Trip Notes for January 28-29: Pegasus World Cup, W.L. McKnight, and more

Jan. 28

Gulfstream

Hurricane Bertie (race 3)

COMMENT: Curlin’s Approval moved back to a sprint off a couple of sensational bullet works and got back on track, posting an easy win. The 4-year-old daughter of Curlin was a good second in the Grade 3 Rampart at a mile here Dec. 17, and while she’s bred to go long, she’s quite comfortable at this shorter seven-furlong trip. She rated kindly in fourth as Bodacious Babe, Linda Linda, and Improv dueled up front through strong splits, commenced her wide run coming into the lane, took command and drew off to win easily as the 4-5 favorite. Owner Happy Alter said they might stretch her out next – the Grade 2 Royal Delta at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 18 may be too soon, meaning if they skip that and still want to stretch her out, they’ll have to ship as that’s the last graded stakes dirt route for older distaffers at this meet. They could also wait for the Grade 2 Inside Information at seven furlongs here March 18 and stretch her out after that. Regardless, her talent and temperament give them options. Genre, the second choice after finishing third in the Rampart, found Curlin’s Approval too tough again, though this time she stumbled at the start to be off poorly, was last turning for home, but put in a solid run to just get second while no danger to the winner. Distinta sat back, just behind the eventual winner, while saving ground, came off the inside to try to rally with Curlin’s Approval turning for home, but couldn’t keep pace with that foe and just lost second in the final strides. Bodacious Babe dueled with Linda Linda and Improv from the start, dispatched with those two turning for home, but was no match for the winner and tired once headed. You Bought Her, the third choice after three straight seconds, was away slowly and made only mild headway in what was to be her final start. She’ll reportedly be bred to two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, who made his final start Saturday.

Gulfstream

La Prevoyante Handicap (race 10)

COMMENT: Suffused is a proven, classy stayer (last seen finishing second, beaten by just a nose, in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine on Oct. 16) and proved it again here with a game tally. From her outside slot, she bided her time early while being hung out wide. She continued in midpack while wide as Gypsy Eyes set a modest pace, remained there to the far turn, stayed wide while moving closer, pounced on the leaders coming into the lane, grabbed the lead, shifted inward some when changing leads (forcing the field to bunch up a bit), but got straightened away, opened up some and gamely kept to her task to keep her rivals at bay. She’s just a cut below the best turf-distance gals in the game (Lady Eli, Sea Calisi, Dacita, Avenge, etc.).The Grade 3 The Very One here March 4 could be next, or they could wait for the Grade 3 Orchid (ran fifth in that last year, her U.S. debut) here April 1. Arles, a close second to Suffused in Saratoga’s Grade 3 Glens Falls on Sept. 3 and then again a sharp second in the Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar on Nov. 24, got stuck in second again as she stalked the pace, came with her run into the lane, was in a bit tight when Suffused came inward a bit when making her move, couldn’t quite go with Suffused, but doggedly kept after the winner all the way to the line. Her rider claimed foul against the winner while the rider of fourth-place finisher Quiet Kitten lodged a claim of foul against Arles for causing the field to bunch up a bit coming into the lane. The stewards disallowed both claims. Suffused and Arles figure to run into each other again. Try Your Luck pressed pacesetter Gypsy Eyes from the start, took the lead going down the backstretch while staying on the rail, was still there to the top of the lane, and stayed on gamely to hold third. Quiet Kitten stalked the pace, was still there coming into the lane, was in tight when the leaders bunched, and kept to her task to just miss getting third. Paige, a narrow winner over a number of these foes in the Via Borghese here Dec. 31, was last from the start and never able to get involved.

Gulfstream

W.L. McKnight Handicap (race 11)

COMMENT: Taghleeb was cutting back from winning the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens here Dec. 31 and proved up to the task. He bided his time in midpack as Diamond Bachelor set a decent pace, crept closer between horses by the far turn, found a seam into the lane, came through, grabbed the lead, and then gamely got to the line before a hard-charging Sadler’s Joy. He’s obviously in peak form now. As nice as this was, though, considering there were a half-dozen horses within just a length or so of the winner at the wire, you get the feeling that if you ran this race 10 times, you’d get six different winners. Sadler’s Joy, making his first stakes appearance after three straight wins in New York last summer and fall, showed that he belongs as he lagged back, remained well back turning for home, but found his top gear late and finished strongly, only to run out of ground. Patterson Cross, a rallying winner over lesser here Dec. 15 while making his first start with blinkers, appears to be a better horse with the blinkers. This time, he showed more speed, sitting second behind pacesetter Diamond Bachelor from the start. He took command from that tiring rival into the lane but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Twilight Eclipse, going for his third win in this race, ran well yet again. He stalked in third, made his bid between horses into the lane, and stayed on gamely to just miss third. He’s an 8-year-old now, and while he probably can’t compete with the best any longer, this shows there’s still gas in the tank, so he can still do damage in the right spots. Charming Kitten, the winner of this race last year and making his first start since finishing fifth in a Group 3 in Ireland last August, stalked in fourth, loomed a big threat into the lane, but couldn’t sustain his run, which may have been a function of the long layoff. Mr Maybe, the tepid favorite, sat well back, as is his custom, while saving ground, steadily advanced to the far turn while remaining on the fence, steadied some as he waited for room, had to remain inside when no lane materialized, tried to start a run into the lane, but soon ran into a wall of traffic to lose any chance.

