Trip Notes for February 8-9, 2020: Sam F. Davis, San Vicente, and more

Feb. 8

Gulfstream
Suwannee River (race 11)

COMMENT: Starship Jubilee confirmed again she’s one of the great claims in recent memory (Vasilika, Lava Man, etc.) as the mare romped here. Despite a stellar record including a Grade 1 win in Canada last Oct. 12 and an easy win in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf here Jan. 18 she didn’t even go favored, that honor going to the upstart Magic Star. But there was little doubt who was best. Claimed for $16,000 at Gulfstream Feb. 12, 2017, the 7-year-old has gone on to win nine stakes, including six graded stakes, and more than $1 million in purses. From her outside post she broke alertly to be up near the lead, relinquished pacesetting duties to longshot Kelsey’s Cross who moved up eagerly on the rail to set a solid pace under pressure from Tapit Today. Starship Jubilee bided her time in third while in the clear a few lanes off the rail, commenced a smart run into the far turn while keeping main rival Magic Star boxed to her inside, had no trouble taking command into the lane before drawing off to win easily. She’s proven at up to 1 1/4 miles. The only distance race left this meet for her is the Grade 3 Orchid at 1 3/8 miles. That might be asking a bit much distance-wise. She could go there or maybe await the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland in early April. Of course the water will be quite a bit deeper there. Magic Star, favored off a super win in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River here Jan. 11, broke decently, stalked the pace while saving ground, just behind and inside the eventual winner, remained there down the backstretch, started to rally with Starship Jubilee into the far turn but got boxed in behind the speed with “Jubilee” to her outside who was completely in the clear, finally got out into the lane and finished decently but by then the winner was long gone. This $500,000 daughter of Scat Daddy is certainly a distance filly so the Orchid figures on her radar. Tapit Today, coming off a smart optional claiming win at Tampa Dec. 28, her first start in 16 months, showed the speed to dog early pacesetter Kelsey’s Cross, moved up to challenge for the lead on the far turn only to immediately have Starship Jubilee pounce to her outside, proved no match for that rival in the lane but kept to her task to nearly fend off troubled stablemate Magic Star for the place.

Tampa
Endeavour (race 8)

COMMENT: On paper multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy dominated this as she was making her first start of the year. Of course, that’s why they run the races because sometimes form on paper doesn’t matter as the near-champion was soundly defeated into fourth. Jehozacat, a daughter of Tapit, looks like a new girl. Coming off a romping stakes win here Jan. 18 she again ran big. She shot right out to a clear lead, set a modest pace under some pressure from A. A. Azula’s Arch, remained a clear lead on the turn, continued with a clear lead into the lane and finished gamely to fend off a hard-trying Altea to her outside. The Grade 2 Hillsborough here March 7 figures next and you know she loves the course. Altea, who ran for sixth in a stakes at Gulfstream Park last time out Dec. 14, was away slowly to be last early, remained at the back of the back while saving ground, came off the rail to start her run on the far turn when going around a tiring rival, ran on smartly to close the gap on the winner but couldn’t quite get to her. The Hillsborough figures on her radar as well. Andina Del Sur stalked in fourth while saving ground, had to steady some behind a tiring rival on the far turn, moved out for room and finished decently but wasn’t quite good enough. Got Stormy, the overwhelming favorite off a second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile and win in the Grade 1 Matriarch, seemed in a great spot from the start as she stalked in third while a bit off the rail, loomed ominously on the far turn as if poised to take the kill shot but didn’t produce her usual run. Maybe this was just one of those days as trainer Mark Casse said she exited the race well and that the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile vs. males at Santa Anita March 7 was still on her radar.

