Trip Notes for July 20-21, 2019: Haskell Invitational, Coaching Club American Oaks, and more

July 20

Monmouth
Oceanport (race 5)

COMMENT: After a couple races run in oppressive heat the remainder of the non-stakes on this card were scrapped, leaving just the stakes action. The heat and humidity didn’t seem to bother Just Howard, though, as the son of top grass sire and grass champ English Channel got his first win this year and first graded stakes win since September 2017. In a field reduced to just four after the scratches of Pizmo Time and Projected, he stalked in third as Birds’ Eye View set a modest pace, remained there to the top of the lane, came with a smart run between horses to challenge for the lead inside the eighth pole, got the better of then-leader Bird’s Eye View and stayed on gamely to edge top-class veteran Divisidero for the narrow win. The latter sat last early in the small field while saving ground from his rail slot, pitched out on the far turn, came with a smart run in the lane to loom a big threat inside the eighth pole but couldn’t quite outfinish the winner. Still, the veteran ran awfully well. Bird’s Eye View went right to the lead, set a modest pace under some pressure form Dover Cliffs, remained on the rail as that rival dogged him to the top of the lane, dispatched with that rival into the lane but couldn’t quite finish with the top two.

Monmouth
Molly Pitcher (race 8)

COMMENT: The margin was just a length but there was never really a doubt as to who was best. Midnight Bisou, winner of her first four starts this year including a romping win in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard last time out June 8, did give her backers (she was 1-20) some nervous moments as she stalked in third while saving ground and hemmed in along the fence as Coach Rocks set a modest pace pressure from Cosmic Burst, was eager and pulling early, likely a function of being boxed in behind the slow pace with Breaking Bread to her outside who kept her hemmed in, remained inside behind the pacesetters to the top of the lane, found a seam into the lane along the fence as Coach Rocks came off the rail, quickly burst through, grabbed the lead and won geared down. The Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Aug. 24 is likely next, though there she may run into top-class Elate who loves that 1 1/8-mile trip, as well as possibly top-class Chad Brown miss Wow Cat. Coach Rocks, a romping winner of optional claimers in slop at Churchill last time out June 23, went right to the lead, set a modest pace under some pressure from Cosmic Burst, dispatched with that foe into the lane, proved no match for the winner when that gal arrived on the scene but kept to her task gamely for second. The margin wasn’t much but it really wasn’t indicative of the superiority of the winner. Cosmic Burst dogged Coach Rocks from the start, continued to pressure here to the far turn but then couldn’t keep up. The race complexion changed some when two prime contenders from the Chad Brown barn, Electric Forest and Pacific Wind, scratched.

Monmouth
Monmouth Cup (race 10)

COMMENT: Monongahela, second choice on the morning line after a romping win in the Grade 3 Philip Iselin here June 22, scratched, likely due to the heat. That appeared to leave heavy favorite Coal Front to his owned devices but veteran 7-year-old War Story had other ideas as the son of Northern Afleet notched his first win in 16 months. Coming off a dull eight in the Grade 2 Brooklyn at Belmont June 8, War Story stalked in third early as Coal Front set a strong pace, moved closer going into the backstretch, continued to hound Coal Front to the far turn, made his move into the lane, matched Bal Harbour’s surged to his outside as Coal Front fell away, battled gamely inside Bal Harbour the length of the stretch and showed of heart to outduel that rival and get the narrow win. Bal Harbour stalked just behind the eventual winner, came with a smart run outside that foe into the lane to challenge for the lead, put his head in front by midstretch, battled gamely the rest of the way but couldn’t quite outduel the winner while finishing far clear of the others (12 lengths). Coal Front, the heavy 9-10 favorite coming off a seventh in what many believe the toughest dirt race of the year, the Grade 1 Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 8, went right to the lead, took some pressure first from Lemonade Thursday and then from War Story while setting a strong pace, held the lead to the far turn while under pressure but then relented once headed by the top two into the lane and while able to keep on for third was no factor in the final furlong.

