Trip Notes for December 26-27, 2020: Malibu, Robert. J. Frankel and more

Dec. 26

Santa Anita
Mathis Brothers Mile (race 4)

COMMENT: Smooth Like Strait was an excellent second to top-class Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar Nov. 28, going down by just a head, while finishing just in front of another top-class horse in Gufo, who ran third. Wheeled back at this shorter trip, Smooth Like Strait continued his excellent form, notching his fourth stakes win of 2020. The son of Midnight Lute used his customary tactical speed to get a great position on pacesetter Storm the Court’s right hip, continued there to the far turn, crept closer turning for home to that rival’s outside, engaged Storm the Court into the lane, had to battle to finally push past that rival and edged clear to the line. He’s proven top-class from a mile to nine furlongs, and with a grandsire and damsire who both won Grade 1’s going 1 1/4 miles, he might be able to go that far, too. Trainer Michael McCarthy said, however, first the horse would get a bit of a break and point to the Kilroe Mile and Shoemaker Mile. Storm the Court was the 2-year-old male champion of 2019 but is winless now in his eight starts since posting the 45-1 upset in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here in November 2019. He ran likely his best race since then. Coming off a seventh in the Hollywood Derby, he went right to the lead, set a strong pace on the rail while pressured by Smooth Like Strait to his outside, looked as though he might get overwhelmed by Smooth Like Strait into the lane, but battled on gamely and only relented in the final half-furlong. Maybe they’ve found the key – to put him right into the race from the start. Whisper Not, second against elders in his U.S. debut at Del Mar Nov. 29, was rank and pulling while on Storm the Court’s heels, finally seemed to settle into a better rhythm going to the far turn, crept closer turning for home as if ready to make a run, had to steady sharply into the lane, came off the rail and continued on well for third. Field Pass, third to Smooth Like Strait in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby here Oct. 18 and then winner of the Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine Nov. 21, sat fourth just outside and behind Whisper Not to the far turn, came up alongside Whisper Not into the lane, and rallied in tandem with that foe, ending up just a nose behind Whisper Not at the line. Scarto, second in the Twilight Derby and then sixth in the Hollywood Derby, lagged back, made a run on the far turn to loom a threat just outside of Field Pass, shifted wider out into the lane, and flattened out.

Santa Anita
San Antonio (race 7)

COMMENT: Kiss Today Goodbye came into this off an optional-claiming win at Del Mar Nov. 14. The 3-year-old son of Cairo Prince stepped up his game considerably as he posted a big upset over some top competition. He bided his time early as Take the One O One set a modest pace. Kiss Today Goodbye was urged to get going on the far turn, started a smart run while staying inside, swerved off the rail into the lane after passing a couple rivals, and finished resolutely widest of the top four to get the win. Trainer Eric Kruljac said he was leaning toward staying home with him for the Grade 2 San Pasqual here Jan. 30. Idol made it an exacta sweep for 3-year-olds as the son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin had a bit of a peculiar trip. He was urged to get to the rail from his outside post to avoid getting hung out to dry on the first turn and sat third, just a couple lengths off the pace while just behind and inside of 1-2 favorite Mucho Gusto, advanced menacingly into the far turn while coming off the rail to go after Take the One O One and Mucho Gusto, looked in trouble turning for home, moved back to the rail into the stretch, and finished well inside the four battling to the line for second. The Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Jan. 23 could be on his radar, though that spot is coming up brutally tough with a prospective cast including the likes of Charlatan, Tiz the Law, Code of Honor, Forza d’Oro, Knicks Go, True Timber and Tax, among others. Take the One O One went right up to contest the lead with Mucho Gusto to his outside, was able to take over pacesetting duties from that foe into the first turn while moving a few lanes off the rail, and set a modest pace. He battled back gamely when hooked by Mucho Gusto to his outside into the lane, came off the rail, and stayed on for third. Mucho Gusto, making his first start since running fourth in the Grade 1 Saudi Cup last Feb. 29, broke sharply, rushed up from his far outside post to establish position just outside of Take the One O One into the first run. He was urged for run on the far turn, appeared poised to victory as he seemed to be going past Take the One O One to his left into the lane, but flattened out in the final furlong. While this may have disappointed some this outing was primarily a means to an end as his main target is another shot at the Saudi Cup. Sharp Samurai (5-2 second choice on the morning line) scratched race morning due to a foot issue. Combatant (15-1) also scratched.

