Trip Notes for December 15, 2018: Harlan's Holiday, Fort Lauderdale, and more

Dec. 15

Gulfstream
Harlan’s Holiday (race 5)

COMMENT: Main track listed as ‘sloppy (sealed)’ after rain started about an hour prior to post time. This was supposed to be a formality for Audible, who was backed as if he couldn’t lose (1-9) as the $500,000 son of Into Mischief ran third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby (on a sloppy track), then after six months off easily won a sprint stakes at Churchill on Nov. 3 and in this spot was supposed to punch his ticket to the $9 million, Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup here Jan. 26. However, Sir Anthony didn’t get the memo. Coming off three straight wins he broke last from his outside post at 24-1, immediately moved to the rail as he sat last just behind Audible, advanced inside that foe while staying on the fence, remained there going down the backstretch, continued to hold the rail as he made his run on the far turn, came through inside the tiring speed, grabbed the lead into the lane and kept the winner at bay. Audible broke a bit slow from the rail, but not terribly, soon came off the inside as he tucked in behind the leaders as 40-1 Sightforsoreyes set a slow pace under some pressure from Minute Madness, started to get pushed along going down the backstretch to get closer, came under a ride on the far turn, swept widest of all into the lane but then couldn’t get to Sir Anthony down on the rail. This makes you wonder about his status for the Pegasus World Cup as the water there will be much, much deeper. Apostle, back to dirt after finishing a decent fifth in a turf stakes at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 3, stalked the slow pace, came with a run toward the outside (just inside Audible) to loom a threat, couldn’t finish with the top two but stuck to it to hold third. Village King, a Grade 1 winner in his native Argentina in October 2017 and winner of the off-the-turf Red Smith at Aqueduct on Nov. 17, pressed the issue while inside Apostle, moved closer on the far turn, challenged into the lane between horses but didn’t have the needed punch.

Gulfstream
Rampart (race 8)

COMMENT: Main track still listed as ‘sloppy (sealed)’, though the rain ceased before post time. Tequilita was freshened after a second in a stakes in mud at Belmont on Oct. 28 and that, plus the return to this track where she had run well, did the job. It didn’t hurt that favorite Electric Forest had a miserable trip. Tequilita broke well, got a nice trip stalking Tapa Tapa Tapa, who set a brisk pace, moved closer to that rival while to her outside on the turn, pounced into the lane, held her ground just outside Tapa Tapa Tapa meaning Electric Forest, who had ridden the fence, had nowhere to go, got the better of Tapa Tapa Tapa, moved out a few lanes in the stretch and got to the wire before the hard-trying and unlucky Electric Forest. The filly ran well and Luis Saez gave her a terrific ride. This might have been her swan song as she’s to be bred to juvenile male champion and Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense. Electric Forest hinted ample promise when a smart winner of her debut at Keeneland last April 7, but then came a dull run at Churchill on May 4 and a long layoff. After more than six months off she returned smartly to win a nice allowance sprint at Aqueduct, sending her into this as the favorite. She broke a bit slowly from her rail slot and bumped significantly with Tweeting, who was forced inward as the horse to her outside, Breaking Bread, broke inward. That left Electric Forest toward the back. She remained on the rail as she steadily advanced, came up behind pacesetter Tapa Tapa Tapa with seemingly a lot of gas in the tank, had to steady off that foe’s heels on the turn, had to steady again when behind that foe and with nowhere to go as the eventual winner kept her boxed in along the fence, allowed those two to open up a bit so she could get off the rail and swing to the outside, found room once to the outside but didn’t have the necessary oomph and the matter had pretty much already been put to bed. Tapa Tapa Tapa went right out to the lead while holding the fence, set a brisk pace under some pressure from the eventual winner to her outside, remained fence-bound, battled back into the lane while staying on the rail, couldn’t keep pace with the winner and then tired a bit late to lose second. Snirvana, racing on dirt for the first time, sat well back from the start, bided her time, came with a decent run up the inside on the far turn and into the lane behind Electric Forest to make up ground and improve her position, but wasn’t really able to threaten in the final furlong.

