Trip Notes for January 18-19, 2019: Lecomte, Astra, and more

Jan. 18

Aqueduct
Toboggan (race 8)

COMMENT: Mind Control hadn’t run since winning the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga last Aug. 24 but despite that layoff and facing elders for the first time the son of Stay Thirsty, trained to the minute by Gregory Sacco, showed talent and courage to gamely prevail. From his outside slot he broke well, went right up to challenge early pacesetter Still Having Fun to his immediate left, continued to pressure that rival through the splits weren’t terribly fast, got the better of that foe into the lane but was immediately confronted by others to his outside, drifted out a bit late to crown American Anthem some but gamely got to the line for the tally. There was an inquiry regarding that late-stretch crowding but the result was allowed to stand. This (7 furlongs) is his game (four of his six wins have come at this trip). The Grade 1 Carter at, you guessed it, 7 furlongs here April 4 is his next main target, though he may have a start before that. A race like the Grade 3 Tom Fool here March 7 springs to mind. Of course, the water figures deeper in the Carter. Nicodemus, a dull ninth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile here Dec. 7, his first start in five months, dropped some and cut back in distance and that got him back on track as the 5-year-old son Candy Ride, was last early, remained toward the back of the pack into the far turn (though he wasn’t that far off the lead, swung wide on the turn, wider still into the lane and finished strongly outside Mind Control to just miss. The Tom Fool might be next, according to trainer Linda Rice. Sunny Ridge, coming off a 9-furlong stakes win at Laurel Nov. 30, bided his time early from his rail slot, pitched wide on the turn to start his run, loomed a big threat into the lane but couldn’t quite finish with the top two to his inside, though he was beaten by just two noses. American Anthem, making his first start for trainer Danny Gargan and his first action since a fourth in an optional claimer at Keeneland Oct. 12, stalked the pace while saving ground, bided his time there to the top of the lane, came through nicely inside the eventual winner to challenge, was still in the thick of it to midstretch but steadied a bit late when the winner came over in front of him some and was unable to get into the photo with the top three. The stewards looked into his trouble late but determined it was too late and not severe enough to justify a change in the order of finish. An interesting side note: the last three winners of the Grade 2 Woody Stephens (American Anthem, Still Having Fun and Mind Control) locked horns here.

Fair Grounds
Louisiana (race 10)

COMMENT: Silver Dust, the heavy favorite after being freshened off a game win in a Grade 3 at Mountaineer Aug. 3 and sharp second in a Grade 3 at Churchill Sept. 28, had his class come through as the 6-year-old gelded son of all-world sire Tapit proved easily best. From his rail slot he broke well, had the speed to sit third as Gun It set a modest pace, moved closer into the backstretch to sit off that rival, advanced to challenge that foe to his inside on the far turn, had little trouble getting the better of that foe, opened up and extended his margin while only under a hand ride. Off this the Grade 3 Mineshaft here Feb. 15 could be next. It’s worth noting, though, that his final time was a tad slower than what allowance 3-year-olds did earlier on the card in race 4 (1:43.22/1:43.29). Blended Citizen, coming off a sharp second in the Tenacious in slop here Dec. 21, bided his time early in fifth, remained there while wide throughout, pitched wider still on the far turn and into the lane and came with a decent rally to get up for second, though he was never a danger to the winner. Gun It, second to stakes-caliber Warrior’s Charge in an optional claimer here Dec. 18, went right to the lead, set modest pace under some pressure first from Roiland on the first turn and then from Silver Dust into the backstretch, tried to battle back while inside when hooked by Silver Dust to his outside on the far turn, proved no match for that foe, was still a clear second by the eighth pole but couldn’t withstand the runner-up’s rally in the final yards. Kukulkan, a good second to Silver Dust in that aforementioned Grade 3 at Mountaineer last summer and coming off a romping win in a restricted stakes at Gulfstream Dec. 8, stalked in fourth while wide, moved toward the inside into the backstretch, made a mile run along the inside on the far turn to loom a threat but then gave way.