Santa Anita
La Brea (race 8)

COMMENT: Fair Maiden was coming off a trouble-filled fourth in a stakes at Keeneland Nov. 7, well behind the top two finishers Merneith and Motivated Seller, whom she faced again here. She had no such issues here and notched her first Grade 1 win. She bided her time early in midpack as Biddy Duke set a strong pace, steadily advanced between horses into the far turn, shifted wider out turning for home, wider out still as she launched her run, and rolled past leader Golden Principal. She’s broke her maiden on synthetic, won a stakes on turf (also Grade 1 placed on turf) and has now won a Grade 1 on dirt, so she runs on anything. Golden Principal, easy winner of an optional claimer going a mile at Del Mar Nov. 27, showed a distance cutback was no problem. From the outside post, she sat a few lengths off the lead while wide, came with a strong wide run on the far turn to reach contention, took the lead from Biddy Duke into the lane, only to soon be confronted by Fair Maiden to her outside. Shed was no match for that gal but stayed on well to be a clear second. Merneith, coming off that stakes win at Keeneland, contested the early pace, relented pacesetting duties to Biddy Duke, and remained just behind and inside of Biddy Duke. She came through an opening along the rail into the lane when Biddy Duke came off the rail, and finished well along the fence for third. Finite, the favorite off a win in the Grade 3 Chilukki at Churchill Nov. 21, broke decently but was slow into stride and at the back heading down the backstretch. She started to advance while wide into the far turn, pitched wider still into the lane, and finished with good energy. Secret Keeper, who was basically eliminated when stumbling badly at the start of the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland Oct. 17, stalked the pace between Merneith to her inside and Motivated Seller to her outside, raced alongside Merneith to the top of the lane, had to shift out some to go around a tiring Biddy Duke, but remained in tandem with Merneith and stayed on well just inside of Finite, who nipped her by a nose for fourth. Motivated Seller, easy winner of her first two starts before finishing second to Merneith Nov. 7, pressed the pace just outside of Secret Keeper, rallied wide on the far turn, was passed by Golden Principal to her outside into the lane, and was basically ridden out to the line in the wire once all was lost. Stellar Sound (5-1 on the morning line) scratched race morning.

Santa Anita
American Oaks (race 9)

COMMENT: Duopoly set a slow pace when leading all the way to win a stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 15. The daughter of Animal Kingdom again controlled the race tempo in this race, and that was that. She was able to set a dawdling pace taking minimal pressure from Sharing, had Sharing and Going to Vegas come at her to her outside into the lane, but kicked clear again and didn’t really have a nervous moment in the final furlong. Looks like trainer Chad Brown has yet another quality turf distaffer. Going to Vegas, coming off back-to-back Grade 3 seconds, sat third just behind and outside Sharing, moved up alongside that rival on the far turn, but couldn’t go with Duopoly in the lane and got the better of Sharing and a couple closers for second. Sharing, the 8-5 favorite off a strong fourth in the Grade 1 Matriarch vs. top-class elders at Del Mar Nov. 29 but trying this longer trip for the first time, was held back just behind the pacesetter while under a snug hold. She crept closer into the far turn as Going to Vegas came up to her outside. Sharing made a serious challenge into the lane between Duopoly on the rail and ‘Vegas to her outside, but couldn’t keep up with those two in the final furlong. That final furlong may have been a tad beyond her, though she didn’t run badly at all. Red Lark, fourth in the strong Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland Oct. 10, sat well back from the start, as usual, started her run between horses on the far turn, rallied in traffic into the lane, moved to the outside and finished well. Capital Structure, an allowance winner at Belmont Oct. 25, got jostled between horses coming over the dirt crossing, and settled into stride heading down the stretch for the first time. She remained in traffic under a hold and had to steady down the backstretch, stayed on the rail while in traffic, came off the rail to go around a tiring rival in the lane, and finished strongly.