Tampa
Tampa Bay (race 10)

COMMENT: Admiralty Pier was a close-up fifth in this last year but his form this summer/fall wasn’t too hot. That is, until he posted a nice optional-claiming win here Dec. 29. Well, that win showed he’s apparently back on track as the son of grass champ and crack grass sire English Channel posted the upset. He broke well, went right to the lead while moving to the rail, had Real Story engage him to his outside, dueled with that rival through modest splits, seemed to be getting the better of him turning for home when coming off the rail a bit to bump with that foe who was being pushed in by Halladay further outside as that rival came in, got straightened and battled on gamely for the win. He had to survive an inquiry though the stewards determined the traffic jam into the lane wasn’t his fault. Devamani, stepping up and returning to dirt after a fourth on dirt in an optional claimer at Aqueduct Dec. 12, bided his time early, at the back of the pack while saving ground, started to advance on the turn, swung very wide into the lane and finished resolutely while widest of the contenders to just miss. March to the Arch, favored off a smart win in the Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Jan. 18, stalked while saving ground, started to advance turning for home, got pinched off and had to steady when the hole he was shooting for closed, got going again and finished well to just miss by two noses. The trouble may have cost him the win. Real Story pressed the pace from the start outside the eventual winner, was still battling with that foe turning for home when he got bumped hard and has to steady, losing his action.

Tampa
Sam F. Davis (race 11)

COMMENT: The bubble of invincibility some say surrounded top sophomore Independence Hall was burst here as the son of Constitution suffered his first defeat in four starts. It was Sole Volante, a son of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Karakontie who got the job done. Coming off a solid rallying third in the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Jan. 4, his first try on dirt, the gelding bided his time early in fifth as Chapalu set the early pace, remained there well off the pace as Premier Star took over pacesetting duties into the backstretch, started to advance inside on the far turn as 7-10 favorite Independence Hall took the lead, doggedly went after that rival into the lane, moved off the rail, engaged “Hall” by midstretch, took over and drew off to win easily. The Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby her March 7 could be next. Independence Hall, coming off an easy win despite trouble in the Jerome at Aqueduct Jan. 1, was under a hold to sit third off the dueling pacesetters, remained there going to the far turn, came with a smart run on the far turn to go past those two pacesetters, opened up as if ready to go on to victory but then couldn’t fend off the winner’s resolute rally. While he suffered a defeat he finished over 11 lengths clear of third. He’s pretty darn talented and ran well, but this run makes you wonder how far he really wants to go. Ajaaweed, making his first start since running second in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct Dec. 7, was well back from the start, sitting last, remained there to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane and made some headway though he was never a factor while finishing third. Premier Star, coming off two big wins at Gulfstream Park, showed good speed to challenge for the lead with Chapalu to his outside, dueled with that foe all the way down the backstretch, was engaged by Independence Hall to his outside on the far turn as Chapalu fell away, proved no match and gave way thereafter. Tiz Rye Time and No Getting Over Me, the two longest-priced horses in the field, had dreadful starts.

Santa Anita
Las Virgenes (race 5)

COMMENT: Venetian Harbor was a monstrous maiden winner sprinting here Dec. 29, earning a big Beyer (94). This was a big new test as it was first time routing and first time facing winners but the daughter of Munnings handled it with aplomb. She shot out to a big early lead while setting a strong pace, had the field close in going down the backstretch as Stellar Sound moved closer, remained clear to the far turn, then blew the race open into the lane, drawing off to win in a romp. Good as this looked, remember she wasn’t facing much and the West’s best in this division (Bast, Donna Veloce) were not here. The Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks April 4 is reportedly next, and should all go well there, a trip to Louisville for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 1. Gingham, a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 1 Starlet at Los Alamitos Dec. 7 before a game optional-claiming win here Jan. 3, sat fourth early, made some progress heading to the far turn to be not far behind the eventual winner, proved no match for that foe in the lane but kept to her task well to be a clear second. Stellar Sound gave trainer Bob Baffert a two-three finish as this daughter of Tapit, making her first start since a third in a sprint stakes at Del Mar Nov. 10, sat third early, made an early run to cut into the eventual winner’s big early lead, setting within a length of that foe heading to the far turn, but then had no answer when the winner rebroke and shot clear for the romping win.

