Trip Notes for Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Endeavour, Sam F. Davis, Arcadia and more...

Saturday, January 31

Tampa Bay Downs - Endeavour (race 10)

COMMENT: Hard Not to Like, making her first start since taking last April’s Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland, came back firing to finish first here, but some late antics cost her the win as she was disqualified in a debatable decision. She stalked the early pace, moved closer going down the backside, gamely went after then-leader Lots o’ Lex, surged past that foe, but then veered out in the final strides, forcing the rallying favorite, Testa Rossi, to take up sharply. There’s no doubt that she interfered with Testa Rossi. The question is, since the incident happened so late, did it really affect the outcome? Was Testa Rossi going to catch her in those final strides? That’s questionable. At least Hard Not to Like showed that she was back and feeling good after the layoff. Testa Rossi, the 8-5 favorite, sat in midpack, came with a strong run in the lane, but had to steady sharply when Hard Not to Like veered out into her path. Lots o’ Lex was third early, quickly assumed pacesetting duties, battled back gamely in the lane, still had the lead to just inside eighth pole, and only relinquished the lead stubbornly. I’m Already Sexy, coming off a decent fourth in the Grade 3 Cardinal at Churchill on Nov. 22, broke poorly, didn’t show any of her customary speed, and never got involved in a disappointing effort.

Tampa Bay Downs - Sam F. Davis (race 11)

COMMENT: Ocean Night, a dazzling winner of his only start on Aqueduct’s inner track Dec. 13, showed that he belongs on any list of Kentucky Derby horses to watch as he took the worst of it and still made it 2 for 2, winning despite a wide trip, despite facing winners for the first time, despite routing for the first time, and dealing with new surroundings. The son of 2-time Horse of the Year Curlin and a $320,000 sales buy, he sat in midpack early while getting hung out very wide from post No. 11, remained wide and in the clear while stalking the pace, steadily advanced and came with a solid, sustained rally that got him up in the final yards. Sure, the margin wasn’t much (a neck), but with all the hurdles, this was a very nice win. He gives Kiaran McLaughlin some nice candidates (with Imperia and Frosted). The Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby here March 7 is likely next, according to McLaughlin. Divining Rod, third on turf here Dec. 26, dueled early with Catalina Red, got the better of him, held a narrow edge into the lane while being hounded by My Johnny Be Good, kept that foe at bay, but couldn’t fend off the winner while finishing well clear of the rest (five lengths). The son of Tapit looks promising, however. My Johnny Be Good stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home, couldn’t get past Divining Rod, and flattened out in the lane, though he held third. Catalina Red, the winner if the Inaugural and Pasco stakes here in December, both sprints, set the early pace under pressure from Divining Rod, relinquished the lead to that foe going down the backstretch, stalked, but never made a run. He may go back to sprints, though we’ll have to wait for word on his condition, as he was vanned off after the race.

Santa Anita - Palos Verdes (race 6)

COMMENT: Conquest Two Step, an excellent second to the top-class Shared Belief in the Grade 1 Malibu here Dec. 26, showed that he’s the real deal sprinting as he beat a quality group here. Of course, he couldn’t have asked for a better trip and setup. He bided his time off a sizzling, contested pace, moved closer turning for home, and surged past the tiring speedsters in the lane. He ran the fastest six furlongs of the meet (1:08.10). Rumors of the demise of Secret Circle were apparently premature, as the top-class sprinter, coming off a dull fourth to Distinctiv Passion in the Grade 3 Midnight Lute here Dec. 27, added blinkers and bounced back smartly. He showed much of his old speed, breaking on top, then pressing Distinctiv Passion through sizzling splits, put that rival away, but couldn’t fend off Conquest Two Step in the final half-furlong. Still, for all the good he did here, he remains winless since he took the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint here in the fall of 2013. He was a tough-beat second in this race last year (beaten a neck). Wild Dude, the winner of this race last year and making his first start since being beaten a nose by Big Macher in the Grade 2 Potrero Grande here April 12 (he was subsequently hurt), bided his time and made decent progress, though he was flattered by the hot splits, basically passed a couple tired foes, and was unable to really threaten the top two. Distinctiv Passion, a sizzler coming off a big win in the Grade 3 Midnight Lute, blasted out of the gate, as usual, set the fastest fractions of the meet (21.21 seconds, 43.54) under pressure from Secret Circle and Big Macher, and faded. Big Macher, a Grade 1 and Grade 2 sprint winner who passed the California Cup Sprint to go here instead, chased the hot pace and didn’t have any punch in the lane. He was basically done before the field straightened for home. The sprint division out West is looking for a leader as they continue to take turns. Many of these figure to knock heads again in the Grade 2 San Carlos at seven furlongs here March 7, and that could provide a sense of order to the division in Southern California – though there may be a temptation for a few of these to ship halfway around the world for the Group 1 Golden Shaheen at Dubai in late March instead.

