Trip Notes for February 20: Risen Star, Rachel Alexandra, Buena Vista, and more...

Saturday, February 20

Fair Grounds - Mineshaft Handicap (race 5)

COMMENT: A scratch left this race with a small field of five. International Star was the overwhelming favorite as he came into this with a perfect 4-for-4 record here, including an easy win in the Louisiana Stakes on Jan. 16, but he wouldn’t be the only big favorite on the card to lose. Instead, it was Majestic Harbor, a graded stakes winner in Southern California in 2014 and last behind International Star in the Louisiana, who posted the surprise. From his rail slot, he bounced right out to the lead while inside (that would be pivotal on this day), took only modest pressure from Point Piper while getting away with slow splits, and gamely kept to his task through the lane to fend off a hard-trying Eagle. Eagle was last early in the small field, moved closer turning for home, doggedly kept after the eventual winner, but just ran out of ground, coming up a head short. Point Piper chased the winner from the start, loomed a threat into the lane, but couldn’t sustain his run. International Star, the 7-10 favorite, seemed to be in a good spot stalking in third, save ground into the lane, but never mustered a run in a very disappointing effort.

Fair Grounds - Rachel Alexandra (race 9)

COMMENT: Stageplay was the 3-5 favorite here, but like International Star, she was unable to get the job done, and her Kentucky Oaks aspirations took a big hit. Instead, Venus Valentine, at 74-1, sat far back early in last as Lovable Lyss dueled with Finley’sluckycharm through modest splits, remained last to the far turn, swing out and finished full of run to roll past all of her rivals and post the big upset. Midnight On Oconee, a well-beaten second to Stageplay in last month’s Silverbulletday Stakes here, stalked in the third, came with a wide run into the lane, grabbed a clear lead by midstretch as if ready to go on to victory, but couldn’t sustain her run and couldn’t fend off the winner. The outside lanes did not appear to be the place to be on this day, but even so, with the lead she had in midstretch, she should have won if she was a real Kentucky Oaks filly. Shaken lagged back while saving ground, swung wide into the lane, and finished well. Royal Obsession, unbeaten in her first two starts and a $1.15 million daughter of Tapit, bided her time, made a threatening, wide move into the lane, but couldn’t sustain it. Stageplay, the heavy favorite off her smart Silverbulletday win, stalked the pace, loomed a big threat while wide coming into the lane, as if ready to pounce, but then came up empty in the final furlong. Surely, being outside didn’t help on this day, but considering that she had looked like a potential threat to Songbird for the Kentucky Oaks, this surely was a setback. Forever Darling, a Southern California invader, stalked the pace but gave way readily. Surely, Songbird won’t lose any sleep over this result.

Fair Grounds - Fair Grounds Handicap (race 10)

COMMENT: Chocolate Ride continued his love affair with this turf course, as the 6-year-old had little trouble making it six wins in seven starts on this layout as he successfully defended his title. He went right to the lead, got away with murder up front, as he was able to set dawdling splits, kicked clear into the lane, and had more than enough left to keep the hard-trying Roman Approval at bay in the final furlong. Even though Roman Approval cut into the margin, the issue never really seemed in doubt. Roman Approval lagged well back early while saving ground, remained there to the top of the lane, swung out for the stretch drive, and finished resolutely. Departing chased the winner from the start, doggedly kept after him, but weakened from those efforts in the final furlong. String King stalked in third, moved closer turning for home, but couldn’t sustain his run.

Fair Grounds - Risen Star (race 11)

COMMENT: Airoforce, making his first start since a smart win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and looking to stamp himself as a legitimate Kentucky Derby player, instead made like favorites International Star and Stageplay in earlier stakes on this day, ending up no factor. Meanwhile, Gun Runner, who had finished fourth to Airoforce in the Kentucky Jockey Club, put forth his case with a game win. He sat in midpack early while saving ground (again, the inside was best) as Candy My Boy bounded off to a clear lead, moved closer to that rival going into the far turn, took command into the lane, and stayed on gamely to rebuff a challenge from 40-1 shot Forevamo. The latter sat farther back while saving ground, began to advance on the far turn while again saving ground, moved out for room and finished smartly along the inside. Mo Tom was last early, was still well back turning for home while doing the right move in saving ground, swung out for room, and was finishing well, only to have to steady sharply when a tiring Bistraya drifted into his path. It doesn’t seem a reach to believe that he could have been right there with the winner but for the trouble in the stretch. Then again, with his style, he’s always going to be at the mercy of pace and traffic. Tom’s Ready stalked the pace while wide and had nothing to offer in the lane. Airoforce was well back early and never mustered a run. It could be that the layoff got him, or maybe he’s simply not as adept on fast dirt (his previous strong outings came on turf and on a sloppy track). His connections said he is likely now off the Derby trail.

Santa Anita - Buena Vista (race 8)

COMMENT: Another turf distaff stakes out West, another different winner. This time it was Paulina’s Love who grabbed the spotlight. She was Grade 2-placed last year and stepped back up in class after a romping win in an optional claimer here Dec. 30, a good move by sharp trainer Richard Baltas. She got a great trip stalking Moanin, who ran off to a clear early lead, took command going into the far turn when Moanin gave way, opened up a bit of room by midstretch, and gamely got to the line before a hard-charging Stormy Lucy. Stormy Lucy was brutally unlucky once more as again she lagged well back and finished full of run for second, beaten just a neck in another good effort. After winning the Grade 1 Matriarch by a head, she was second in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel, beaten a neck, and second in the Grade 3 Megahertz, beaten just a nose, so she’s been firing. Of course, with her style, she needs all the breaks in terms of pace and traffic, and for a third straight time, things just haven’t quite lined up for her. Keri Belle, the game 12-1 winner of the Grade 3 Megahertz, lagged back, swung out into the lane, loomed ominously by midstretch, but flattened out. Her Emmynency, making her first start since winning the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 18, stalked the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane, but was unable to sustain her run. Prize Exhibit, a graded stakes winner, sat in midpack and never really mustered a run. While the winner looked good, you do get the feeling that if you ran this race 10 times, you’d get seven or eight different winners.