Trip Notes for December 5: Hollywood Derby,

Dec. 3

Aqueduct

Go for Wand (race 8)

COMMENT: Highway Star continued her ascent, winning her third straight and her first graded stakes try. She beat New York-bred optional claimers at Belmont on Sept. 28, then won a restricted stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 13. She stepped up in class here and bided her time early as Wonder Gal set a decent pace under pressure from Burn Control, moved closer before going a half-mile while wide, moved up to press Wonder Gal on the turn, challenged her into the lane and was just able to get the better of her while fending off a determined High Ridge Road by a nose. This sets her up for a nice winter on the inner track. High Ridge Road, making her first start in five months after running fourth in a stakes at Monmouth on July 4, stalked in fourth, pitched very wide into the lane while losing position but found her top gear and finished resolutely to just miss. Wonder Gal, dropping after being in too deep when 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, went right out to set the pace, took pressure from Burn Control, got rid of that foe by the far turn but was then taken on by the eventual winner and battled gamely to the line to just miss by a nose and a neck. Bar of Gold, the heavy 7-10 favorite off a monstrous 18-length win on a sloppy track in the Empire Distaff for New York-bred distaffers at Belmont on Oct. 22, apparently does need mud for her best. She didn’t get that here as she sat fifth early, moved a bit closer turning for home, was very wide into the stretch but never mustered a run. All five career wins have come on wet ground.

Del Mar

Bayakoa (race 6)

COMMENT: Trainer Bob Baffert was actually thinking about the Breeders’ Cup Distaff a month ago despite Beholder, Songbird and some other real toughies being in there. This win speaks to his confidence as, coming off a 10 1/4-length optional-claiming win at Santa Anita instead of the Breeders’ Cup, she showed what the fuss was all about with another big winning effort here. She sat second as Gloryzapper set the pace, dogged that rival to the far turn, got the better of that tiring foe into the lane, opened up by midstretch and had no worries in the final furlong. She figures to target the big Santa Anita distaff races, particularly with Beholder retired and top distaffers Songbird and Stellar Wind waiting a couple of months until they return. Wild At Heart bided her time in fourth, made a run at the winner into the lane, proved no match but kept on gamely to hold second. Moyo Honey sat in midpack from the start while saving ground, came with a decent run into the lane and, while no threat to the winner, gave the runner-up a scare. Gloryzapper went right out to set the pace, was immediately pressured by Vale Dori, remained on the lead turning for home while still under pressure from that rival but wilted from that heat.

Del Mar

Hollywood Derby (race 7)

COMMENT: Trainer Chad Brown brought a three-headed monster here for this, but it was the one limited on experience (Annals of Time) who proved best over his two more experienced and proven runners, Beach Patrol and Camelot Kitten. Annals of Time, last seen finishing third in the Grade 3 Hill Prince behind his two more accomplished stablemates, bided his time toward the back of the pack early while saving ground as Blackjackcat set a decent pace under pressure from Defiantly, remained well back to the far turn, came with a strong run into the lane, split horses and surged home to win going away. He’s most promising for 2017. That can also be said for Beach Patrol. The winner of the Grade 1 Secretariat, Beach Patrol stalked the pace while outside and in the clear, came with a nice run into the lane on the outside, grabbed the lead from a stubborn Blackjackcat once straightened away but couldn’t withstand the charge of his stablemate. Frank Conversation, the winner of the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, sat just behind Beach Patrol from the start, couldn’t quite accelerate with that rival into the lane but got going well late to be a good third. Hayabusa One, a winner in France on Feb. 1 and then a big winner in his U.S. debut at Keeneland eight months later Oct. 9, was well back from the start, remained well back by the far turn, swung very wide into the lane and finished with good energy. Camelot Kitten, the winner of the Grade 3 Hill Prince over stablemates Beach Patrol and Annals of Time at Belmont on Oct. 8, sat in midpack from the start, made a mild move on the turn to get closer, swung out wide into the lane but never really mustered a run. It could be that he’s better on footing with a bit of give to it, or his lack of punch may mean he’s better suited to a slightly shorter trip. Maybe he can become a top miler.

Dec. 4

Del Mar

Matriarch (race 7)

COMMENT: There’s no doubt that Tepin is the top distaff miler in the game, but a third Grade 1 win this year also leaves no doubt that Miss Temple City rates as a solid No. 2 – but an emerging star in Roca Rojo made her work to the end. From her tough far-outside post, coming off a good fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Miss Temple City showed her speed and handiness to get up and over in the first couple hundred yards so she didn’t get hung out to dry. She stalked as Stays in Vegas moved off to a clear lead while setting slow splits, doggedly went after that foe into the lane, had to work to reel her in, finally did so and then just got to the line before the surging Roca Rojo by a nostril. Trainer Graham Motion had said before this that he might target a 2017 campaign similar to 2016, meaning she’ll get a break now, point for defense of her Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile title (vs. males) at Keeneland and then return to Royal Ascot in England in June, with the obvious year-end goal being another crack at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, which will be held here. Roca Rojo, a winner of five of her first six starts, including a romp in the Grade 3 Athenia at Belmont on Oct. 23 (on soft turf no less), showed she’s the real deal as she lagged back in eighth, came out turning for home, was still in midpack and then finished full of run to just miss by a nose. This shows she belongs with the best distaff turf milers around, and she may be lined up for a big 2017. Stays in Vegas, a modest sixth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 15, shot out to a clear lead, was able to get away with slow splits while still clearly in command while hugging the rail, was still clear by midstretch but just couldn’t quite fend off the top two in the final half-furlong in a super try, losing by just a nose and a head. Mexican Gold, one of three in here from the Chad Brown barn (Roca Rojo, Zindaya), was last seen finishing third to Roca Rojo in the Athenia, stalked the pace while racing in tandem with Miss Temple City but to her inside, loomed ominously into the lane but couldn’t finish with the top three. Zindaya sat in second from the start, was right there to midstretch but couldn’t keep pace in the final half-furlong. Time and Motion, the smashing winner of the Queen Elizabeth II going longer, sat in midpack but basically stayed there as she was one-paced to the line. In her defense, this trip is likely short of her preferred game, and her connections explicitly said this was a prep for the longer, Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita in a few weeks. That 1 1/4-mile distance and being back in against 3-year-olds should play well for her.