Gulfstream

Pegasus World Cup (race 12)

COMMENT: It was supposed to be the big rematch of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, where Arrogate managed to outduel California Chrome. Alas, only one horse could hold up his end, as Arrogate put up another brilliant performance while California Chrome didn’t fire in his career finale before going off to the breeding shed. Arrogate was hustled out of the gate from his rail draw, getting position just behind pacesetter Noble Bird, who was being pushed through solid splits by Neolithic to his outside. Arrogate remained on the fence behind Noble Bird, appeared to possibly be in trouble when California Chrome was alongside to his right, effectively having him boxed in, was asked to move up and out going to the far turn, found California Chrome was unable to keep up with keep him hemmed in on the fence, got off the rail and moved outside, cruised up alongside Noble Bird and Neolithic, had no trouble going past then-leader Neolithic coming up into the lane, quickly opened up and cruised home to win clear under a mere hand ride. It will be interesting to see if they target the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in late March or opt for a freshening. Shaman Ghost, last seen finishing third in the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill on Nov. 25, bided his time a few lengths off the pace, came with a nice run down the lane, and while he did close the gap some, he was never really a danger to the winner, who was being geared down to boot. Neolithic, who earned his entry shot with a romping nine-length allowance win here Dec. 14, pressed pacesetter Noble Bird while to his outside, crept closer going to the far turn, engaged Noble Bird on the turf as Arrogate flew on past, was no match at all for that foe, couldn’t then finish with Shaman Ghost, but plugged along well enough to hold third. California Chrome broke a tad slowly from his far-outside post, had the speed to be nearly abreast of Noble Bird going into the first turn, but, being caught wide, he soon found himself stalking. He seemed content there, racing wide, moved up to be alongside Arrogate, who was on the rail, seemingly poised to trap that rival there, but then was urged by his rider to keep that position going into the far turn, was first unable to keep Arrogate boxed in and was then unable to go with that foe on the far turn when Arrogate made his move, losing his action and basically being eased to the line. Obviously, this was far from his ‘A’ game (a post-race exam found fluid on his right knee, which surely would explain why he didn’t put up more of a fight), but he lost no stature as he had a wonderful career and now goes off to stud.

Jan. 29

Sam Houston

John B. Connally Turf Cup (race 8)

COMMENT: Bigger Picture returned to turf and to top form, comfortably capturing this race. He was good enough to win the Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct on Nov. 12 but then tried the Claiming Crown Jewel on dirt at Gulfstream on Dec. 3 to no avail (was a nonfactor eighth). He was freshened, moved back to his preferred footing, showed enough tactical speed as the even-money favorite to stalk in third as Fall of Troy set a slow early pace, took command while staying inside as the field moved to the far turn, was taken on by second choice Oscar Nominated, gamely rebuffed that rival’s challenge and was edging away at the wire. This doesn’t mean he’s ready to take on the big boys, but it shows that turf is his game, and he can surely do damage in the right spots. Oscar Nominated, facing elders after a good fourth in Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Twilight Derby on Nov. 5 and a rallying second in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream on Dec. 31, pressed early pacesetter Fall of Troy from the start, remained in stalking position as Bigger Picture took command, challenged that foe beginning on the far turn, and kept after him to deep stretch, only to wilt a bit in the final strides. Greengrassofyoming stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home, and continued on gamely just behind the top two, but was just unable to get on even terms with those two. Most impressive was that the top three all hail from the Mike Maker barn, giving him the trifecta.

Sam Houston

Houston Ladies Classic (race 9)

COMMENT: On paper, I’m a Chatterbox dominated this race. Well, that’s why they run the races because despite her impressive résumé and coming off a decent fifth behind champions Beholder and Songbird in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, she couldn’t deny newly turned 4-year-old filly Unbridled Mo. The daughter of champion Uncle Mo showed talent last year, winning the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks. Making her first start since being a dull sixth in the Grade 3 Comely at Aqueduct on Nov. 26, she sat back early as Danzatrice set a modest pace, crept closer down the backstretch, came with her run into the lane as heavy favorite I’m a Chatterbox made her bid as well, looked to be in trouble in midstretch when I’m a Chatterbox came up alongside, but rebroke and drew away to actually win fairly easily. This could set her up for a big year. I’m a Chatterbox got pinched back at the start to be last early, a couple lengths behind the eventual winner, and that surely cost her. She bided her time, made her move into the lane with the winner, was up alongside that foe, looking as if she might go past, but then tired on her run and couldn’t go with the winner in the final furlong. Surely, the bad start cost her position, but she still had every chance to go past the winner. Family Tree stalked the pace, made a run into the lane to threaten the top two, but couldn’t stay with them in the lane.