Trip Notes for August 6 - August 7: Whitney, West Virginia Derby

Aug. 6

Saratoga
Test (race 8)
COMMENT: This was a classic example of pace making the race, and longshot Paola Queen took advantage. She sat fourth as Kareena set a blistering pace (21.74, 43.50) under pressure from Off the Tracks. Paola Queen looked in trouble when seemingly losing ground turning for home while inside, pitched out, changed leads, and found her top gear to post the 55-1 upset. Not bad for a gal who had yet to beat winners. Lightstream, last seen finishing third behind today’s foes Off the Tracks and Lewis Bay in the 1 1/16-mile Mother Goose, bided her time early while saving ground, angled out for room at the top of the top of the stretch, but still remained inside fellow closer Lewis Bay in the lane. Lightstream continued her rally while staying on her left lead but couldn’t get to the winner. Off the Tracks, second in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont June 11 and then a romping winner of the Grade 1 Mother Goose there July 2, dogged Kareena through sizzling splits, opened up a clear lead into the lane, but tired a bit late. Considering the fractions, she actually stayed on quite well. Lewis Bay, second to Off the Tracks in the Mother Goose, showed more speed than usual, sitting third while racing wide and in the clear. She came with a run turning for home but weakened in the final furlong. Kareena, favored off two smashing sprint wins, went right out to set the pace while saving ground, was immediately under pressure from Off the Tracks, and gave way turning for home.

Saratoga
Waya (race 9)
COMMENT: Guapaza, a multiple Grade 2 winner in her native Chile, won the River Memories at Belmont July 10 and backed it up here, giving trainer Chad Brown yet another turf stakes win. She bided her time as Photo Call went out to a clear lead. Guapaza steadily advanced, pitched wide into the lane, surged to the lead, and then fended off a hard-charging Suffused. Suffused, a romping winner of the longer Belmont Coronation June 9, was just in front of Guapaza early, then found herself behind that foe going to the far turn. She didn’t accelerate as quickly as Guapaza but got going late to just miss. Achnaha, second to Suffused in the Belmont Coronation, was last early, still well back turning for home, and finished well. Photo Call, a Grade 1 winner last September at Santa Anita, set modest splits but gave way in the lane once headed.

Saratoga
Whitney (race 10)
COMMENT: So what’s got into Frosted? He was no match for California Chrome in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup March 26, but since returning to the U.S. appears to have blossomed. His Grade 1 Met Mile win at Belmont June 11 was monstrous and he backed it up here with another big win. A confirmed closer much of his career, he broke sharply to go right out to the lead, set a strong pace under pressure from Noble Bird, rebuffed that foe going to the far turn, opened up into the lane, and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. Comfort, stepping well up in class after two romping, checked early, settled in fifth, and came with a nice run in the lane. Upstart was pushed early to make the lead but couldn’t outrun Frosted and Noble Bird, then settled into a stalking trip. He tried to make a run at the winner into the lane, couldn’t keep up and flattened out a bit late to lose second in the final strides. Effinex, winner of the Grade 2 Suburban last time out July 9, sat fourth early, loomed a threat turning for home when moving up to be third, and lost third in the final strides. He now has no wins and one second from three starts here, making you wonder how much he likes Saratoga.

Ellis Park
Groupie Doll (race 9)
COMMENT: Innovative Idea, who won the Iowa Distaff at Prairie Meadows last time out July 1, stepped up in class and prevailed. She dogged pacesetter Fioretti from the start, looked in trouble when that gal opened up a clear lead turning for home, kept after her while drifting out in the lane, and was able to reel her in and outfinishe Emmajestic. Emmajestic lagged well back off a solid pace, raced greenly early and bothered multiple foes. She came with a strong run on the far turn, again drifted and bothered a rival in the lane, and couldn’t get to the winner. Her rider actually claimed foul against the winner, but it wasn’t allowed. Ahh Chocolate, the 3-2 favorite after running fifth in the much tougher Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill June 18, was hindered early by Emmajestic. She settled in midpack, was pushed wide on the far turn, bothered again coming into the lane by Emmajestic, got going again, but wasn’t quite good enough. Kathballu stalked the pace, swung very wide into the lane, was bothered late, and flattened out.

Mountaineer
West Virginia Derby (race 8)
COMMENT: On a day when the inside seemed to be slow, Cupid used his speed to get off the rail and take advantage. Coming off a win in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby, Cupid set a solid pace, opened up going to the far turn, saw eventual Whatevereverybodywants close the gap coming into the lane, but opened up again to win easily. Whatevereverybodywants stalked Cupid, made a run at him coming into the lane, and proved no clearly the best of the rest. Name Changer sat just behind Whatevereverybodywants, tried to go with that foe into the lane, but couldn’t keep pace with him. Suddenbreakingnews, ninth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes June 11, got away last, remained there to the far turn, swung very, very wide into the lane to launch his run, but could make only modest headway.

Del Mar
Sorrento (race 4)
COMMENT: Champagne Room ran second in her debut to the highly impressive Morganite here July 16. She flattered that form by winning this Grade 2 stakes. From her outside post she stalked in third as Miss Southern Miss dueled with Auntjenn, moved up to press Miss Southern Miss going to the far turn, got the better of her inside the furlong pole, and edged clear. Miss Southern Miss, a debut winner at Santa Anita June 9 and second in the Landaluce there July 9, got squeezed back at the start and had to steady, but still had the speed to be on the lead after a quarter-mile. She kept the lead into the lane, battled back when confronted by the eventual winner, and finished far ahead of the rest. Auntjenn, who added blinkers and romped here July 23, dueled early with My Southern Miss while saving ground, and couldn’t keep pace with the top two in the lane.