Trip Notes for July 11: Arlington Handicap, Parx Dash, Delaware Oaks, and more...

Saturday, July 11

Arlington - American Derby (race 5)

COMMENT: World Approval, the favorite after two good efforts behind one of the game’s top 3-year-old turfers, Divisidero, got the job done, but it wasn’t easy. He sat second while Nun the Less set a dawdling pace, moved up to challenge that foe into the lane, got the better of him by midstretch but then had to rebuff a challenge from Crittenden in the final half-furlong. The Grade 1 Secretariat here Aug. 15 figures next, and maybe another meeting with Divisidero and some other toughies. Crittenden ran quite well in defeat. Coming off a turf stakes win at Indiana Downs, he stalked the very slow pace while saving ground, moved off the fence sharply coming into the lane, went after the winner but couldn’t quite get to him. Nun the Less obviously had fuel left when challenged by the winner into the lane. He tried to battle back and weakened a bit in the final half-.

Arlington - Arlington Handicap (race 6)

COMMENT: Race complexion changed some when likely favorite Triple Threat scratched the morning of the race. Quiet Force was claimed for $40,000 at Santa Anita in March 2014 and has made the purchase look terrific. From his outside post he sat second as Dramedy ran off to a clear lead while setting a decent pace, edged closer to Dramedy going to the far turn, went past that tiring rival into the lane and persevered to fend off hard-trying Middleburg. No reason Quiet Force shouldn’t be considered for the Grade 1 Arlington Million here Aug. 15 after this. Middleburg, coming off a sharp second to Triple Threat in the Grade 2 Monmouth Handicap last month, ran big again here but suffered another tough loss. He sat third, a few lengths behind the Quiet Force, moved closer to that foe as the field bunched on the far turn, kept after Quiet Force but couldn’t get to him. Up With the Birds, the favorite coming off a rallying third in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard May 16, his first start of the year, lagged back as is his custom. He got bumped hard by Yankee Dealer and Coco Mon when between those two going to the far turn, was able to get clear, swung wide into the lane, briefly looked threatening but couldn’t sustain his run. Dramedy bounced out to a clear lead. He was no match for the top two in the lane, but missed holding third by only a nose.

Arlington - Modesty Handicap (race 7)

COMMENT: Walk Close may have punched her ticket for the Grade 1 Beverly D. with a win here. Making her first start since rallying for third in a stakes at Churchill May 16, she bided her time early toward the back while saving ground, came with a sharp move between horses into the lane, and finished well to get up for the score. Mango Diva was making her second start in the U.S. off a seventh in the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard May 16. She stalked in fourth while saving ground, came off the inside coming into the lane, got the better of tiring pacesetter Seeking Treasure to grab the lead, but coldn’t hold off Walk Close. Gaga U, the favorite after a smart win in her U.S. debut in a stakes at Santa Anita June 7, sat midpack while staying wide and clear, came with a steady run but was never a danger to the top two. Riposte sat midpack, got fanned wide into the lane and finished one-paced. Riposte was a two-time Grade 2 winner last spring, but just doesn’t look quite like the same mare.

Arlington - Stars & Stripes (race 8)

COMMENT: The Pizza Man won this race last year as part of a five-race winning streak, culminating with a win in the American St. Leger on Million Day, and the 6-year-old gelding looks on track for a repeat bid as he again captured this event. He sat back as Roman Approval went out to a clear lead while setting a dawdling pace, commenced his steady run, came through between horses and got up in the final strides. Defense of his American St. Leger title here Aug. 15 is on tap. Roman Approval, a $25,000 claim at Saratoga last August and coming off a win at Belmont June 4, bounced right out to a clear lead and set slow fractions. He maintained a narrow lead going to the far turn and inside the final furlong, but couldn’t fend off the winner. Calvados, coming off a fifth in the Grade 3 Louisville at Churchill May 23, stalked in fourth while inside, looked poised to come through and challenge, but ran into traffic in midstretch and altered course to find a lane. He came running again but it was too late. The one-time Argentine runner is now 0 for 8 in the U.S. but this was an encouraging effort. Xtra Luck, winner of the Louisville Handicap, sat second behind Roman Approval, moved closer going to the far turn, loomed a threat into the lane but couldn’t sustain his bid. Three Hearts, a mare taking on the boys after some good work out West, sat back, got fanned wide turning for home and never mustered a run.

