Trip Notes for January 11-12, 2020: Marshua's River, Tropical Turf, and more

Jan. 11

Gulfstream
Marshua’s River (race 8)

COMMENT: When Magic Star, a $500,000 daughter of Scat Daddy, romped in her debut at Saratoga last summer trainer Chad Brown mentioned a long-term target of the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita in late December. However, Magic Star didn’t do much in an allowance race at Belmont Oct. 26 so the American Oaks plans were scrapped. Instead, off the freshening since, he still tossed her into these Grade 3 waters and she showed what the fuss was all about, posting a smart win. She broke well but soon took back to be near the back of the pack early as Piece by Peace set an ample pace, remained there though not that far off the lead while between horses, moved outside into the backstretch, remained wide to the far turn while seemingly traveling very easily, started a wide run to be just behind Andina Del Sur turning for home, pitched wider still into the lane while still not really being asked for her best, was part of a four-horse phalanx in midstretch but was then asked for run and finished well widest of the four to get to the line before hard-trying rival Munchkin Money. Off this something like the Grade 3 Suwannee River here Feb. 8 could be next, or if she needs more time they could await the Grade 3 The Very One here Feb. 29. Munchkin Money, coming off a nice rallying third in the My Charmer here Dec. 14, sat last early from her outside slot just behind the eventual winner but like that gal wasn’t that far off the pace, bided her time there, started to advance between horses on the far turn, came with a smart run between rivals in the lane but couldn’t quite outfinish the winner. Andina Del Sur, coming off two stakes wins in her last three starts, got a dream trip stalking the pace a couple lanes off the fence, remained there to the far turn, moved up eagerly on the far turn when asked, challenged for the lead into the lane, was still there to midstretch but couldn’t quite finish with the winner to her outside and the runner-up to her inside. She could face the winner again in either the Suwannee River or The Very One. Sweet Bye and Bye, third to Andina Del Sur in a stakes at Aqueduct last time out Nov. 29, stalked between horses while inside that rival, continued there to the far turn, came with a nice run between horses to challenge for the lead, was part of a four-horse charge while furthest inside to midstretch but then couldn’t keep pace with the top three in the final furlong.

Gulfstream
Tropical Turf (race 10)

COMMENT: Tusk was claimed for $32,000 when a winner at a mile at Belmont Oct. 20, was tossed into a restricted stakes on this course Dec. 7 and was a decent third after encountering some trouble. He got a much tougher assignment here but proved up to the task as he improved a bunch to post a smart win. He stalked early, sitting just behind pacesetters Gidu and Gemonteer who set a strong tempo with favored A Thread of Blue pressing the issue from the outside, crept closer down the backstretch while staying inside A Thread of Blue to be just behind the leaders, moved up strongly on the turn to be just behind Gidu, surged past that foe when a lane materialized as Gemonteer fell away, surged past leader Gidu to that rival’s outside, quickly opened up and didn’t really have a nervous moment thereafter. Obviously they made a very nice claim here and off this he could target The Grade 3 Canadian Turf at this same trip here Feb. 29. Gidu, back to routing after fading to fourth in a turf sprint stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 30, broke well, pushed a strong pace inside with Gemonteer to his outside, held a narrow lead to the far turn while still under duress, dispatched with Gemonteer only to be immediately confronted by Tusk, proved no match for that foe while holding the fence but kept on gamely to hold second. Considering he was under pressure every step of the way this was a big effort. Maraud, making his first start since running third in a Grade 3 at Monmouth Sept. 1, bided his time midpack while saving ground, was a couple lengths behind the eventual winner on the far turn, couldn’t accelerate with that foe turning for home, came off the inside, swung out into the lane and finished decently though he was never a danger to the winner. A Thread of Blue, favored off a series of good races including second in the Grade 2 Hill Prince at Belmont when last seen Oct. 5, but facing elders for the first time, broke alertly, pressed the pace from his outside post, seemed to be traveling well just outside the two pacesetters but was asked to get involved on the far turn, kept to his task but wasn’t really able to threaten in the lane while nipping Exulting to his outside for fourth. Exulting, well backed after a respectable fifth in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale here Dec. 14 (the top three from there are all pointing for the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf here Jan. 25), lagged back while wide, started to advance to the far turn, pitched wider still turning for home but was unable to get involved.

Santa Anita
Las Cienegas (race 3)

COMMENT: Jolie Olimpica came here from Brazil much ballyhooed off three romping wins including a big Grade 1 win over males when last seen last June 9. Well, we saw what the fuss was all about as this daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Drosselmeyer powered home to win easily, setting a course mark (though they’ve only been running this distance here since September). She sat second as Kentan Road shot out to a clear lead, bided her time on the stalk while a few lanes to the outside of Kentan Road, moved closer to that rival into the far turn while traveling well, was urged along into the lane, came wide with her run, reeled in Kentan Road, moved past in the final furlong and edged clear. If anything this trip might have been a bit short of her preference, too. She figures to move to a longer trip, possibly the Grade 2 Buena Vista at a mile here Feb. 22. This terrific first U.S. run is highly promising. Kentan Road, who dueled and tired in her last two, bounced back here as she shot right out to the lead, set a brisk pace along the rail while clear, battled back when confronted into the lane, fought on gamely, proved no match for the winner but kept to her task well for second. Storm the Hill, a respectable fifth in the very tough Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar Dec. 1, stalked while inside the eventual winner, tried to rally with that rival on the turn and into the lane while inside Olimpica, proved no match and lacked the needed punch in the lane to challenge for second.

Santa Anita
La Canada (race 8)

COMMENT: Race complexion changed when 5-2 ML favorite Spiced Perfection scratched (will reportedly stay at one turn, instead pointing for the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream Jan. 25). Queen Bee to You has blossomed of late with romping wins in the Betty Grable at Del Mar Nov. 17 and Grade 3 Bayakoa at Los Alamitos Dec. 8. She continued her ascent, though it wasn’t easy as she proved a game nose winner. The 6-year-old daughter of Old Topper stalked in fourth as Der Lu went right to the lead from her rail slot, bided her time early at Der Lu set slow fractions, soon moved up to duel with that rival into the backstretch moving to that foe’s inside when Der Lu drifted off the rail, dueled with that foe to the top of the lane through slow splits, looked in trouble when Der Lu regained a narrow lead in midstretch to her inside but battled gamely inside that rival to get the narrow win, while both were a few lanes off the rail. She’ll reportedly target the Grade 2 Santa Monica at 7 furlongs here Feb. 15 as trainer Andrew Lerner said thinks 7 furlongs is her best game. Der Lu did nothing wrong in defeat. Coming off a big optional claiming win here Oct. 6 she went right to the lead form her rail slot, came off the rail some into the backstretch allowing the eventual winner to confront her to her inside, dueled with that foe through slow splits, appeared to be getting the better of that rival when re-rallying to take the lead into the lane but couldn’t fend off that rival to her inside in the final half-furlong. Zusha stumbled at the start, was still able to establish position stalking the top two, doggedly kept after them while wide, couldn’t get to them in the lane but kept on gamely along the inside to get third. Horologist, the 3-2 favorite after the scratch of Spiced Perfection as she made her first start since finishing ninth in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland Oct. 19, was slow into stride, made a threatening move into the far turn but not only couldn’t sustain her bid, tired some to end up a non-threatening fifth.