Santa Anita - Arcadia (race 7)

COMMENT: The sprint division is crowded at the top out West, and apparently the turf-miler division is as well, as Avanzare moved forward nicely to post an upset. A good third in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf here Oct. 4, he returned to turf after finishing a well-beaten third (7 1/2 lengths) in the Grade 3 Native Diver on Del Mar’s Polytrack on Nov. 29. He got a great trip stalking pacesetter El Nino Terrible, took command into the lane, opened up, and really didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. The Grade 1 Kilroe Mile here March 7 figures next. Za Approval broke slowly, lagged back, swung wide into the lane, and finished well for the place. He could come back in the Kilroe as well. Home Run Kitten stalked the pace, loomed a threat coming into the lane, but couldn’t sustain his run. Kaigun, the favorite off his big win in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit at Del Mar on Nov. 28, was disappointing. He lagged back, just behind stablemate Za Approval, tried to go with that rival when Za Approval commenced his run into the lane, but was unable to keep pace and didn’t produce his normal good late kick.

Santa Anita - Las Virgenes (race 8)

COMMENT: Callback, the most expensive filly in the race ($375,000), who was routing for the first time after finishing a nice second in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez at 6 ½ furlongs, went right to the lead, was joined by Suva Harbor, set the pace under pressure from that foe, dispatched with that rival turning for home, opened up some to give herself a bit of a buffer, and held well as Light the City was closing in. As nice as this was, you get the feeling that if you ran this race five times, you’d have four different winners. The Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks here April 4 figures next, according to trainer Bob Baffert. Light the City stalked the pace, moved closer on the far turn, doggedly chased the winner to the line, but just couldn’t quite get to her. Achiever’s Legacy was well back from the start, still well back turning for home, and finished well, though she was never really a threat in what was basically a two-horse race. Majestic Presence stalked the pace, made a mild bid into the lane, but flattened out. Maybellene, the favorite after a good third to champion Take Charge Brandi in the Grade 1 Starlet at Los Alamitos on Dec. 13, seemed in a great spot stalking the pace but had nothing to give when asked, fading to eighth.

Sunday, February 1

Santa Anita - San Vicente (race 6)

COMMENT: After a disastrous trip to Kentucky, where he broke poorly in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes before finishing fifth, Lord Nelson returned home and returned to sprinting, and that may have been key. He’s certainly bred to route, but after a smart victory here, he’s 3 for 3 sprinting. From his rail slot, he hopped at the start but got a nice position stalking in fourth just behind Serbian Syclone, who set a modest pace under pressure from Jazzy Josh. Lord Nelson moved closer while saving ground, waited for horses to go past on his outside, then came off the inside turning for home, swung out and rallied gamely to outfinish the favorite, Texas Red. Despite his sprint success, his pedigree and price tag ($340,000) likely mean it’s on to a longer race on the Derby trail next time, maybe the Grade 2 San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles here March 7. Of course, much of where he goes, be it staying here or going on the road, depends on how Baffert juggles his other Derby hopefuls (Dortmund, American Pharoah, Punctuate, who scratched from this, and One Lucky Dane). Texas Red made an auspicious 3-year-old debut in his first start since his dazzling win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile here in the fall. He was slow into stride, as is his custom, sitting last early. He angled to the inside coming into the lane to launch his run, moved out for room, swung back to the rail for clear sailing, seemed to grab a narrow, brief lead from Sir Samson, but couldn’t outfinish the winner. Still, this was a very nice stepping-off point for his 3-year-old season, and he belongs near the top of any Derby watch list. Trainer Keith Desormeaux said he’ll stick to his original plan, with the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 21 next. Then, should all go well there, he’d return here for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Sir Samson, a game maiden winner at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12, stalked the pace in third, moved past the two tiring pacesetters into the lane, and stayed on well, though he couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Serbian Syclone, coming off two straight big sprint wins, was pressured by Jazzy Josh, though the fractions weren’t too demanding for this caliber of horse, and faded in the lane.