, winning six straight including two Grade 1’s. She’d shown talent in a few of her first six starts in the U.S., winning three, and really put it all together here when moving to a longer trip. She went set a solid pace while saving ground, opened up on the far turn and into the lane, and kept her rivals at bay, though they cut into her margin. Off this, a shot at the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland Oct. 4 could be next, though Midnight Bisou and Vexatious are apparently pointing for that as well, and if Monomoy Girl runs well this Friday at Churchill in the Grade 1 La Troienne, she too could eye the Spinster. Royal Flag, third in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth July 18, her first stakes try after three straight wins, remained toward the back going to the far turn while just a couple lanes off the rail. She remained toward the inside on the far turn and finished well to close the gap on the winner. Royal Flag could point for the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont Oct. 4, though her highly talented stablemate Dunbar Road is pointing for that. Our Super Freak, second in the Molly Pitcher, chased Letruska, tried to make a run at that foe into the lane, and kept to her task gamely to close the gap and hold third. Golden Award, second in the Summer Colony here Aug. 5, stalked in third while a few lanes off the rail, tried to make a run into the lane, briefly challenged Our Super Freak by midstretch, but then flattened out. Nonna Madeline, winner of the Summer Colony, was in midpack while wide and was never able to muster a run.