Trip Notes for August 5-6: Whitney, Test, West Virginia Derby

Aug. 5

Saratoga
Waya (race 3)

COMMENT: Estrechada had yet to win from her first seven starts on turf, but she’d run well enough often enough and had excuses a few times, so it was no shock that the veteran popped up here to notch her first stakes win. After finishing a troubled sixth behind a few of these in the River Memories at Belmont on July 9 after campaigning out West, she showed enough speed to stalk in fourth as Apple Betty set a slow pace. She bided her time there after some early trouble, crept closer going to the far turn, moved a bit wider into the lane for clear sailing as she launched her bid and came home smartly to grab the lead by midstretch and outfinish a couple of game rivals. Lottie sat just behind the winner from the start, saved ground down the backstretch, angled out for room into the lane, didn’t accelerate quite as early or as strongly as Estrechada but got going late to put a scare into the winner. Summersault stalked in third, saved ground to the top of the lane, had to alter course in midstretch to find a clear path, found it and finished well. Apple Betty set a modest pace, still had the lead coming into the lane but couldn’t finish with the top three. The second-, third- and fourth-place finishers had run third, second and first, ahead of Estrechada, in the River Memories, so obviously these girls are closely matched. Suffused, the heavy favorite after facing some of the division’s best, pressed Apple Betty, loomed a threat into the lane but flattened out. That’s a third straight so-so outing, so it could be she’s in need of a break.

Saratoga
Test (race 8)

COMMENT: American Gal was nearly last year’s champion 2-year-old filly. In her first start this year, she easily won the Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont on July 9 and, proving that sprinting may be her best game, she had little trouble whipping her rivals here. From her outside post, she stalked as Chalon set a strong pace under pressure from Vertical Oak, remained out wide and in the clear, came up abreast of the leaders on the far turn while still widest, grabbed the lead into the lane and drew off to win comfortably. Trainer Simon Callaghan said her main goal is the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4 at this same trip, though he wasn’t sure what path he’d take to get there. She could be tough there, though note this was vs. 3-year-olds only – in the Breeders’ Cup, she would face such top elders as Paulassilverlining, Finley’sluckycham, By the Moon, Carina Mia, defending champ Finest City, Skye Diamonds, and maybe even top classmate Unique Bella. Faypien made it an all-Southern California exacta as the winner of the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on June 17 cut back in distance but showed she’s as effective at this distance as she stalked the pace, moved up to challenge with the winner turning for home and into the lane, couldn’t keep up with the big winner but stayed on well for second. Tequilita, making her first start since finishing seventh in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5, appreciated the time off and cutback in distance as she bided her time in midpack, swung wide into the lane and finished well, though she was never a danger to the winner. Your Love, a winner of her first two starts at Belmont this spring, was away slowly to be well back early, moved wide turning for home and made some headway but was never really a factor.

Saratoga
Whitney (race 9)

COMMENT: Gun Runner affirmed his dominance over every handicap horse not named Arrogate as the son of Candy Ride, coming off a romping win in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 17, romped again. He sat second early, just behind longshot pacesetter Cautious Giant, made an early move inside to grab the lead, opened up going to the far turn and increased his margin from there, with no worries at all into the lane, despite having a shoe stuck in his tail the last half-mile (shoe was thrown by Cautious Giant). With Arrogate’s recent loss and this guy’s two smashing wins since the Dubai World Cup, it may be that this guy has closed the gap on Arrogate – though Arrogate’s edge may be magnified at 1 1/4 miles. The Grade 1 Woodward here Sept. 2 could be next. Keen Ice, seventh in the Dubai World Cup, far behind Arrogate (first) and Gun Runner (second), but a big winner of the Grade 2 Suburban since then at Belmont on July 8, stumbled at the start, lagged well back early, as is his custom, remained well back to the far turn, came wide into the lane and finished decently, though he was never a danger to the winner. The Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on Oct. 7 may be next for him. Breaking Lucky stalked in third while saving ground, tried to make a run at the winner turning for home, proved no match for that foe, kept to his task but couldn’t fend off Keen Ice for second. Tu Brutus stalked the pace while a bit rank and came up empty in the lane.

