Trip Notes for Jan. 10: Fort Lauderdale, Sham, San Pasqual, and more...

Saturday, January 10

Gulfstream - Hal’s Hope (race 7)

COMMENT: Lea dazzled in this race last year and parlayed the win into a smashing win in the Grade 1 Donn last February. Then he got sick. Lea made his return on Saturday and proved a game winner, setting himself up for a title defense in the Donn. He was last early in a small field as Golden Lad and Valid dueled up front, had to wait behind horses while staying inside, had to wait further for room turning into the lane and seemed in trouble. But he found a seam, angled out and finished gamely to get up for the score. He is now 3 for 3 at Gulfstream. Confrontation sat back with Lea and was out wide and in the clear. He made a smart run to the lead in midstretch and stayed on well for second. Prayer for Relief stalked in third, moved up to contend into the lane and stayed on gamely.

Gulfstream - Marshua’s River (race 8)

COMMENT: Parranda was a respectable sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1, and then was sold for $800,000. It looks like it may be money well with her big win here. She got a dream trip stalking the pace set by Skylander Girl, swung out coming into the lane, launched a strong run to grab the lead and drew away late. She is now 7 for 13 on this course. Skylander Girl went right to the lead, took some pressure from fellow longshot Alette, dispatched with that gal coming into the lane and held second. Why Katherine lagged back and finished well, though she was never really a threat to the winner. Summer Moon, the second choice, was away slowly, lagged well back and could make only modest headway.

Gulfstream - Fort Lauderdale (race 10)

COMMENT: Mshawish stamped himself a turf horse to watch with a win in the El Prado here Dec. 13 and backed it up with a smart tally here. He got knocked around at the start, was a bit rank and eager as he never got cover, but remained in good position. He drifted out very wide into the lane but came with a nice run to grab the lead into the lane and fended off hard-charging longshot Grand Tito. The Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap here Feb. 7 is his next race. Grand Tito, freshened since a third in the Grade 3 Tropical Park Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 22, sat midpack, angled out at the top of the lane, and just missed. Fredericksburg ran very well in defeat. He lagged well back early, tried to make a run coming into the lane but had nowhere to go, finally found an opening and finished well. Za Approval lagged back, came with a wide run turning for home, but got carried out by the drifting-out winner. Mutin, a solid French campaigner who won his U.S. debut at Aqueduct Nov. 9, got away slowly and never got involved.

Santa Anita - Sham (race 6)

COMMENT: Calculator may have been a maiden facing winners, but he was still the heavy favorite on the strength of seconds to American Pharaoh in a pair of Grade 1’s in September. He showed he’s the real deal with an easy win. After missing the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile due to a foot bruise and getting sick before the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity, he had worked smartly for this. He bided his time early while very wide on the first turn, continued to stalk while staying wide, moved up eagerly on the far turn to grab the lead, and opened up from there to win easily. The Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis here Feb. 7 or the Grade 2 San Felipe here March 7 could be next. Rock Shandy, making his first start on dirt after running third in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille on Del Mar turf Nov. 30, was just in front of Calculator early. Calculator went by him, and he chased that rival through the stretch, proving much the best of the rest. Pioneerof the West dogged pacesetter St. Joe Bay from the start, and stayed on decently for third. St. Joe Bay set the pace under pressure, showed some fight when challenged turning for home, but couldn’t keep pace. Peter Miller trained the first- second- and fourth-place finishers.

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Santa Anita - San Pasqual (race 8)

COMMENT: On paper Hoppertunity looked dominant coming off a win the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs Nov. 28 – and that’s the way it played out on the track. Hoppertunity, who missed last year’s Kentucky Derby because of quarter cracks and ankle surgery, was away slowly but settled nicely midpack while saving ground. He continued to move closer as the race progressed, made his move to the lead while remaining inside, and edged clear. Trainer Bob Baffert said all the big-race options are on the table for this guy. Appealing Tale hopped at the start twice, still had the speed to press the pace, and kept to his task to finish second. Blue Tone took the early lead, relinquished pacesetting duties to Big Cazanova, and kept on willingly to get third. Tonito M. was last down the backstretch, angled to the inside and finished nicely. Majestic Harbor, winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup here June 28, lagged back early and never made a move.