Trip Notes for February 1-2: Toboggan, Withers, Hutcheson, Sam F. Davis, Las Virgenes, Palos Verdes and more....

Saturday, February 1

Aqueduct - Toboggan (race 6)

COMMENT: Candyman E, claimed for $62,500 last October at Belmont, made it 3 straight wins with a smart performance. He rallied past Dads Caps to win a restricted stakes here Dec. 13 and did it again this time. He chased that speedster from the start, appeared in trouble in midstretch as Dads Caps still had a clear lead, but doggedly kept to his task to again wear down and pass that foe. He was fourth in this race in 2012. Dads Caps did everything right – he used his speed to outrun the other speedsters, held a clear lead into the final furlong looking as though he’d gain his revenge, but then couldn’t fend off the winner in the final yards while drifting out in the lane. Non Stop stalked in third, kept to his task well to close the gap in the final furlong, but never really appeared a big danger to the top two. Sensational Slam was slow into stride, made a mild move into the lane, but didn’t sustain it.

Aqueduct - Withers (race 9)

COMMENT: Two real promising New York-breds made this renewal their own little personal battleground as Samraat and Uncle Sigh dominated the proceedings, with Samraat gamely prevailing to remain perfect in four starts. Coming off a 16 3/4-length romp over NY-breds in the Damon Runyon, he was asked to face open foes here and passed the test. He dogged pacesetter Uncle Sigh from the start, moved closer to that foe turning for home, nudged past at the furlong pole, and gamely prevailed while just starting to edge away at the wire. He reportedly will ship back to Florida with likely just one more race before the May 3 Kentucky Derby, either the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream (both on March 29) or Grade 1 Wood at Aqueduct April 5. Coming off a 14 1/2-length maiden win here Dec. 27, Uncle Sigh went right out to the lead, set the pace under heavy pressure from the winner, battled back gamely when hooked, but just couldn’t quite keep up late while miles better than the others. The Grade 3 Gotham here March 1 is reportedly next. Scotland steadied at the start to get away poorly, sitting last early. He was still there going to the far turn before producing a decent run, though he was never a threat to the top two.

Gulfstream - Hutcheson (race 10)

COMMENT: Wildcat Red, coming off a near-miss second (beaten a head) in the one-mile Gulfstream Park Derby, cut back to a sprint and flourished as he easily proved best. He sat fourth early while Gambler’s Ghost set the pace. Wildcat Red moved up to challenge going into the far turn, took command into the lane and drew off to win easily. He didn’t really have a nervous moment in the lane. He’s now finished first in all four of his sprints, although he was DQ’d out of one of those wins. C. Zee, second in the Spectacular Bid here Jan. 4, raced with the winner early, didn’t accelerate as quickly, but kept to his task well while no match for that rival. Pablo Del Monte, fourth as the favorite in the GP Derby, sat back early, came with a smart run into the lane but didn’t sustain it. Trail Blaze was slow into stride and never mustered a run.

Tampa Bay - Sam F. Davis (race 9)

COMMENT: Vinceremos and Harpoon finished just a nose apart in a spirited final furlong, giving trainer Todd Pletcher a handy 1-2 finish. Vinceremos, a son of Kentucky Derby second Pioneerof the Nile (also sire of top-rated 3-year-old Cairo Prince) dogged pacesetter Cousin Stephen early while saving ground, appeared in trouble on the turn as he lost position, but got going again to grab the lead in midstretch (it may have been as much a case of the leaders tiring and giving him a huge opening along the rail to continue his run) and just get to the line before his hard-charging stablemate. The Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby here March 8 figures next. Harpoon stalked while inside, swung out very, very wide into the lane (which had to cost him) and finished nicely but just ran out of ground in a fine try. The Tampa Bay Derby could be next for him as well. Cousin Stephen set the pace under constant pressure, tried to battle back when hooked into the lane by the winner, but just couldn’t keep pace and then was unable to fend off the runner-up. Noble Cornerstone, the favorite, threw a fit in the gate, broke poorly to be last early, was still last turning for home and never mustered a run. You can probably forgive this run considering his pre-race tantrum.

