Trip Notes for Feb. 14-15: Hurricane Bertie, Barbara Fritchie, Bayakoa, and more...

Saturday, February 14

Gulfstream - Hurricane Bertie (race 10)

COMMENT: Merry Meadow had no trouble dominating here, making it three straight wins (took the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl here Dec. 13) and firmly establishing herself as the top distaff sprinter in Florida. Sent off as a heavy favorite, she dogged pacesetter More Than a Party early, had no trouble taking command from that rival turning for home, and then expanded her lead from there without really breaking a sweat. The Grade 2 Inside Information at seven furlongs here March 21 may be next. More Than a Party, stepping up off two romping optional-claiming wins at this meet, broke sharply to take the early lead, was dogged by the eventual winner, proved no match for that foe turning for home, but stayed on decently to hold second. Galiana was fourth from the start and plugged along well, nearly catching the runner-up. Centrique, fifth to Merry Meadow in a pair of stakes last fall before getting back on track with two smart optional-claiming wins at this meet, stalked the pace but failed to muster any sort of run in the lane.

Laurel - Barbara Fritchie (race 8)

COMMENT: Lady Sabelia made it four straight wins (six of her last seven) and in doing so struck a blow for the locals as she turned back some highly regarded invaders here. Coming off two straight stakes wins at this meet, she posted a strong 58.80-second bullet breeze Feb. 8 to signal her readiness. And ready she was. She zipped right out to a clear lead from her outside slot, opened up into the lane, and while a couple closed the gap, she’d given herself more than enough of a buffer. The way she’s going, it would be no surprise to see her ship for some bigger game in the near future. A race like the Correction at Aqueduct on March 14 may be an option. Princess Violet, a talented New York invader coming off a sharp second in the Grade 3 Go for Wand at Aqueduct (beaten just a nose), chased the winner from the start along with Stormy Novel while saving ground, didn’t have as much acceleration into the lane as did the winner, but kept to her task well to close the gap and hold second. Expression, another New York shipper who was coming here off a stakes win and a stakes third on Aqueduct’s inner track, lagged back and finished decently, though she was never really a threat. Sam’s Sister, heavily favored as she invaded from Southern California, having won five of six (her lone loss coming in her lone turf try), including the Grade 1 La Brea and Grade 2 Santa Monica in her last two, sat in midpack after bobbling at the start and getting pinched back, came with a threatening, wide run turning for home, but couldn’t sustain it. Toasting, a Gulfstream Park invader, broke slowly, sat back while saving ground, but never made a move.

Golden Gate - El Camino Real Derby (race 7)

COMMENT: Metaboss is another who flourished over this synthetic track after success on turf. Despite the surface switch and the big step up in class from maiden winner to Grade 3 stakes, the son of multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Street Boss got the job done. He lagged back early as Indianaughty and Conquest Typhoon volleyed on the lead through modest splits, pitched wide on the far turn to start his run, and finished with gusto to grab the lead late and win going away. Not sure this necessarily puts him on the fast lane to the Kentucky Derby since his only dirt start was his weakest. The Grade 3 Spiral at Turfway on March 21 may be next – though, of course, that’s also on synthetic. Cross the Line, the top local sophomore off a smart win in the California Derby here Jan. 17, sat in midpack, had to check going to the backstretch, was content to bide his time, came wide into the lane, and finished well, though he never really scared the winner. Conquest Typhoon, the favorite and making his first start in 2 1/2 months, battled early with Indianaughty while setting slow splits, put that rival away into the lane, had the lead in midstretch, but had no answer to the winner’s charge and lost second in the final strides. Mischief Clem, the game winner of the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita on Jan. 24, was slow into stride, made a wide run to get into stalking position, but then came up empty. Indianaughty, an interesting new face from England (where he won on synthetic) and then Gulfstream Park (where he won on turf), dueled from the start through slow splits while saving ground, was still battling for the lead turning for home, but then fell apart.

Santa Anita - Santa Maria (race 8)

COMMENT: Warren’s Veneda established herself as the top older distaffer in Southern California with another smashing win – so long as champion Beholder remains on the bench. A sharp second in the Grade 2 Bayakoa at Los Alamitos and then a romping winner of the Paseana here Jan. 11, she put up another sterling display, sitting last early as Sweet Marini and Awesome Baby volleyed on the lead through fast splits. She commenced a wide run turning into the lane and powered home to grab the lead in midstretch and win going away. The Grade 1 Santa Margarita here March 14 is likely next. Uzziel, the longest-priced horse in the race (52-1) after failing to threaten in the lane in three straight races, took a different tact, and it nearly worked. Usually on the pace sprinting, she instead stalked here and, while no match for the winner, ran on well for second. Thegirlinthatsong, the winner of the Grade 2 La Canada here Jan. 17 and a slight favorite over Warren’s Veneda, lagged back early while saving ground, moved closer turning for home, had to wait for room, but didn’t have the needed oomph to go with the winner in the lane or catch the runner-up. She still seems a logical candidate for the Santa Margarita. Sweet Marini and Awesome Baby dueled early and paid the price, fading to sixth and eighth.

Sunday, Feb. 15

Oaklawn - Bayakoa (race 8)

COMMENT: Mufajaah continued her love affair with this track with a big late run to get the win. A winner now of four of her six local starts, including the Pippin last time out Jan. 17, she sat well back early (last, in fact) as Call Pat, Courageous Julie, and Gold Medal Dancer contested the early pace, began her run on the far turn while very wide, and stayed on resolutely to get up for the narrow win. While this race could be a springboard to the Grade 2 Azeri and Grade 1 Apple Blossom later at this meet, that may not be the case here, as she might be retired to be bred. Flashy American, making her first start since fading to ninth in the mud in a stakes at Remington on Dec. 14, sat well back early, moved with the winner on the far turn, but couldn’t quite finish with that gal in a good try. Gold Medal Dancer, making her first start since fading to seventh in a turf stakes at Remington on Aug. 29, pressed the pace, took the lead turning for home, was still clear in midstretch, but couldn’t quite fend off the top two. Haunted Heroine, last time out a decent second to Mufajaah in the Pippin, sat back early but never made a move.