Gulfstream
My Charmer (race 9)

COMMENT: Turf course listed as ‘good’. Capla Temptress had been facing tougher and this altitude change in terms of class paid off as she rallied smartly to post her first win in 15 months. Freshened and dropped off a fifth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 13, broke slowly, lagged well back as Cherry Lodge moved out to a clear early lead setting a modest pace, started to advance going to the far turn, continued her smart run into the lane to reel-in then-leader and 2-1 favorite La Moneda inside the eighth pole. This doesn’t necessarily mean she’s ready to take on Rushing Fall, but shows she can surely do damage in the right spots. La Moneda, favored after four straight wins in New York and then a second in an NY-bred stakes at Belmont on Oct. 20, stalked the pace from the start, moved closer going down the backstretch, moved up to pressure then-leader Cherry Lodge turning for home, got the better of that foe into the lane taking a narrow lead but then couldn’t quite fend off the winner. Special Event sat well back from the start, was still well back turning for home but finished with good energy to get third, though it never appeared as though she’d get to the top two. Bellavais, the 5-2 second choice off a smart optional-claiming win at Belmont on Oct. 24 and a stakes winner in her only prior start on this course (albeit back in Jan. 2017), stalked the pace from her rail slot from the start, remained there to the top of the lane, loomed a big threat once into the stretch before flattening out.

Gulfstream
Sugar Swirl (race 10)

COMMENT: Main track still listed as ‘sloppy (sealed)’ though the rain stopped earlier. They toyed with the idea of entering Dream Pauline in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint but opted to pass on that and were rewarded for their patience as the daughter of Tapit and classy mare Dream Rush proved a game winner as the 8-5 favorite. She easily won her first two starts but after two months off was only third (though she had trouble) in a stakes at Churchill on Nov. 4. Here she broke slowly but has the speed to be up front pressing early pacesetter Surprise Wedding, put her head in front of that rival on the far turn, dispatched with that foe into the lane opening up a clear lead and then holding on to get to the line before hard-trying Stormy Embrace. The Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie here Jan. 26 may be next. Stormy Embrace, coming off a disappointing 11th in that Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, got bounced around at the start, bided her time midpack, came with a smart run in the lane, closed the gap on the winner but ran out of ground. Pacific Gale, coming off a fifth in a stakes at Laurel on Nov. 10, stalked the pace not far in front of Stormy Embrace while saving ground, didn’t move as early or as strongly as that rival into the lane, kept to her task to get third though she was never really a danger to the top two in the final furlong. Awestruck, the 2-1 second choice off a second to Vertical Oak (who came right back to win another stakes) in a stakes at Churchill on Nov. 4, was a bit slow into stride, tried to advance going to the far turn, found herself behind a wall of horses, had to wait for room, shifted out for clear sailing but then lacked the needed rally to get involved.

Gulfstream
Ft. Lauderdale (race 11)

COMMENT: Turf course still listed as ‘good’. Glorious Empire may have been claimed for $62,500 in May 2017 but he’s shown since and proved again here he’s a legitimate graded-stakes type as he easily beat a strong field. After wins in the Grade 1 Bowling Green and Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga this summer he found the boglike going and tougher company in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill on Nov. 3 too much to handle as he set the pace before fading badly to finish last of 13. Off good works since he dropped and shortened up here, it paid off as from his rail slot he went right out to the lead, showed the importance of speed as he was a clear leader while setting a modest pace, saw the field close in some going to the far turn but then blew the race open into the lane as he surged to a clear lead and cruised home to win easily, even if runner-up Qurbaan did cut into his margin. Off this there’s no reason (well, except for the entry fee) to think about the $7 million, Grade 1 Pegasus Turf on this course just a half-furlong farther Jan. 26. After this he might be the only one in here who deserves a shot at that race. Qurbann, coming off a third in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Oct. 6, bided his time midpack while saving ground, came through smartly between horses in the lane to make a run, closed the gap on the winner and while never really a threat to him finished well for second. Hi Happy, dropping in class and cutting back in distance after fading to ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, chased the winner from the start, sitting second, made a run at that foe on the far turn to try and close the gap, proved no match but kept to his task well to hold third. Divisidero, a smart fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, lagged well back to the far turn, swung wide into the lane, came with a smart run but flattened out in the final half-furlong. Almanaar, the tepid 7-2 favorite after finding the Shadwell Mile and Breeders’ Cup Mile company too deep and trip too sharp, seemed in a great spot stalking in fifth, crept closer going to the far turn but came under a ride at that point and was unable to get involved. He’s clearly a different, much better horse on firm going than he is on any turf that has some give (10-5-2-2 on firm, 7-0-1-0 on footing other than firm).