Trip Notes for December 30: American Oaks, Robert J. Frankel, and Midnight Lute

Santa Anita
Robert J. Frankel (race 4)

COMMENT: Midnight Crossing, the longest shot in the race (22-1), showed again the danger of speed as she led throughout to post the big upset. She broke sharply to bounce right out to the lead, was able to dictate the pace through modest fractions under minimal pressure from Gliding By, looked to be in trouble when Gliding By came to her on the far turn, but kicked away from that foe into the lane while holding the fence, giving herself enough of a buffer to get to the line before hard-charging favorite Elysea’s World. Off this, a race like the Grade 2 Buena Vista at a mile here Feb. 17 could be next. Elysea’s World bided her time early toward the back, ahead only of stablemate Penjade, pitched wide into the lane, finished with good energy, but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. Laseen stalked in fourth, had to wait for room into the lane, moved to rail for clear sailing and stayed on well. Responsibleforlove stalked in third, loomed a big threat turning for home, but then gave way. Penjade was last from the start while saving ground and never made a move. She was eased in the lane as if something may have gone amiss.

Santa Anita
American Oaks (race 7)

COMMENT: Morning-line favorite Rymska was scratched after coming up lame in her stall. Daddys Lil Darling has been knocking heads with the best of her division on both turf and dirt and finally grabbed the spotlight, posting her first Grade 1 win. The daughter of Scat Daddy was prominent from the start, stalking in third as longshot Coachwhip set a slow pace, remained there to the top of the lane, mounted her bid with favorite New Money Honey into the stretch, got the better of that gal and stayed on gamely to fend off a hard-charging Madam Dancealot. She’ll reportedly be freshened with an eye on Keeneland in April for her return. Trainer Ken McPeek also said she could switch back to dirt as she’s proven on that footing as well (twice Grade 1-placed). Madam Dancealot, third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 14 (Daddys Lil Darling was second), was slow into stride, as is her want, sitting last early. She remained there to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane and finished full of run but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. Kathy’s Song, coming off a romping win in a turf stakes at Golden Gate on Dec. 10, sat in midpack from the start while saving ground, came with a nice run into the lane while staying inside to loom a big threat by midstretch, but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. New Money Honey, a two-time Grade 1 winner, sat in second from the start, just outside the pacesetter, looked very dangerous coming into the lane when taking the lead from a tiring Coachwhip, but couldn’t sustain her bid and gave way in the final half-furlong to miss the trifecta. Like the winner, this $450,000 daughter of Medaglia d’Oro will reportedly now get a vacation.

Santa Anita
Midnight Lute (race 8)

COMMENT: Masochistic, set to make his comeback, scratched to instead await the California Cup Sprint here Jan. 27. A year ago, Silent Bird looked like a real comer, winning four straight, including the Damascus. However, then came a few months off, a so-so fourth in the Grade 1 Triple Bend here March 11, another five months off, and a so-so third in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at Del Mar on Aug. 26, and now another four-plus months off as he’s had some issues (abscesses in three of his four feet at different times). However, this time the son of champion Summer Bird returned in peak form as, with blinkers on for the first time, he notched his first graded stakes win. From his rail slot, he showed more speed than usual, likely due to the addition of blinkers, dogging favorite Americanize from the start, staying attached to that foe while inside, battled gamely with that rival into the lane and continued on gamely to get the better of that rival in the final half-furlong and fend off a hard-trying Tough Sunday for the narrow win. Trainer Mark Glatt said the long-term goal is the Grade 1 Triple Bend at seven furlongs here March 10. He also said he might stretch him out farther to a mile. Tough Sunday, third in this in 2016, then gone for almost 11 months before coming back to win a turf optional-claiming sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 16, stalked in third from the start, moved closer into the lane, was part of a three-horse battle in the stretch, but came up a neck short in a fine try. Americanize, the favorite off a decent fourth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 2, showed big speed, as expected, though he was immediately confronted by Silent Bird to his inside and Tough Sunday to his outside and fought on gamely between horses to the line. Calculator, dropping off a troubled seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4, was a bit unlucky. He stalked in fourth from the start, angled in on the far turn, had to wait a bit while in behind horses coming into the lane, moved to the inside to make a run in the stretch, but had to steady when in tight off heels, came out for room in deep stretch, but was too late. Solid Wager, the winner of this race a year ago in a dead heat with St. Joe Bay and coming off a smart, rallying second in the Cary Grant at Del Mar on Nov. 19, was away slowly to be last early, came wide on the turn into the lane, but could make only minimal headway.