Trip Notes for August 29-30: Travers, Forego, Violet, Smarty Jones, Iselin, and more...

Saturday, August 29

Saratoga - Personal Ensign (race 6)

COMMENT: Sheer Drama made it two straight Grade 1 wins, stamping herself a legit number two in the division to Beholder. She came into this off a smart win in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap and had no trouble with tougher foes and a shorter trip. She stalked in third as favorites Stopchargingmaria and Untapable dueled through modest splits. She bided her time in third, came up outside those two rivals into the lane, got the better of them and edged clear. Got Lucky bided her time and came with a nice run in the lane to outfinish Untapable and Stopchargingmaria, though she wasn’t a danger to the winner. Untapable, last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, dogged Stopchargingmaria from the start, got the better of that rival into the lane but was no match for the winner and then lost second in the final strides. She didn’t run badly, but this year she hasn’t really shown the same spark she did in 2014. Stopchargingmaria, winner of four of her previous five here, including last year’s Grade 1 CCA Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama and this meet’s Grade 3 Shuvee, was sent off the favorite. She went right to the lead, took constant pressure from Untapable while inside and weakened in the lane.

Saratoga - Ballerina (race 7)

COMMENT: Race complexion changed quite a bit when ML favorite La Verdad scratched. Unbridled Forever was multiple Grade 1-placed routing as a 3-year-old last year. However, she may have a new lease on life as a sprinter as she’s now 3 for 3 at this seven-furlong trip and has an eye on the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at this same distance at Keeneland this fall. She sat last early as Sarah Sis set a solid pace under pressure from Room for Me, moved closer going to the far turn, swung out into the lane and put in a strong run to get up in the final half-furlong. Kiss to Remember was just in front of the winner from the start, made her run turning for home while still just in front of her but had to settle for second. Room for Me hounded Sarah Sis from the start, got the better of that foe into the lane but couldn’t finish with the top two. Favored Dame Dorothy lagged back and never made a move in a disappointing run.

Saratoga - King’s Bishop (race 8)

COMMENT: Runhappy, coming off big optional-claiming wins at Indiana and Ellis Park, showed he was more than ready for the big time. There was talk earlier on the card that the outside lanes might have been best, but this guy dispatched with that notion. Despite a slow start from his outside post he rushed up to grab the lead and moved to the inside, opened up going to the far turn, and extended his advantage from there. He ran faster than top elder sprinter Private Zone did while winning the Grade 1 Forego about 20 minutes later. Limousine Liberal, also from the Midwest, chased the winner from the start while inside, tried to make a run at that foe into the lane, and stayed on well for second. Holy Boss, the favorite off a win in the Grade 2 Amsterdam here Aug. 1, sat midpack early, moved closer going to the far turn but was never able to muster the necessary run. Watershed, making only his second start after a debut win here Aug. 7, was away slowly, was still last turning for home, but finished smartly. Mr. Z., cutting back to a sprint after 13 straight stakes routes, chased the pace but weakened in the lane. Competitive Edge, back to sprinting after fizzling in the Grade 1 Haskell, got knocked around at the start to get away poorly and was never able to get involved. That’s a third straight disappointing run after four wins to start his career, so could be he’s in need of a freshening.

Saratoga - Forego (race 9)

COMMENT: Private Zone confirmed he’s likely the best sprinter-miler in the land and may have earned favoritism for either the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint or Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland Oct. 31. He broke slowly but it didn’t matter as his natural speed carried him to the lead. He set modest splits while traveling well in hand, opened up into the lane and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. Yes, 3-year-old Runhappy ran faster than him about 20 minutes earlier but surely Private Zone could have gone faster than this if need be. Trainer Jorge Navarro said he would probably be trained up to the Breeders’ Cup. The Big Beast, winner of the Grade 1 King’s Bishop here last year and second in the Grade 1 Vandebilt here Aug. 1, chased the winner but couldn’t keep pace, though he held second from late-running Viva Majorca. Salutos Amigos sat midpack, started what appeared to be a threatening move into the lane, but couldn’t sustain it. He’s had a super year but it seems this level is just a smidge beyond him.

Saratoga - Sword Dancer (race 10)

COMMENT: Flintshire is a proven world-class horse, and gave more proof of it here with a dominating win. He’s been facing some of the best horses in the world in England, Dubai and Hong Kong since last December and found no such opposition here. He bided his time early while saving ground as fellow Euro import Guardini set a modest pace. Flintshire moved closer going to the far turn, came through along the inside, surged to the lead and was geared down in the final strides. He was second to champion Main Sequence in last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf and the plan is to return for that race at Keeneland after he takes another shot at the Arc de Triomphe, where he finished second last year. Red Rifle, coming off wins in the Grade 3 Dominion Day at Woodbine and Grade 2 Bowling Green here, wasn’t far behind the winner from the start, tried to accelerate with that rival turning for home, and finished well clear of the rest. Twilight Eclipse lagged back, came with a threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain it. Messi, so impressive winning his first two U.S. starts after racing in Germany, was away slowly and never mustered a run.

