Trip Notes for Jan. 3-5: Old Hat, Dania Beach, Jerome, Santa Ynez, and more...

Saturday, January 3

Gulfstream - Old Hat (race 4)

COMMENT: Ekati’s Phaeton made it 3 wins in as many tries on this main track, again using her speed to get a good trip that carried her to victory. Coming off a nice second in a stakes at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 29, she dueled early with Concealedwithakiss, put that rival away before the far turn, was then hounded by 2-5 favorite Fashion Alert, rebuffed that foe (who had trouble), looked in deep trouble when R Sassy Lass came at her into the lane and actually put a head in front, but re-rallied to get the better of that foe and was actually edging away a bit at the wire. The Grade 2 Forward Gal at 7 furlongs here Jan. 24 could be next. R Sassy Lass, coming off two straight wins, including a stakes win at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 6, stalked in fourth, came with a smart run into the lane to challenge Ekati’s Phaeton, looked on her way to victory as she briefly put her head in front, but couldn’t counter the winner’s re-rally and was actually losing ground to that rival late. She finished far clear of the rest. The Forward Gal figures on her radar as well. Fashion Alert, the heavy favorite who won the Grade 3 Schuylerville at Saratoga last summer and was returning to sprinting after fading to sixth in the Grade 1 Alcibiades on Oct. 3, was a bit unlucky. She broke slowly from the rail, rushed up to press the pace, moved closer to challenge the eventual winner on the far turn, but then had to check and steady on the turn, was bumped coming into the lane, and was unable to get going again enough to matter. Temper Mint Patty broke slowest of all to be last from the start, made some headway in the lane, but was never a factor.

Gulfstream - Dania Beach (race 7)

COMMENT: Night Prowler broke quite slowly in the Pulpit at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 29 but finished strongly for third, beaten just a head. He made the same early mistake here but has improved enough to overcome it, as his big late kick netted him his first stakes win. The son of Giant’s Causeway lagged well back early after a sluggish start, steadily advanced, moved wide on the far turn, wider still into the lane, and powered home to get up in the final strides. A Lot, a son of top sire Tapit and a hefty $410,000 sales purchase, sat in midpack, came with a smart wide run into the lane, looked like the winner when he grabbed the lead in midstretch, but couldn’t fend off the hard-charging winner. Croninthebarbarian, who finished second, a head in front of Night Prowler, in the aforementioned Pulpit on turf, lagged back, not far in front of the eventual winner early, didn’t move up as early as that rival, was quite wide on the far turn as he launched his run, and finished well. Smokem Kitten, the favorite off a romping debut win over maidens here Dec. 6, pressed the early pace, took a clear lead down the backside, was still right in the thick of things when A Lot took the lead in midstretch, but faded late. Crown the Kitten, good enough to go to Ascot in the spring and a romping winner of his 2 starts since coming back to the U.S., broke very slowly and never really got involved.

Aqueduct - Jerome (race 8)

COMMENT: Not sure how far El Kabeir wants to run, but for the time being, as long as we’re playing at the middle-distance game, he’s one of the ones among the budding 3-year-olds, as he easily defeated his rivals here, a very nice backup to his Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes win at Churchill in November. Showing a bit more maturity and patience, he stalked in third as Ostrolenka set a modest pace, took command into the lane, opened, and drew clear to win in a romp. This newfound patience may mean he can progress further even with more ground. The Grade 3 Withers here Feb. 7 is likely next, or he could wait for the Grade 3 Gotham here March 4, according to trainer John Terranova. Nasa dogged Ostrolenka from the start, moved up to challenge that foe turning for home, had no answer when the winner surged past and drew off, but kept on decently to be much the best of the rest. General Bellamy was last early and kept to his task well to get third, though he was no danger to the top two at any point. Ostrolenka, coming off a disastrous run in the Grade 2 Remsen, went right to the lead, set a modest pace while taking some pressure from Nasa, and faded once headed. It’s likely back to facing New York-breds only for this guy.

[bc_video_id:345210:]

Santa Anita - Santa Ynez (race 7)

COMMENT: Seduire used her speed to romp in the Golden Gate Debutante on Nov. 29, and despite moving to dirt, she used her speed again to prove best here. The daughter of Elusive Quality zipped right out to the lead, took pressure from Xoxo, dispatched with that foe into the lane, opened up a clear lead, and had little trouble keeping her rivals at bay. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said that while she’s a speed horse, she might next try two turns, maybe even a race like the Grade 1 Las Virgenes at a mile here Jan. 31. Callback, a smart maiden winner at Los Alamitos on Dec. 4, sat in midpack, came with a threatening run into the lane, and while unable to sustain it and threaten the winner, finished well clear of the rest. Xoxo dogged the winner from the start but couldn’t keep up when it mattered. Light the City, the favorite, stalked the pace but weakened in the lane. She’s apparently not quite as good as originally thought. Conquest Harlanate was reluctant to load, never seemed comfortable after a sluggish start, and was eased. She can surely do better.

Santa Anita - San Gabriel (race 8)

COMMENT: Finnegans Wake was a question mark as he was shortening up after winning the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 27 (at 1 1/2 miles) to 1 1/8 miles, but the veteran’s class came through, as he showed he was still capable of beating a quality field at a trip surely shorter than his preferred trip. He got squeezed back at the start to be last early, was still well back turning for home, swung wide into the lane, and finished doggedly to get up in the final strides. After first kicking around the notion of a trip to Dubai, trainer Peter Miller said he’s opting to stay here, with the Grade 2 San Marcos at 1 1/4 miles here Feb. 7 likely next and then possibly the Grade 2 San Luis Rey at 1 1/2 miles here March 21. Miller said a shot at dirt could then be in the offing. Patrioticandproud was well back early, too, was last as late as midstretch, where he found room and surged late to get second. Power Ped lagged back, came with a smart run, but couldn’t sustain his bid. Tom’s Tribute, the favorite, stalked the pace, loomed ominously turning for home, but lacked the needed, and his usual, punch. He looked well positioned here, so it could be that he’s just not as sharp as he was last spring and summer. Big Bane Theory stalked the pace, had to wait for room in the lane, but failed to muster any sort of run once it materialized.

Sunday, January 4

Santa Anita - Monrovia (race 8)

COMMENT: Shrinking Violet has been quite the traveler, but she showed yet again that she pretty much always takes her game with her, as she proved a smart winner here, notching her first graded stakes win. She showed enough speed to stalk while saving ground as To My Valentine set the pace, pressed by favorite Velvet Mesquite, moved up smartly along the inside coming into the lane to grab the lead, edged clear, and had enough of a buffer to keep the hard-charging Heat Trap at bay in the final furlong. She’ll return to her Florida base, but according to trainer Wesley Ward, she could return here for the Grade 3 Las Cienegas down the hill April 11. Heat Trap lagged back while also saving ground, came through between horses leaving the hill, swung wide into the lane, and finished well but couldn’t get to the winner. Velvet Mesquite, the favorite as she’s proven to love the hill (was 5 for 6 on it coming into this), dogged pacesetter To My Valentine from the start with the eventual winner to her inside, was pushed out wide coming into the lane, but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Wishing Gate, sprinting for the first time, was well back after lunging at the start and was never able to get involved. It could be that sprinters are just too quick for her, so it may be back to routing for this Grade 1-placed miss.