Fair Grounds
Lecomte (race 13)

COMMENT: Enforceable was a well-beaten third to Maxfield in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland Oct. 5 and a decent rallying fourth in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Nov. 30 but the son of Tapit took his game up a notch, rallying smartly for the solid win. The full brother to four-time Grade 2 winner Mohaymen was away slowly to be well back into the first turn, ahead of only Finnick the Fierce, bided his time well back as Bango and Shashashakemeup dueled through brisk early splits, crept closer well off the rail as Shashashakemeup took a narrow lead on the far turn, swung very wide turning for home and wider still into the lane, finishing resolutely to go past leader Mr. Monomoy, who had grabbed the lead in early stretch, quickly opening up and holding his edge to the line. Off this surely the Grade 2 Risen Star here Feb. 15 figures on his radar. It must be noted he did run quite a bit slower than fellow 3-year-olds did in an optional claimer earlier on the card in race 4 (1:43.22/1:43.72). Silver State, a $450,000 son of Hard Spun coming off a sharp rallying second when beaten a nose in an optional claimer in slop at Churchill Nov. 30, sat well back early like the winner while a few lanes off the rail, moved toward the inside down the backstretech, came out to make his run on the far turn and into the lane and finished smartly to edge Mr. Monomoy for the place, though he was never really a danger to the winner. The Risen Star could be in play for him as well. Mr. Monomoy, well known as half-brother to champion 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl and coming off a sharp second in an optional claimer in slop here Dec. 21, had enough speed to stalk in fourth off those brisk splits while saving ground, came with a nice run toward the inside into the lane, came off the inside some to grab the lead at the top of the stretch, had no answer for when the winner surged past to his outside but continued on well to just lose second in the final strides. He ran well but could be this distance is pushing it, that he’ll be most effective up to a mile. Finnick the Fierce, a smart rallying second in the Kentucky Jockey Club at 87-1, was away slowly to be last early, was still last into the backstretch, started to advance while very wide to the far turn and on the turn, pitched wider still into the lane to loom a threat but couldn’t sustain his run. Scabbard, freshened since running fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Nov. 1, sat midpack from the start toward the inside, moved to the rail to the far turn, had to steady a bit behind a wall of horses turning for home, found room into the lane but didn’t have the needed oomph. Could it be he’s better suited to a shorter, one-turn trip? Sycamore Run, a romping winner of his sprint debut in slop here Dec. 21, sat midpack from the start, just ahead of Scabbard, was still there to the far turn toward the outside but gave way readily thereafter.

Jan. 19

Santa Anita
Astra (race 6)

COMMENT: Ms Peintour hadn’t won since an optional-claiming win going a mile this course in April 2018, hence her long odds. However, trying this longer trip for the first time the 5-year-old daughter of Grade 1 winner Paynter, off some strong works, ran the race of her life, posting the upset. She broke well, was content to stalk pacesetter Lostintranzlation through modest splits, remained in stalk mode to the far turn, came with a run into the lane a few lanes off the rail, grabbed the lead in the upper stretch from the tiring speedsters and edged clear for the win. Tiny Tina, the slight 7-5 favorite off a sharp second when beaten just a nose in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel here Dec. 28, stalked as well, racing in tandem with the eventual winner while to her inside, didn’t accelerate quite as quickly or as strongly as that rival into the lane, came out for room in the stretch and finished well but actually saw the winner draw further clear in the final half-furlong. Siberian Iris, making her first start since running fourth in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive here Sept. 28, was last from the start, remained there heading to the far turn while saving ground, came off the inside into the lane and made some headway for third though she was never really a danger to the winner. Lostintranzlation, who set the pace before fading to seventh in the Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar Nov. 30, went right to the lead, took immediate pressure from Heathers Grey to her outside through modest splits, continued to duel with that foe to the far turn, fought back when hooked into the lane but weakened in the final furlong. The next distance turf races here for distaffers are the Grade 2 Santa Ana at 1 1/4 miles March 28 and Grade 3 Santa Barbara at this same 1 1/2-mile trip May 9. Many of these figure to target one or both.