Santa Anita
Thunder Road (race 7)

COMMENT: The game of musical chairs that is the miler turf division out West kept spinning and this time it was River Boyne who got the last seat. The 5-year-old son of Dandy Man has been knocking heads with the best of this division but you had to go back to Dec. 2018 to find his last win and he was only fourth, albeit troubled, in this race last year. Coming off a third in a stakes at Turf Paradise Jan. 11 he vaulted forward, showing the speed to stalk in third while inside as Kingly shot out to a clear lead, setting a brisk pace. He remained in third to the far turn, came off the rail into the lane, gamely went after Kingly, got the better of him and drew off to win easily. The Grade 1 Kilroe Mile here March 7, a race in which he was a decent fourth last year, figures next. Question is, will it still be his turn? Camino Del Paraiso, just 1 for 18 on turf coming into this, sat midpack from the start while wide, remained wide on the far turn and into the lane and finished well to win a four-horse photo for second, though he wasn’t really a danger to the winner. True Valour, back to routing after finishing eighth in a Grade 2 turf sprint here Jan. 1, tossed his head and had to steady early, ending up behind Camino Del Paraiso, settled and bided his time there while inside, had to wait for room into the lane, finished well when he found clear sailing and just missed getting up for third. Kingly shot out to a clear early lead, son took pressure from Take the One O One while setting a strong pace, dispatched with that foe into the lane, battled back gamely when challenged by the eventual winner before tiring a bit late. Frontier Market, the favorite as he made his first start for this barn after last finishing third in a stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 9, was away a bit slowly to be toward the back, remained there to the far turn, angled out into the lane but could make only minimal headway.

Feb. 9

Santa Anita
San Vicente (race 7)

COMMENT: The two main storylines here were the second start of monster maiden winner Nadal and the return of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and reigning 2-year-old champ Storm the Court. Well, it was storyline number one which dominated as Nadal, a $700,000 son of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame, sent off the overwhelming 1-5 favorite, proved his backers correct. Coming off huge debut win here Jan. 19, he didn’t break terribly quick but had the speed to rush up inside Ginobili to his outside as the two dueled on a sizzling pace with Party Town pressing to his inside early, was engaged again by Ginobili into the far turn as Party Town fell away, dueled with Ginobili to his outside to the top of the lane through strong splits and gamely got the better of that foe while staying on the fence for the gutty win. He’ll likely go on the road now as his trainer Bob Baffert has his usual wealth of riches in the division (Thousand Words, Authentic, Eight Rings, High Velocity) so he’ll have some juggling to do. Baffert later said Nadal may go to the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn March 14 and Authentic and Thousand Words may both target the Grade 2 San Felipe here March 7. Ginobili, making his first start since finishing a good fourth in a turf sprint stakes here Oct. 6, broke sharply from his outside slot, soon dueled with the eventual winner to his inside, took back a bit down the backstretch but eagerly moved up to reengage that rival into the far turn through sharp splits, battled bravely outside Nadal into the lane and down the stretch only succumbing in the final yards. Fast Enough, winner of his first two starts, both against statebreds and both of which sandwiched an eight-month layoff, stalked the pace, came with a nice wide run on the far turn, kept to his task gamely in the lane while outside Nadal and Ginobili, couldn’t get to those two in the stretch but stayed on well for third for Storm the Court to his outside. Storm the Court, game winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here Nov. 1, was disappointing. It wasn’t terrible that he lost considering the layoff and the quality of the winner, but the fact he was never really a threat was disconcerting. He broke well, was content to take back a bit and stalk as Nadal and Party Town dueled early, remained there as Ginobili moved up outside Nadal to challenge for the lead as Party Town fell away to the inside, remained wide and in the clear on the far turn and into the lane, finished decently outside Fast Enough though he couldn’t get past that rival and was never a threat to the top two. He may have gotten what he needed from this return outing though surely he’ll need a big move forward to reestablish himself among the division elite, at least as far as being a Grade 1 Kentucky Derby contender goes.