Trip Notes for December 12: Rampart, Starlet

Saturday, December 12th

Gulfstream Park - Rampart (race 3)

COMMENT: Cali Star may indeed be a new filly, as after a string of modest outings, she blasted optional-claiming rivals here Nov. 18, was claimed by trainer Marty Wolfson for $62,500, stepped up in class for this, and validated the claim and the class move with another easy win. As the 9-5 favorite, she bided her time early as Pink Poppy set a modest pace. She advanced inside of that tiring foe as stablemate Best Behavior moved up outside to take command, continued her run along the inside to challenge her stablemate, grabbed the lead early in the lane, and drew off to win easily. This doesn’t mean she’s ready for Beholder and company, but she can do some damage before that type of distaffer returns. If she continues to thrive, she could point for the Grade 2 Royal Delta at 1 1/16 miles here Feb. 13, though the water surely figures to be deeper there. Best Behavior, the second choice while making her first start since easily winning an optional claimer here July 17, pressed the early pace of Pink Poppy, moved up outside to challenge for the lead and take command when challenged by Cali Star turning for home, couldn’t counter that foe, and while no match for Cali Star in the lane, stayed on decently for second. Best Behavior reportedly is scheduled to be sold in a sale. Stiffed was last from the start, quite far back, swung wide into the lane, and finished well, though she was no danger to the top two.

Los Alamitos Race Course - Starlet (race 8)

COMMENT: Street Fancy showed she’s a filly to watch for the coming season, as she stormed home to grab this Grade 1 event. Coming off a sharp, rallying third (beaten less than a length) in the Desi Arnaz at Del Mar on Nov. 15, just her second start, she moved to a route for the first time here and flourished. But it wasn’t without a couple of anxious moments. First, she threw a tantrum in the post parade, forcing rider Mike Smith to dismount. She settled, got into the gate, broke well, only to get pinched off and forced to steady, was content to sit in midpack early while staying on the rail as Pretty N Cool set a solid pace, remained toward the back turning for home, looked hopelessly beaten coming into the lane as she actually lost ground, but then started a strong run once straightened away, found a seam between horses, and continued her rally to get the win. That being said, her rally may have looked better than it was, as the field came home slowly (the final five-sixteenths in 33.16 seconds). Still, it’s no surprise she relished the route, being by Kentucky Derby and Travers Stakes winner Street Sense, with Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Cat Thief as her grandsire. She has a way to go to catch up with likely champion Songbird, but there’s plenty of upside here. Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Las Virgenes on Feb. 6 is reportedly next, with the Kentucky Oaks as her long-term target. Stays in Vegas continued her sharp form. A winner of four of five (two wins were dirt sprints, two other wins were grass routes), she stalked the pace of Pretty N Cool, moved closer into the lane, grabbed the lead from that tiring rival inside the eighth pole, but couldn’t counter the winner’s charge while well clear of the rest. She’s a nice, hard-knocking filly, though at this stage of the game, she still figures well behind stablemate and likely juvenile champ Songbird. Sutton’s Smile, coming off a nice third in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 28, showed she can indeed handle dirt as she broke slowly to be last early, was still last turning for home, finished well, but was no real danger to the top two. Pretty N Cool, a two-time Grade 2 winner sprinting on dirt, dueled early with stablemate Treasuring, assumed command going into the backstretch, set solid splits while under constant pressure, kicked clear into the lane, still had the lead by midstretch, but then weakened. This was her first route, and off this, she’s likely back to sprinting. Treasuring, second by just a nose in front of Street Fancy in the Desi Arnaz and surely bred to route, broke alertly to duel for the lead while staying on the fence, continued to hound her pacesetting stablemate, Pretty N Cool, to the top of the lane, but then weakened. Pacific Heat, highly regarded off two romping wins to start her career, stalked the pace in fourth, loomed a big threat by midstretch, but then flattened out.