Trip Notes for December 14: Sugar Swirl, Hollywood Turf Cup, Native Diver, CashCall Futurity

Saturday, December 14

Gulfstream - Sugar Swirl (race 9)

COMMENT: Heart Stealer couldn’t quite handle R Free Roll when second to that gal in a stakes at Calder last month but gained her revenge here in game fashion. Heart Stealer bided her time early as R Free Roll set the pace. Heart Stealer steadily advanced, swung wide into the lane, and finished well to edge R Free Roll. R Free Roll did nothing wrong in defeat. She set a brisk pace under pressure from Munnings Sister, gamely rebuffed that rival, and battled back when hooked by Heart Stealer. Munnings Sister dogged R Free Roll early, kept after that gal throughout and stayed on gamely to be a fine third, beaten just two necks while far clear of the others (8 1/4 lengths). These three might go at it again in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie here Feb. 9. Classic Point, freshened with strong works since a game second at Belmont Oct. 24, stalked the pace but got shuffled back going to the far turn and never mustered a run.

Betfair Hollywood Park - Hollywood Turf Cup (race 3)

COMMENT: Lucayan had always shown potential – he was a Group 1 winner in France. And while Lucayan’s first good work in the U.S. came going a mile (second in the Grade 2 American here last May) it seems he’s really found himself going a much longer distance. He sat last early while Segway set a slow pace. Lucayan bided his time, swung wide into the lane and had the best kick of the bunch, powering past his rivals to win. With the turf distance division out West looking pretty thin, this guy could now be set up for a big Santa Anita meet. Temeraine, who beat Lucayan when fifth in the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine Oct. 27, stalked the pace of Segway, moved to grab the lead in midstretch looking like the winner, but couldn’t fend off Lucayan in the final half-furlong. Segway, wire-to-wire winner over a good group of optional claimers going 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita Oct. 27, tried two more furlongs and tougher company. He set a slow pace, tried to battle back when hooked by Temeraine into the lane, but then weakened some in the final furlong.

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Betfair Hollywood Park - Native Diver (race 7)

COMMENT: Heckuva training feat for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer who swept the top three spots here. Blueskiesnrainbows, coming off a sharp second in the Grade 2 BC Marathon, cut back in distance and still flourished. After a couple speed types scratched Blueskiesnrainbows went right to the lead. He maintained it through modest splits, widened his advantage into the lane and gamely fended off his hard-trying stablemate Hear the Ghost. Too bad for him this track is closing – he’s won three times here. Hear the Ghost, making just his second start back after injury took him off the Triple Crown trail last, bided his time, came with a smart run through the lane but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. He’s a 4-year-old to watch come 2014. Rousing Sermon, the favorite off a smart stakes win here last month, stalked in third and kept to his task gamely through the lane. Hollendorfer said all three are long-term candidates for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 8, with Blueskiesnrainbows and Rousing Sermon pointing for the Grade 3 San Pasqual Jan. 11 while Hear the Ghost targets the Grade 2 Strub Jan. 18. Drill lagged back, came with a decent run into the lane but didn’t sustain it. Setsuko, making his first start since running second in the 2012 Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, sat back and never mustered a run. He surely needed this race.

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Betfair Hollywood Park - CashCall Futurity (race 9)

COMMENT: Shared Belief gave Hollendorfer a second stakes win on the day and put himself near the top of anyone’s Derby watch list with another dazzling performance to stay unbeaten and basically untested now in three starts. He stalked the solid pace of Brother Soldier, didn’t panic as Candy Boy surged past to grab the lead going to the far turn, and when asked to go after that rival coming off the turn went past Candy Boy, drew off and won easily. This was basically a one-horse show, and a darned good one at that. The Grade 2 Bob Lewis at Santa Anita Feb. 8 is a possibility. The Grade 2 San Felipe March 8 and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 5 are more firm, according to his connections. Candy Boy, monster maiden winner over this track at this trip last month, was well back early, moved up to be midpack as the field went down the backside, produced a strong early run going to the far turn to grab the lead but couldn’t counter the winner’s move while staying on well for second. Tamarando, also sent out by Hollendorfer and coming off a big stakes win at this trip here last month, lagged back early, came with a smart run into the lane but finished fairly evenly, though he was well clear of the others. Bond Holder sat back and rallied decently for fourth, just as he did in the Grade 1 BC Juvenile. Kobe’s Back suffered greatly from the outside post as he broke outward, was very wide going into the first turn while midpack, clipped heels when angling out for room going to the far turn, and then dropped back and was no factor. He’s much better than this. He and Candy Boy, both trained by John Sadler, will reportedly have Derby preps at Santa Anita. Tap It Rich, the highly promising Baffert 2-year-old who was a good fifth in the Grade 1 BC Juvenile, was outfitted with a new bit and bolted going into the first turn and was rank going into the backstretch to eliminate himself. He also basically blew the far turn. Back to the drawing board.

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