Trip Notes for January 19-20, 2018: Lecomte, Palos Verdes, and more

Jan. 19

Aqueduct
Toboggan (race 5)

COMMENT: Solid Wager invaded from Southern California and the 8-year-old reveled in his new surroundings, winning for the 11th time. Considering the first four races of the day were dominated by inside speed, this son of Birdonthewire’s win was all the more impressive. He sat last early as Skyler’s Scramjet set a solid pace, remained at the back going into the far turn while wide, stayed wide when commencing his run on the turn, pitched wider still into the lane and powered home to reel in Skyler’s Scramjet inside the furlong pole and draw clear. He ran so well a race that the Grade 3 Tom Fool here March 9 could be next if New York remains his home. Skyler’s Scramjet, the 8-5 second choice off a sharp second in the Gravesend here Dec. 23, in his first start in six months, went right to the lead, set a solid pace while taking some pressure from Colonel Sharp, that foe into the lane, held a clear lead by the eighth pole but then had no answer for the winner’s charge. Gold for the King, the 3-2 favorite off a close-up third in the Gravesend and then a third in the Say Florida Sandy here just seven days ago, stalked the pace from his rail slot, moved off the fence going to the far turn, moved wider still on the turn and into the lane, kept to it but was no match for the top two.

Fair Grounds
Lecomte (race 12)

COMMENT: Main track was sealed due to rain for the first few races of the day, but was harrowed before race 6 and was listed as ‘fast’ for the second half of the card including this event. War of Will, Grade 1-placed on turf and coming off a smashing win over maidens on dirt at Churchill on Nov. 24, broke alertly between horses, got a nice trip stalking as a close-up third as under a hold he moved up just to the outside of dueling pacesetters Malpais on the rail and Manny Wah, moved up easily under his own power alongside the leaders on the far turn, challenged for the lead into the lane, had little trouble getting the better of Manny Wah to his inside, opened up and drew off to win easily, stamping himself a legitimate prospect for the Kentucky Derby trail. Trainer Mark Casse said the Grade 2 Risen Star here Feb. 16 is likely next. Hog Creek Hustle, back to a route after running third in the 6-furlong Sugar Bowl here Dec. 22, lagged back from the start, came with a smart run into the lane and ran on well for second, though he was never a danger to the winner. The Risen Star is reportedly next for him as well. Manny Wah, second in the Sugar Bowl with blinkers on for the first time, validated that run as he dueled from the start with Malpais while outside that rival, got the better of that foe coming into the lane while moving to the fence, was immediately challenged by War of Will to his outside, was no match for that rival in the lane, couldn’t rally with the runner-up but kept to his task to hold third. Trainer Wayne Catalano said he wasn’t sure they would go on to the Risen Star, that “the jury is out as to how far he wants to go.” Plus Que Parfait, a rallying second in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill on Nov. 24, stumbled a bit at the start to be midpack after the break, remained there to the far turn, pitched wide as if ready to make a run but could make only minimal headway in the lane. Roiland, fifth in the KJC and getting blinkers, was away slowly to be last early, was still well back going to the far turn, swung wide on the turn, made a mild run to pass a few rivals but was never a factor. Tight Ten, Grade 2/3-placed last summer before being a dull ninth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill on Nov. 2, got bumped at the start to get away poorly, got bounced around again going into the backstretch and never mustered a run.

Santa Anita
Palos Verdes (race 9)

COMMENT: Main track was listed as ‘good’. None of that mattered to Roy H as the 2017 sprint champion and certain-to-be 2018 sprint champion after another strong season including another win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, showed that he’s as good as ever at age 7 as he not only won in a romp, but did so geared down. Easy winner of this last year, the son of More Than Ready broke alertly to sit third early as Conquest Tsunami set a brisk pace under pressure from St. Joe Bay to his inside, moved up to apply his own pressure on ‘Tsunami going to the far turn, took command from that foe into the lane without being asked and drew clear while basically under a hand ride and in a mere trot in what was little more than a paid workout. Last year after this he went on to be a troubled third in the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in late March and a trip to Dubai is reportedly in the cards again. If he goes there and wins it’s time to start talking about putting him in the same category with Phone Trick, Groovy, Kona Gold and a few others as the best sprinters we’ve seen. Kanthaka, gone for seven months after winning the Grade 3 Laz Barrera here last May 12 and then a troubled eighth in the Grade 1 Malibu in his return here Dec. 26, lagged back early, commenced with a smart run along the inside on the far turn and into the lane, moved off the inside once straightened away and finished well, though he wasn’t even on the winner’s radar. Conquest Tsunami, stablemate of the winner and coming off a strong third in the Grade 3 Joe Hernandez on the hillside turf course here Jan. 1, went right to the lead, took early pressure from St. Joe Bay, then had heat applied by Roy H on the far turn, was no match for that foe into the lane and couldn’t finish with Kanthaka in the race for second. St. Joe Bay, once a stablemate of the winner before being claimed for $62,500 last spring and coming off a sharp optional-claiming win at Los Alamitos on Dec. 14, applied early pressure on pacesetter Conquest Tsunami on the inside, tried to keep up on the turn but was unable to do so and gave way in the lane.

Santa Anita
Astra (race 8)

COMMENT: A return to turf, to a longer trip and to SoCal and a friendly pace scenario helped Pantsonfire notch her first graded stakes win. The daughter of Sir Percy had shown ample ability in stakes previously, usually rallying from off the pace but up until now hadn’t been able to hit paydirt. And she didn’t just win – she won big. Coming off a decent fourth in a stakes washed off the turf onto the synthetic main track at Golden Gate on Dec. 8, she sat fifth early as India Mantuana moved out to a clear early lead, stayed within reach as India Mantuana and defending champ Plein Air opened up on the field setting a solid pace, came with her run on the far turn, surged past the tiring speed and opened up to win easily. This doesn’t mean she’s ready for the big girls but shows she can do damage in the right spots, and maybe such a spot next time could be Grade 3 Santa Ana at 1 1/4 miles here March 30. K P Pergoliscious, the pacesetter before finishing second at 90-1 in the Grade 1 American Oaks here Dec. 29, validated that run as she stalked in third, made a run at the leaders turning for home, proved no match for the winner but kept to her task well to get second. Lynne’s Legacy, back to turf after rallying to win the washed-off-the-turf Ms. America at Golden Gate on Dec. 8 (the same race in which Pantsonfire ran fourth), sat just behind the eventual winner, didn’t accelerate as early or as strongly but got going well in the lane to get third, though she was no danger to the big winners. Plein Air, the defending champ but making her first start since fading to sixth in a stakes here last June 3, sat second well clear of the others while chasing clear pacesetter India Mantuana, surged past that foe on the far turn to open up a clear lead, battled back into the lane when challenged but then couldn’t keep pace. India Mantuana, front-running winner of the Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar on Nov. 22, shot out to a clear early lead, took some pressure from Plein Air, relinquished the lead to that foe while inside on the far turn and gave way.