Trip Notes for January 16: Col. E.R. Bradley, Lecomte, and La Canada

Saturday, January 16

Fair Grounds - Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (race 10)

COMMENT: Chocolate Ride thinks he owns this course, and with his record going to five wins in six starts here after another impressive victory, you can see why. The 6-year-old gelding again showed his versatility, going right out to the lead from the start. He was able to set slow splits, opened up a bit into the lane to give himself a buffer, and gamely kept to his task to keep the hard-trying Roman Approval at bay in the final half-furlong. A defense of his Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap crown here Feb. 16 could be next, though his connections reportedly have the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland in April as his main target. Roman Approval, twice Grade 3-placed last summer and coming off a tough loss in the slop at Gulfstream on Dec. 5, sat back, remained there to the top of the lane, swung out, and finished well, but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. He could stay here and take another shot at the winner in the Fair Grounds Handicap. Blarp, coming off a sharp second in a turf stakes here Feb. 20, was well back early, still well back turning for home, swung very wide into the lane, and finished strongly. String King, the king of the Louisiana-bred turfers who was good enough to win this race last year over open company, lagged back but never really mustered a run. This was his first finish out of the exacta since September 2014. He’s an 8-year-old now, and you have to wonder if time and all those furlongs are catching up to him.

Fair Grounds - Lecomte (race 11)

COMMENT: Mo Tom further flattered the form of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes with a smart victory here. The son of Uncle Mo ran third in that race in the slop (runner-up Mor Spirit already came back to win the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last month) and again used his late run here as he banged the gate at the start and then bumped hard with Fish Trappe Road to his inside, sat well back early while Z Royal set a modest pace, started to advance on the far turn while staying inside, came out into the lane, and finished strongly to surge past his foes and win going away. He figures to stay with the Fair Grounds 3-year-old series, which means the Grade 2 Risen Star on Feb. 20 is likely next. Tom’s Ready, who drew in from the also-eligible list and had a very tough far-outside draw, also was in the Kentucky Jockey Club (ran eighth) and prior to that was a good second to Mo Tom in the Street Sense at Churchill. He got back to that form here as he lagged back, not far in front of the eventual winner, moved earlier than Mo Tom to grab the lead into the lane, still had the lead inside the eighth pole, but was then no match for the winner. Uncle Walter, like the winner a son of 2-year-old champ Uncle Mo, stalked the pace, loomed a threat into the lane, was no match for the winner, but kept to his task well to end up not far behind the runner-up. The second and third finishers reportedly have the Risen Star on their radar as well. Destin, a smart debut winner from the Todd Pletcher barn at Belmont on Oct. 11 and then a good runner-up at Gulfstream last month, added blinkers, sat in midpack, but raced fairly evenly throughout and was unable to be a threat. The $400,000 son of European Horse of the Year Giant’s Causeway has a bright future, but this might have been too much too soon, though a return in the Risen Star isn’t out of the question. Dolphus, a little brother to Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and promising in his first two starts, threw a fit behind the gate, threw his rider, went down, and was scratched.

Santa Anita - La Canada (race 7)

COMMENT: There was never any doubt about Taris being a top-class distaff sprinter, but now after winning the one-mile, Grade 3 Go for Wand at Aqueduct on Nov. 27 and then capturing this 1 1/16-mile event, she’s shown that she deserves serious attention at this longer game. She’s always had speed but seems to be in a bit more control these days, so she used her speed but wasn’t speed-crazy or hard held as she stalked in third while Illuminant and Yahilwa dueled through modest splits, moved closer to those rivals on the turn, took command into the lane, and opened up while clearly geared down. Originally, she was to target the Grade 2 Santa Maria here Feb. 13, but after this, trainer Simon Callaghan said they likely will wait for the Grade 1 Santa Margarita here March 19, with her long-term goal being the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont on June 11. With Beholder not expected back until late spring/early summer and the retirement of Grade 1 winner Warren’s Veneda, Taris figures to be tough in any upcoming routes out West, though there is Stellar Wind waiting in the wings. Birdatthewire, coming off a win in the seven-furlong, Grade 1 La Brea here last month but the winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks at this distance last March, had a tough trip early. She sat fourth early, not far behind the eventual winner, but was hindered by Oscar Party on the first turn when that horse had her rein break, lost ground but got back into stride, didn’t accelerate nearly as quickly as Taris, and was still last into the lane but got going in the final furlong to get up for second without ever being a danger to Taris. She might go for the Santa Maria, though since her best work seems to be around one turn, she might opt for that kind of race. Yahilwa, dropping off a sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, dueled with Illuminant, was getting the better of that foe into the lane when the winner rolled past, was no match for her, and then couldn’t finish with Birdatthewire in the final furlong.