Monmouth
Matchmaker (race 11)

COMMENT: Four scratches (likely due to the heat) including that of morning-line second choice Valedictorian took an original field of seven down to three, led to Competitionofideas as the heavy favorite having run second to top-class stablemate Homerique in the Grade 2 New York at Belmont June 6, but I’m So Fancy had other ideas. The European raider, a Group 3 winner and Group 3 placed in Ireland and coming off a big stakes win on Laurel turf June 16, continued her ascent as the daughter of Rajji must have loved how this turned into a European style race – slow early, fast late. She ended up taking the lead out of the gate, but that was a function of her two rivals taking back. She was content to set a dawdling pace under no pressure, remained a clear leader on the far turn and into the lane, then after those slow splits had ample energy in reserve to outfinish Competitionofideas and get the narrow win. Competitionofideas, the heavy favorite, sat second behind the eventual winner from the start, was content to remained there to the far turn, looked in trouble when that rival opened up further into the lane and rival Touriga briefly passed her but found her best stride late, closed well but just couldn’t quite get past the winner. Touriga, making her first start in the U.S. after being a Grade 1/2 winner in Brazil last summer/fall, sat last of the three early while saving ground, made her move up the rail into the lane, was in a bit tight behind the winner in midstretch and couldn’t recover enough to get going and challenge that rival or go with the runner-up.

Monmouth
Haskell (race 12)

COMMENT: Joevia scratched (pulse in a foot). Hard to believe but Maximum Security, the only horse ever disqualified from a win in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on race day (Dancer’s Image was disqualified in 1968 after failing a drug test for phenylbutazone, which oddly enough would later be deemed legal), almost lost another Grade 1 here via an inquiry but his victory was allowed to stand and the decision seemed fairly controversial. Coming off a game second in the Pegasus here last month to King for a Day, Maximum Security stalked in third as Bethlehem Road set a strong pace under pressure from King for a Day, moved closer going to the far turn while staying wide, put his head in front on the turn while between rivals, battled back gamely when taken on by Mucho Gusto to his outside while coming in a bit forcing King for a Day to steady along the rail, rebuffed the challenge from Mucho Gusto and kept to his task to get the win. There was an inquiry into the incident in the lane but the stewards allowed the order of finish to stand. The Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga Aug. 24 may be next. Mucho Gusto, romping winner of his last two, both Grade 3s at Santa Anita, bided his time from the start, came with a smart run on the far turn to reach contention, doggedly battled the winner to midstretch but then couldn’t keep pace with that rival in the final half-furlong, though he finished far ahead of the rest. Trainer Bob Baffert, who was eyeing his ninth Haskell, said the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Sept. 21 could be next, though another option was to shorten him up for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at 7 furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 24. Spun to Run, adding blinkers and stepping up in class after a layoff after a romping win over optional claimers at Parx March 23, stalked in fourth, moved closer on the far turn, was a threat into the lane, proved no match for the top pair though he kept to his task to hold third. The Pennsylvania Derby on his home track of Parx is his next target. Everfast, rallying second in the Grade 1 Preakness and then seventh in the Grade 1 Belmont, was last from the start and could pass only tiring rivals in the lane without being a factor. King for a Day, a son of Uncle Mo who beat Maximum Security in the Pegasus here June 16, dueled with Bethlehem Road from the start while holding the fence, took the lead going into the far turn as that other rival fell away, appeared to be tiring when having to check hard as the eventual winner came over in front of him on the far turn and gave way thereafter. It already appeared he was backing out of it when he had to check so that incident with the winner likely didn’t matter too much, though it could be argued he might have been able to plug along for third or fourth had he not checked so hard. Regardless, the best horse won. The Travers and/or the Pennsylvania Derby are the reported options for King for a Day.

Del Mar
San Diego Handicap (race 4)