Parx - Parx Dash (race 8)

COMMENT: The bulk of the attention was on favored invader Power Alert and the wonderful veteran Ben’s Cat, who was going for his fourth win in this race, but it was a group of longshots, headed by Tightend Touchdown, who stole the show. Tightend Touchdown, a strong second in this race to Ben’s Cat the last two years, had seen his form decline but got back on track here. After being a bit unruly and reluctant to lead, he broke alertly, dogged pacesetter Bold Thunder, moved closer to that foe into the lane, got the better of that tiring rival inside the eighth pole and got to the line before big longshot Mongolian Saturday. Mongolian Saturday, seventh in this race last year and third to Power Alert in a turf sprint stakes at Gulfstream March 14, stalked the pace not far behind Tightend Touchdown. He swung wide into the lane, finished well, but couldn’t get to the winner. Mongol Bull, another longshot after an optional-claiming turf sprint win at Churchill last month, sat midpack not far off the pace, moved out into the lane and ran on well. Power Alert, the favorite after winning three of his last five and running fourth in the Grade 3 Jaipur at Belmont last month, sat midpack from the start. He moved out into the lane to start his run and got up for fourth. Ben’s Cat sat farther back than usual and was unable to make a dent.

Delaware - Robert G. Dick Memorial (race 9)

COMMENT: Ceisteach won a division of the Keertana in her last start, which came at Churchill May 16, a run that was flattered when third-place finisher Walk Close came back to win the Grade 3 Modesty at Arlington today. Ceisteach volleyed for the early lead with Striking Style, pressed that gal through slow splits, made her run into the lane to grab a clear lead and held off Queen’s Parade. Queen’s Parade, freshened since a big win at Belmont May 8, stalked in fourth, came with her run into the lane while staying inside, steadily closed the gap but just ran out of ground. Kitten’s Point, last seen winning the Grade 3 Bewitch at Keeneland April 24 and part of the heavily favored entry with Chat, was just behind Ceisteach from the start. She continued on well but failed to challenge. Her entrymate, Chat, broke slowly to be last, was still last on the far turn and finished strongly.

Delaware - Delaware Oaks (race 10)

COMMENT: Calamity Kate knocked a little of the shine off Lovely Maria as she bounced back from an eighth in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont last month to post the upset. In three previous graded stakes tries she was beaten 13 3/4, 11 1/2 and 18 1/2 lengths, and was sent off at 54-1. She went right out to the lead but was immediately pressured by White Clover, dispatched with that foe into the lane, opened up a clear lead, and didn’t have any worries in the lane. Peace and War, so impressive winning last fall’s Grade 1 Alcibiades before injury scuttled her Breeders’ Cup plans, was a big disappointment when she came back with two poor outings. She perked up, however, when second in the Our Mims here June 3 and moved forward again here. She bided her time early, swung out into the lane and finished smartly for second. Hip Hop N Jazz, winner of her first two starts, both sprints, took a big step up in class and distance. She sat back early, just in front of Peace and War, came up the rail to loom a threat into the lane but couldn’t sustain her run. Lovely Maria, the heavy favorite off a win in the Kentucky Oaks, seemed in a good spot midpack but her run never came.

Los Alamitos - Great Lady M. (race 8)

COMMENT: At first this looked like a showdown between the unbeaten Sunday Rules and Grade 1 winner Warren’s Veneda. However, Fantastic Style had other plans as she put up a super performance and stamped herself a potential player for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint this fall. Freshened since a romping win in a sprint stakes at Santa Anita May 16, she was taking on elders for the first time here. She stalked in third behind dueling leaders Amaranth and Sunday Rules, who set fast splits, went around those rivals entering the lane, surged to a clear lead and had no worries thereafter. She might next go for the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo at Del Mar Aug. 15, with the BC Filly & Mare Sprint as her primary goal. Living the Life sat back and came with a strong run for second, though she was never a danger to the winner. The BC Filly & Mare Sprint is a target for her as well, though she might next go in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Sept. 7 (she won it last year). Sunday Rules, previously unbeaten in five starts, dueled with Amaranth, dispatched with that foe but had no answer for the winner’s charge and ended up third. Warren’s Veneda seemed in a good spot stalking in fourth but never mustered a run. Her trainer, Craig Lewis, had said before the race that this was a prep for the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar Aug. 1.