Trip Notes for December 26-27: Sugar Swirl, Daytona, La Brea, Robert J. Frankel, and more...

Saturday, December 26

Gulfstream - Sugar Swirl (race 4)

COMMENT: Best Behavior moved back to her best game here – sprinting – and it paid off. Coming off a solid second going a mile in the Grade 3 Rampart here Dec. 12, her first start in five months, she took a nice step forward to notch her first graded stakes win. She pressed early pacesetter Dogwood Trail, took over from that rival turning for home, and edged away in the lane. She’s been on a steady stakes regimen since being claimed for $62,500 back August 2014. Stonetastic, the 1-5 favorite dropping out of an eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, was a bit unlucky. Expected to go right out to the lead, she was outgunned early by a few rivals, and had early pacesetter Dogwood Trail drop over right in front of her going down the backstretch, forcing her to check sharply. She got going again, failed to get off her left lead, and just held second. You Bought Her lagged back, came with a steady run and just missed getting the place. Dogwood Trail dueled with Best Behavior and gave way.

Gulfstream - W. L. McKnight Handicap (race 9)

COMMENT: Charming Kitten sixth in the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct last month, well behind Kaigun, who ran second that day. However, Charming Kitten gained his revenge over Kaigun in this Grade 3 test. He stalked as War Dancer set a modest early pace, moved closer to contend turning for home, and then rebuffed Kaigun through the lane. Kaigun continued his solid form, though he hasn’t won since taking the Grade 2 Seabiscuit at Del Mar in November 2014. He sat a couple lengths behind the eventual winner from the start, started to advance going to the far turn, moved up to challenge into the lane, and finished second, far clear of the rest. Da Big Hoss, favored after being overmatched when eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf last time, was just behind the eventual winner from the start, came out to make a bid into the lane but flattened out. War Dancer, fourth in the Red Smith, set a modest early pace but gave way once headed.

Gulfstream - La Prevoyante Handicap (race 11)

COMMENT: Goldy Espony notched her fifth win in her last six starts by again using her speed. Her lone loss in that string came when ninth in the Grade 3 Glens Falls at Saratoga Sept. 5, but she never made the early lead that day and that apparently is what she needs. She went right out to the lead here, was able to set dawdling splits, and won while geared down. Maximova stalked the pace, made a run at the winner into the lane, and held second. Rosalind, ninth to Goldy Espony in the Grade 3 Long Island at Aqueduct Nov. 7, raced with Maximova early and lost the battle to her for second. Gotachancetodance, coming off a third in the Long Island, her first stakes outing, sat midpack while wide and never mustered a run.

Santa Anita - Daytona (race 4)

COMMENT: Longshots added up to some hefty exotics payoffs, headed by 21-1 winner Toowindytohaulrox. Coming off a third in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit, Toowindytohaulrox lagged well back as Rocket Heat blasted out to a clear lead through fast splits. Toowindytohaulrox remained well back coming across the dirt, but launched a strong rally to win the blanket finish. One key may have been that he stayed wide and in the clear, as his trainer noted he doesn’t want to be in traffic or go between horses. Coastline, another longshot, was making his first start for trainer Phil D’Amato, who also trains Toowindytohaulrox. He sat back as well, just in front of his stablemate, then closed strongly for second. His five prior turf tries were all at 7 1/2 furlongs and beyond, so maybe this shorter game is his ticket. Rocket Heat surged out to a clear lead, was still clear by midstretch and just failed to last, losing by two necks. The Great War, who faded to 12th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, stalked in fifth and came with a run to be fourth in the six-horse blanket finish. Alert Bay, winner of the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile here Sept. 27, stalked the early pace, took back some going behind the trees, and finished decently. That’s a second straight subpar effort for him. No Silent, the 4-1 favorite and a Grade 3 winner on this course, stalked the pace, loomed a mild threat into the lane but then gave way. You get the feeling that if you ran this race 10 times you’d get eight different winners.

Santa Anita - Mathis Brothers Mile (race 6)

COMMENT: Om notched his third Grade 2 win in his last four starts. He easily won the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and Grade 2 Twilight Derby before finishing third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last time. Cutting back from 1 1/8 miles to a mile, he again used his speed to his advantage. He stalked pacesetter Acceptance, took over from that rival into the lane and edged clear. Perfectly Majestic lagged well back, came with a strong run to look dangerous by midstretch, and finished well clear of the rest. Vigilant, an invader from back East who’d won two straight at Belmont and Keeneland, was slow into stride and was last to the far turn. He swung wide for the stretch run and finished with good energy, though he was never a danger to the top two. Still, he may be one to watch in 2016. Acceptance, who opened up a big early lead before fading badly to finish 11th in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, went right out to the lead, battled back when hooked by Om into the lane and lost third in the final strides. Mister Brightside, much troubled when ninth in the Hollywood Derby, seemed in a good spot stalking the pace but had no punch when it mattered.

Santa Anita - La Brea (race 7)

COMMENT: Birdatthewire showed she could route by winning the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, but it seems she’s best around one turn. She used her late kick to post the upset in this seven-furlong race. She sat last of nine from her rail draw as Hot City Girl set a decent pace, commenced her run turning for home, and sustained it to the line to edge past Hot City Gal for the score. Hot City Girl, coming here off three wins, at Charles Town, Belmont and Laurel, cleared off early, looked the winner in midstretch, but couldn’t fend off the winner in the final half-furlong. Cavorting, fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, might have earned the distaff sprint championship with a win here. She lagged well back early, came with a threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain it. Ben’s Duchess, coming off a romping win in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman here Oct. 4, chased Hot City Girl and weakened in the final furlong.

Santa Anita - Malibu (race 8)

COMMENT: There’s little doubt Runhappy is the best sprinter in the land, and he put an exclamation point on his season with another terrific performance. He dominated the race from the bell. He went right out to a clear lead, set strong splits, opened up into the lane, and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. Marking, so impressive winning his first two starts, both in New York, showed he’s a horse who may make noise in 2016. He chased the winner while on his inside, moved off the rail when Runhappy moved out to a clear lead, came under a ride on the far turn and kept on well for second. Being a son of champion 3-year-old Bernardini with Grade 1 route winner Street Cry as his damsire, he should be even better going long. Lord Nelson, making his first start since running fourth in a Grade 3 at Churchill Downs May 2, basically chased the top two all the way around while wide. Watershed lagged back, made a mild move between horses turning for home, and flattened out a bit in the final furlong, though he galloped out well. El Kabeir, a one-time Derby hopeful who came into this off a sprint stakes win at Laurel Nov. 14, sat back and could make only minimal headway in the lane.

Sunday, December 27

Santa Anita - Robert J. Frankel (race 8)

COMMENT: Gender Agenda loomed a big threat in the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar Nov. 29 but flattened out and finished fifth. She showed more speed this time, stalking favored pacesetter Glory through very slow splits. Gender Agenda went after Glory at the top of the lane, got the better of her, and just got to the line before hard-charging Stormy Lucy. Stormy Lucy, 65-1 upset winner of the Grade 1 Matriarch, was well back coming into the lane but finished full of run to just miss. Glory, coming off two easy wins, got away with dawdling splits, which left her plenty of gas in reserve for the stretch run and, but she wasn’t quite good enough. Rusty Slipper, coming off a win in the Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar Nov. 21, sat midpack, came with a threatening run into the lane, and had to check and steady when in tight in the final half-furlong. Three Hearts, a sharp third in this last year, sat midpack, kept to her task decently but wasn’t really a danger in the lane. Alexis Tangier sat midpack, loomed a threat turning for home but couldn’t sustain her bid.