Santa Anita
Malibu (race 10)

COMMENT: This was supposed to be a summit between unbeaten Charlatan and Nashville, and for about five furlongs it looked to be exactly that. However, Charlatan had other ideas as he turned this into a procession with a romping victory. Making his first start since finishing first in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby last May 2 (only to later be disqualified after a medication positive) and then having ankle surgery, Charlatan was content to sit second as 6-5 favorite Nashville shot out to make the running. Charlatan bided his time just outside and behind Nashville down the backstretch through sizzling splits, crept closer on the turn, moved up alongside turning for home as if the duel we were all waiting for was ready to take place, then blew the doors off his rivals. He veered toward the rail while clearing Nashville, and won geared down. If he can stay healthy he could have any kind of 2021. Trainer Bob Baffert said the Pegasus World Cup would likely be next, with the Saudi Cup an option as well. Express Train, back to dirt and sprinting after running eighth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby on turf here Oct. 18, was last early, soon moved up to be just outside of Independence Hall, advanced on the far turn while wide, and finished well while moving back toward the inside. He may target the Grade 2 San Pasqual here Jan. 30. Collusion Illusion, a Grade 1-winning sprinter but 12th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint last time out at Keeneland Nov. 7, raced just inside and behind Independence Hall, started to close the gap into the far turn, passed that foe into the lane, came off the inside and finished with good energy outside of Express Train. Nashville, like the winner a son of champion sprinter Speightstown, set a strong pace under modest pressure from Charlatan, appeared to be traveling well when Charlatan came up to his outside on the far turn, briefly battled back when challenged by that foe, but was then no match for that foe and tired. Independence Hall, a winner of an optional claimer here Nov. 8, stalked a few lengths off the pace, raced between Collusion Illusion on the rail and Express Train to his outside into the far turn, was still between those two turning for home, and gave way in the stretch.

Dec. 27

Santa Anita
Robert J. Frankel (race 9)

COMMENT: Mucho Unusual found the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf waters too deep (though a wide trip didn’t help). She got some class relief and returned to her sandbox and it paid off. She sat second, a few lengths behind early pacesetter She’s Our Charm while a few paths off the rail, and remained there as Miss Teheran surged up the rail to take the lead down the backstretch. Mucho Unusual crept closer while wide on the far turn, challenged into the lane, got the better of the leaders by midstretch, and held off Never Be Enough to her outside. Never Be Enough won three straight going a mile and then finished eighth in the 1 3/8-mile Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar Nov. 26. She sat midpack while a couple lanes off the rail, just outside of Miss Teheran. She commenced a run while wide on the far turn, pitched wider still into the lane, and finished resolutely to nip She’s Our Charm for second. She’s Our Charm set a modest pace, looked in trouble when Miss Teheran surged up inside of her to take the lead into the far turn, and battled on gamely just outside that foe. She battled back when Mucho Unusual challenged to her immediate outside, and got the better of Miss Teheran to her inside in the lane. Miss Teheran, invading off a fifth in a stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 27, bided her time early in midpack, surged into contention along the rail down the backstretch, took the lead from She’s Our Charm on the far turn, and tired some in the final furlong. Surely using so much fuel down the backstretch cost her. Rideforthecause, invading off a Grade 2 win at Woodbine Sept. 12 and second in a Grade 1 there Oct. 18, sat a few lengths off the lead while saving ground, crept closer down the backstretch while coming off the rail a bit, was urged to get going on the far turn, but was unable to make a dent in the stretch.