Tampa Bay - Tampa Bay Stakes (race 10)

COMMENT: Guys Reward was good enough in the spring of 2012 to win the Grade 2 Firecracker at Churchill, but things hadn’t done well since, including a near-year layoff after a hoof injury, and he came into this off a 10th in a stakes at Gulfstream Dec. 28. The 7-year-old regained some of the ol’ spark in this race as he posted a 14-1 upset. Breaking from then rail, he was last early while saving ground, steadily advanced while staying inside, swung out into the lane and surged home to win going away in a big run. Salto, the heavy favorite off a smart second in the El Prado at Gulfstream Dec. 28 (the same race in which Guys Reward ran 10th), stalked the pace, made a strong run to grab the lead into the lane looking like the winner, but then had no answer for Guys Reward’s big finish. Golden Sabre sat well back with Guys Reward, remained last turning for home, swung out and finished well. Riding the River sat midpack while saving ground and kept to his task decently, though he was never really a threat to win.

Santa Anita - Las Virgenes (race 7)

COMMENT: Fashion Plate is apparently a different gal on dirt. She lost her first two starts, both on synthetic, before moving to dirt here Dec. 29 and blasting maidens. She moved way up in class and was routing for the first time, but it didn’t matter. She bounced right out to the lead, but in no way stole this. She was pressed into sharp fractions by Taste Like Candy, dispatched with that gal into the lane, looked ripe to be overtaken after that hard early work, but stayed on gamely to keep favored Streaming at bay in the final yards. Her main target figures to be the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks here April 5, though if she’s tearing down the barn the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel March 1 could be a bridge to that. Streaming sat third early, a few lengths off the pace. She bided her time, doggedly went after the winner into the lane, looked as though she would catch her but just couldn’t get to her. There was no real excuse as she had dead aim on Fashion Plate. Still, it was a solid run, and the Santa Anita Oaks is likely on her radar, too. Arethusa lagged back, as is her custom, and finished well, hinting she can be tough with more ground. Taste Like Candy pressed the winner into solid splits but she paid the price as she weakened in the lane. Toss She’s a Tiger into the mix, and it’s a nice bunch of 3-year-old fillies out West with seemingly not a lot between them.

Santa Anita - Arcadia (race 8)

COMMENT: Winning Prize was a beast in Argentina, with multiple Grade 1 wins, and this win shows what the fuss was all about. Coming off a sharp third in the Grade 2 Citation at Hollywood Nov. 29 (beaten less than a length by top milers Silentio and Summer Front), he sat second while Regally Ready zoomed out to a clear lead. He gradually moved closer to that rival, pounced in midstretch to take command, and drew off to win well. He’s the real deal. Next is the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile here March 8. Remember, too, being South American he’s actually a very young 4-year-old, so there’s plenty of upside here. Oh, and trainer Neil Drysdale knows a thing or two as far as handling top milers (Labeeb, Hawksley Hill, for example). Tom’s Tribute was just behind the winner from the start and basically ran in tandem with that rival in a big effort to get second Regally Ready, the one-time top turf sprinter who appears to have a new lease on life going a mile on grass, bounced out to a long lead, still had the advantage at the eighth pole, but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Still, he ran quite nicely. Suggestive Boy, the defending champ, was favored despite the fact this was his first start in 11 months after injury. He lagged back and never made a move. He can certainly benefit from this outing and figures to still point to a defense of Grade 1 Kilroe Mile crown next month.

Sunday, February 2

Santa Anita - Palos Verdes (race 4)

COMMENT: Toss a new name in the sprint division ring out West as Wild Dude upset Secret Circle and Sahara Sky. Wild Dude notched his third straight win. He stalked the pace set by Moonshine Bay and Secret Circle, still had work to do into the lane, moved out for clear sailing, and finished doggedly to just get up in the final yards. The Grade 2 San Carlos here March 8 may be next, and the way he won this hints that seven-furlong trip will be right up his alley. Secret Circle, last seen winning the Grade 1 BC Sprint here Nov. 2, did nothing wrong in defeat. He dogged pacesetter Moonshine Bay from the start, had to work to finally nudge past that rival inside the eighth pole, and looked like the winner until Wild Dude came on resolutely to get him. He could also reappear in the San Carlos, though he seems best with time between starts so he could wait for something else later. Moonshine Bay ran big in defeat, setting a brisk pace under pressure, and only weakened in the final 70 yards. Sahara Sky, making his first start since winning the Grade 1 Met Mile before being sidelined by injury, lacked speed, as is his custom, and never mustered a run. You can be forgiving, though, as he likely needed this race and figures tighter and tougher for next time, which could also be in the San Carlos, a race he won last year.