Trip Notes for January 21: LeComte, Santa Monica
Jan. 21
Fair Grounds
Col. E. R. Bradley (race 8)
COMMENT: Granny’s Kitten couldn’t quite handle Western Reserve in the Diliberto Memorial here Dec. 17, but recent rain turned this course soft, and Granny’s Kitten reveled in the ground and posted the mild upset. As the third choice, he stalked in third as Western Reserve set a modest pace under pressure from favorite and defending champ Chocolate Ride. Granny’s Kitten came with his run at the top of the lane, grabbed the lead from Western Reserve by midstretch, and outdueled that foe. Western Reserve, winner over many of these in the Diliberto Memorial in his first action in a couple months, went right out to take a narrow lead, rebuffed Chocolate Ride but couldn’t fend off the winner while ending up well clear of the rest. Chocolate Ride, who loves this course, loomed a huge threat by midstretch but could not finish with the top two.
Fair Grounds
Lecomte (race 11)
COMMENT: Guest Suite, coming off a romping optional-claiming win at Churchill Nov. 26, took the next step on the Derby trail and proved an easy winner. He bided his time early in sixth as Phat Man and Running Mate dueled for the lead, moved closer while wide on the far turn, grabbed the lead by midstretch, and drew away. Untrapped, easy winner over maidens at Churchill Nov. 20, faced winners and routing both for the first time here, but he handled both well. Untrapped sat midpack early just in front of Guest Suite. He waited for room into the lane while just behind Guest Suite, and finished decently to get second, though the winner was edging away from him in the final furlong. Takeoff stalked the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane, but couldn’t sustain his run, ending up third. Arklow lagged back, not far behind the eventual winner, came with a threatening run into the lane but flattened out. Running Mate faded in the lane.
Santa Anita
Santa Monica (race 5)
COMMENT: On paper, Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Finest City seemed likely to dominate this race, and that’s the way it worked out on the track. From her rail slot she broke slowly but had the speed to rush up and grab the lead after a quarter-mile. Finest City took heavy pressure from Fantastic Style to the far turn, got the better of that foe into the lane, and drew away to win easily. Fantastic Style, a Grade 2 stakes winner but coming off a fifth in the Kalookan Queen here Dec. 30, her first start in seven months, shot right out to duel with the eventual winner. She was still dogging that foe into the lane but couldn’t match Finest City late and just held on for second. Sheer Pleasure, making her first start in almost eight months, chased in third and nearly ran down Fantastic Style for second.