Trip Notes for Dec. 27-28: La Prevoyante, Mr. Prospector, Daytona, and more ...

Saturday, Dec. 27

Gulfstream - La Prevoyante (race 8)

COMMENT: Irish Mission ran 11th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, but the class relief here did the trick. From her outside post she stalked pacesetter Bohemian Dance through dawdling splits, remained wide and in the clear throughout, was asked for run on far turn, moved up to grab the lead into the lane, first rebuffed Always Kitten and then finished well to get to the line before hard-charging stablemate Tabreed. Tabreed lagged well back off the very slow pace, came with a nice run between horses into the lane, moved outside to continue her run and finished well, but couldn’t get to the winner. Photo Call wasn’t far behind the eventual winner from the start and came through nicely between horses. Always Kitten was last early, started to pick off rivals with a nice wide run going down the backstretch, and briefly challenged the winner in the lane. Surely the pace scenario worked against her. Maximova sat midpack while saving ground throughout, looked to be traveling very well and poised to pounce on the far turn, but was stuck behind horses and didn’t find room until midstretch.

Gulfstream - Mr. Prospector (race 9)

COMMENT: Speechify easily won the Kenny Noe Jr. at Gulfstream Park West, and he handled the step up in class here nicely in his first graded stakes try, hinting he may be ready to try tougher. He stalked in third as Mongolian Saturday set the pace, moved up to challenge that foe turning for home, got the better of him and was edging away late from fellow stalker Risk Factor. Risk Factor sat second pressuring Mongolian Saturday from the start, moved in tandem with Speechify into the lane, but couldn’t keep up with that rival through the final furlong. Mongolian Saturday set a decent pace, and battled back when hooked by the top two into the lane. Calamondin, winner of 4 of his prior 5, was off a bit slowly, lagged well back and was never able to muster a run.

Gulfstream - W.L. McKnight (race 10)

COMMENT: The 3-year-old Divine Oath beat some tough elders to notch his third Grade 3 win. He got a great trip, showing enough speed to be in stalking position as Rapscallion set a slow pace, pressured by Margano. Divine Oath moved up to challenge turning for home just as Margano took command, got the better of that foe, opened up and had enough of a lead to comfortably withstand the closing charge of longshot Fixador. This may stamp him one to watch on in the big turf races in 2015. Fixador, a longshot who was a multiple Group 1 winner in Brazil in 2013 but a dull ninth in his only U.S start (which came after over a year of inactivity), lagged back off the modest pace and finished strongly between horses. Manchurian High sat well back and came with a sustained rally. Unitarian wasn’t far off the lead on the stalk, loomed a threat turning for home but couldn’t sustain his run. Slumber, the favorite off a sharp second to North Slope in a stakes at Belmont Oct. 19 after nearly seven months off, was well back early, moved closer going to the far turn to be well positioned for a rally, but the rally never came. North Slope sat well back and could make only modest headway.

Santa Anita - Midnight Lute (race 5)

COMMENT: Distinctiv Passion has been, no doubt, one of the quickest horses in the land the past couple years but hadn’t been able to sustain his speed against the best. That changed here as the son of With Distinction got his first graded stakes win. He blasted from the gate to a clear lead, took some pressure from Heir of Storm, but remained clear in the lane. Maybe he’s ready to join the sprinting elite. Heir of Storm, stepping up after a big win at Del Mar, chased the winner from the start, and only just held second. Appealing Tale bided his time in his first start since June, moved in tandem with heavy favorite Secret Circle while widest of all, and continued on nicely in a most encouraging return. Secret Circle may have gone to the well once to often. He didn’t show his customary high speed, instead sitting well off the fast pacesetter. He was asked to pick it up on the far turn, did move closer but never once appeared on his way to victory.

Santa Anita - Robert J. Frankel (race 8)

COMMENT: Lady Pimpernel was third behind a couple of these in the Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar Nov. 22, her U.S. debut after coming from England. She had traffic issues in that race but not here, and she beat a tough, competitive bunch. She bided her time early as Kathleen Rose set a modest pace, moved closer turning for home, came through between horses to grab the lead and stayed on gamely to get to the line before a few hard-charging closers. Diversy Harbor was last early, still last turning for home, swung widest of all into the lane and finished full of run to just miss in a super try. Her style puts her at the mercy of pace and traffic but she can flat blast home. Three Hearts, who beat many of these in the Red Carpet, stalked the pace, had to steady when in tight in midstretch, but got going again to finish smartly up the inside, missing by just a nose and a neck. With a clean trip she might have been best again. Lady of Gold, second in the Red Carpet, lagged back and finished smartly between horses. Kathleen Rose set the pace, battled back gamely in the lane and only tired a bit late. This distance may be a tad beyond her best. Rusty Slipper dogged Kathleen Rose from the start, moved up to wrest the lead from that foe in midstretch, but couldn’t sustain her run in the final furlong.

Sunday, Dec. 28

Santa Anita - Daytona (race 8)

COMMENT: For quite a while Sweet Swap could have been considered the top male hillside performer out West, hence the reason he was favored here. However, a change appears to be in order as Bettys Bambino notched a third straight romping win down the hill and captured his first stakes. He bided his time early, came out into the lane, still had work to do by midstretch but blasted home to surge past favored Sweet Swap while outfinishing Lil Bit O’ Fun. He’s now 4 for 5 on the hill and looms a heavy favorite for the Feb. 21 Sensational Star down the hill for California-breds. Lil Bit O’ Fun, who gave Bettys Bambino his only loss on the hill last June, was just behind the winner from the start, basically followed that rival and closed well. Sweet Swap, a multiple stakes winner on this hillside course, stalked the pace, moved to the lead in midstretch as if on to victory but then couldn‘t finish with the top two. Play Hard to Get was just behind the top two from the start and finished well.