Saratoga - Travers (race 11)

COMMENT: This just goes to show you they’re not machines and that they all lose as Triple Crown winner American Pharoah got toppled here by Keen Ice. Keen Ice, second to American Pharoah in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Aug. 2, sat back early, but closer to the front than usual. He reached contention coming into the lane and kept on resolutely to reel in American Pharoah in the final strides. While Keen Ice obviously ran well, his win seemed more a function of American Pharoah not showing up with his “A” game. American Pharoah went right out to the lead and took immediate pressure from Frosted. Although the splits weren’t fast, he had to battle hard to get the better of Frosted by midstretch and then couldn’t fend off the winner. Could be his busy spring/summer and shipping back and forth across the country a few times took their toll. Frosted dogged American Pharoah and battled gamely to midstretch before finally succumbing. Texas Red lagged back, as expected, but never mustered a run.

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Saratoga - Ballston Spa (race 12)

COMMENT: Trainer Chad Brown has another strong turf distaffer, unleashing Chilean multiple Group 1 winner Dacita here. Making her first start in the U.S. and first since she won a Chilean Group 1 Dec. 8, she lagged well back early as Kitten’s Queen set a solid pace. Dacita pitched wide into the lane while still well back, and then accelerated strongly in the final half-furlong to get up in the final strides. Brown already has the likes of Stephanie’s Kitten, Ball Dancing, Watsdachances, Danza Cavallo, Kitten’s Queen, Testa Rossi and others, and yet this may be his new queen of the hill. Tepin, the favorite off a strong campaign and a second in the Grade 1 Diana here July 25, chased Kitten’s Queen, got the better of that foe by midstretch and looked like the winner until Dacita surged past late. My Miss Sophia stalked the pace, came with a run while inside but wasn’t good enough. Kitten’s Queen, third in the Grade 1 Diana here July 25, took a clear lead, battled back gamely to midstretch, but then weakened in the final half-furlong.

Monmouth - Violet (race 11)

COMMENT: Photo Call, off since a third in the Perfect Sting at Belmont July 3, notched her first graded stakes win. She stalked in third as American Girl set a modest pace, moved up to contend into the lane, opened up a clear lead by midstretch and stayed on to keep Cushion at bay in the final half-furlong. Cushion broke a tad slowly, bided her time while saving ground, moved closer turning for home, had to wait for room into the lane, found a seam and finished well for second. Granny Mc’s Kitten, favored off an optional-claiming win at Saratoga Aug. 5, sat back, swung wide on the far turn and into the lane, and finished decently.

Parx - Smarty Jones (race 10)

COMMENT: Island Town was fifth in the slop in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby July 18 but got a fast track this time. He dogged pacesetter Souper Colossal through modest splits, moved up to challenge that foe into the lane, and drew off to win with ease. Souper Colossal, coming off a second in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Aug. 1 and getting blinkers for the first time, took constant pressure from Island Town and stayed on decently to be a clear second. Battle of Midway, coming off fourths in the Long Branch and Curlin, stalked the pace and ran on evenly. Divining Rod, the heavy favorite off thirds in the Preakness, Ohio Derby and Indiana Derby, lagged back, made a mild move into the lane and faded to fifth. He’s been busy the past few months and this may be a sign he’s due for a break.

Sunday, August 30

Monmouth - Philip H. Iselin (race 10)

COMMENT: Valid and Bradester have a nice little rivalry going. After Bradester won the Grade 3 Salvator Mile here July 5 and the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup here Aug. 2, it was Valid’s turn to grab the spotlight. He stalked the early pace of Albano and then Bradester, moved up to challenge Bradester turning for home, and drew away late. Bradester was fourth early, moved up to take command, was quickly confronted by Valid, battled with that foe and finished second. Matterhorn, romping winner of two straight in New York, was last early, started to advance going down the backstretch, and stayed on well. Albano dueled briefly with Bradester but then gave way.

Del Mar - Torrey Pines (race 3)

COMMENT: Stellar Wind was bet as if she couldn’t lose and that’s the way it played out on the track. She sat just off pacesetter Ultimate Holiday, moved up easily to challenge nearing the half-mile pole, took command on the turn, and drew away to win easily. With wins here, in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks, Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and Grade 3 Santa Ysabel she’s atop the West Coast 3-year-old filly dirt pecking order. Big Book, unbeaten in her first three starts and facing open foes for the first time, sat just behind the eventual winner from the start, tried to go with that gal on the far turn and stayed on well to be a clear second. Rattataptap stalked in fourth, made a mild move into the lane and plugged along for third, though she was no threat to the top two.