Mountaineer
West Virginia Derby (race 8)

COMMENT: Colonelsdarktemper was second in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill on June 17 while no match for winner McCraken, and second in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby last time out July 15 while again no match for a big winner (Irap). But the son of Grade 1 winner Colonel John didn’t face anyone as good as those two here and showed courage to get the win. He went right out to the lead, set a modest pace under pressure from longshot Heartwood, still held a narrow lead turning for home, and saw Heartwood fall away, only to be chased by Game Over. However, he opened up into the lane, giving him enough of a buffer to hold safe the hard-trying Game Over in the final furlong. This doesn’t mean he’s ready for the best of his classmates, but it shows he can do damage in the right spots. Game Over, fifth to Irap and Girvin in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on June 24 (his first route and first stakes try), stalked in third, loomed a threat turning for home, couldn’t accelerate with the winner into the lane but got going well late to close the gap in a good effort. Lookin At Lee, best known for finishing second in the Kentucky Derby on May 6, was well back early, as usual, sitting last, was still well back going to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane and finished decently for third, though he was never a danger to the top two. His lack of speed almost always puts him behind the eight ball tactically. Patch, favored after being a well-beaten third in the Belmont Stakes on June 10, bided his time early, was still in midpack going to the far turn, made some headway in the lane but was never really a factor.

:: Just reduced! Save on Del Mar Clocker Reports

Del Mar
Sorrento (race 6)

COMMENT: In what seemed on paper to be a competitive renewal, Spectator, a daughter of Jimmy Creed, laid claim to the title of best juvenile filly out West with a smashing win. Coming off a romping debut at Santa Anita on June 23, which was highly flattered (four she beat that day came right back to win), she pressed the favored Surrender Now through strong splits up front while on that gal’s hip, got the better of her going to the far turn, opened up into the lane and extended her margin from there. This makes her the favorite for the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 2. Dancing Belle, a maiden coming off a second here July 23, bided her time early, came with a nice run and, while no danger to the winner, was clearly best of the rest. Terra’s Angel, a smart winner of her only prior start at Lone Star on May 13, pressed the early pace, moved up alongside Spectator going into the far turn, was no match for that rival or the runner-up in the lane but plugged along to hold third. Diamondsandpearls, a $1.7 million daughter of Congrats who was so impressive in winning her debut at Santa Anita on July 2, bobbled at the start to get away poorly, tried to make a run on the turn and into the lane but was unable to get involved. Surrender Now, favored off two big wins at Santa Anita, including an eight-length romp in the Landaluce there June 23, broke well from the rail to take a short lead, took immediate pressure from Spectator and Terra’s Angel while holding the rail, couldn’t keep pace on the far turn and gave way badly, eventually being eased. Trainer Peter Miller said the track was “bad,” that it’s “deep, tiring. It’s very unfair.”

Del Mar
Yellow Ribbon Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Cambodia shipped in from the East Coast and notched her first Grade 2 win, and in the process, she may have exposed the West Coast turf-distaff ranks. In her last two starts, she won the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico on May 20 and was third in the Dr. James Penny at Parx on July 4. Off two big local works, she stalked as Juno set a modest pace under pressure from heavy favorite Avenge, crept closer going to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane and finished well to get to the line before the hard-charging Pretty Girl. She beat some of the best West Coast turf distaffers here but is likely no match for the likes of Lady Eli, Hawksmoor, Sea Calisi, Dacita, Rainha Da Bateria, Dona Bruja, Dickinson, Antonoe, Grand Jete and a few others back East, so that doesn’t bode well for the West’s crop come this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Pretty Girl, fifth to Lady Eli in the Grade 1 Gamely at Santa Anita on May 27, lagged well back early, was still last coming into the lane but finished full of run, only to run out of ground. Amboselli likewise was well back early, still well back coming into the lane and finished strongly to end up just a head behind Pretty Girl. Avenge, the heavy favorite after running third in the Gamely, dogged pacesetter Juno from the start, looked dangerous when moving up to challenge for the lead into the lane and taking the lead by midstretch but then died on her run in a disappointing finish.

Aug. 6

Del Mar
La Jolla (race 8)

COMMENT: Sharp Samurai was a smart winner of the Rainbow on turf at Santa Anita on June 10. The son of First Samurai was freshened since and, off some good works, came back firing, proving a game winner and stamping himself as one of the favorites for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby here Sept. 3. He bided his time early as 6-5 favorite Placido set a modest pace under pressure from Pioneer Lad. He remained sixth to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane, surged to take the lead by midstretch, looked poised to draw off but then had to fend off a hard-trying Fashion Business for the narrow win. Fashion Business, second in an optional claimer on this course July 22 after being a well-beaten seventh to Sharp Samurai in the Rainbow, confirmed his affinity for this course as he sat back, just behind the eventual winner, didn’t accelerate quite as quickly or as early as that rival but found his top gear in the final furlong and nearly caught Sharp Samurai, coming up just a head short. Colonist stalked the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane as he rallied with the winner, couldn’t keep pace with that foe and was unable to fend off Fashion Business in the final half-furlong. Considering that this was his first try on turf, that was a most encouraging run. Monster Man, who won his maiden on this course last fall and last ran third to Sharp Samurai in the Rainbow, was disappointing as he stalked the pace, was still in the hunt coming into the lane but then fell away.