COMMENT: Scratches reduced the field to just four as Higher Power going in the Wickerr here July 21 and Dr. Dorr reportedly worked too fast for trainer Bob Baffert for this July 17. None of that mattered to overwhelming favorite Catalina Cruiser. A romping winner of this last year the 5-year-old son of Union Rags disappointed greatly when facing to sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill last Nov. 3. He wasn’t seen again until June 7 this year when he returned to gamely win the Grade 2 True North at Belmont June 7 and he moved forward from there as from his rail slot he broke alertly, went right to the lead, took some pressure from Draft Pick though was still able to lead through a dawdling pace, maintained a narrow lead to the top of the lane, got the better of that foe to edge away some into the lane and kept to his task to keep hard-trying longshot Mongolian Groom at bay in the final furlong. It will be interesting to see what they opt for next, whether it’s stretching out to 1 1/4 miles for the Grade 1 Pacific Classic here Aug. 17 or cutting back to 7 furlongs for the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga Aug. 24, as trainer John Sadler said before those may be the two options for this guy. Mongolian Groom, back to dirt and shortening up after being a well-beaten sixth (22 1/4 lengths) in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita June 23, was last early in the small field, crept closer going down the backstretch, came with a nice run in the lane to pass a couple rivals, doggedly chased the winner though it never really appeared as if he would really challenge that rival. Draft Pick dogged the eventual winner from the start, pushed closer to really challenge that foe down the backstretch and on the far turn but then couldn’t keep up when mattered. Core Beliefs stalked in third early, was content to sit last down the backstretch not that far off the pace but had nothing to offer when it mattered.

Del Mar
San Clemente (race 8)

COMMENT: Mucho Unusual blasted statebreds when winning the California Cup Oaks on turf at Santa Anita Feb. 18. After some time off she came back to gamely beat open optional claimers on Santa Anita turf June 16, stepped up in class into graded stakes waters here and showed she could handle it as the daughter of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man to get the win. She bided her time early at the back of the pack under Joel Rosario as longshot Devils Dance set a solid pace under pressure from Harmless, remained at the back of the pack to the far turn, swung wide into the lane and finished full of run to reel in clear leader Apache Princess in the final strides. The Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks here Aug. 17 figures next. Apache Princess, a rallying third in the Campanile at Golden Gate April 28, sat well back from the start as well, just in front of the eventual winner, moved much earlier than that rival to reach contention on the far turn, surged to a clear lead into the lane but couldn’t counter the winner’s charge in the final strides. Over Emphasize, third in the Grade 3 Honeymoon at Santa Anita June 1, likewise sat back, had to wait for room on the turn, losing position, moved to the outside into the lane to find clear sailing and finished well between horses. Those two figure to take a shot at the winner again in the Del Mar Oaks. Maxim Rate, who loomed a big threat in the Honeymoon before fading to fifth, lagged back came out into the lane as if ready to make a run but could make only modest headway. Stillwater Cove, an invader from the East Coast off a fourth in the Grade 3 Soar Softly at Belmont May 18, stalked in fourth, came with a nice wide run on the turn to loom a threat by midstretch into the lane only to die on her run.

July 21

Saratoga
CCA Oaks (race 4)

COMMENT: Originally scheduled for July 20 but that card was canceled due to weather (extreme heat). Guarana was an overwhelming favorite coming into this off two monster wins including a romp in the Grade 1 Acorn on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 8. This wasn’t the same type of tour de force but the daughter of Ghostzapper did what she needed to do to stay undefeated and notch a second straight Grade 1 win. From her rail slot she went right to the lead without really being asked, was able to dictate tempo through modest splits as Champagne Anyone kept in close attendance. Guarana shook off that rival into the lane as she opened up a bid, giving herself enough of a buffer to keep hard-trying Point of Honor at bay in the final furlong, though she ducked out sharply from the whip in deep stretch. The owner of runner-up Point of Honor lodged a claim of foul for the incident in deep stretch but the stewards allowed the result to stand as it never appeared Point of Honor’s momentum slowed. While there’s no way to knock a gal who’s undefeated and did what was necessary, the fact she didn’t dominate makes you wonder if this 1 1/8-mile trip pushes the outside of the envelope for her, at least at this level. The Grade 1 Alabama here Aug. 17 is a possibility, though the quick turnaround and distance (1 1/4 miles) may instead mean the Grade 1 Cotillion at a slightly shorter trip (1 1/16 miles) at Parx Sept. 21 is a better option. Point of Honor, smart winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico May 17, was a bit slow into stride to be last early, remained there to the midway point on the far turn, swung out to make her run, finished with good energy to close the gap on the winner though it never really appeared as if she would get to that rival. The way she runs on hints she may enjoy the longer 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 Alabama here Aug. 17, though that could be coming back a bit too quickly for the daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. Off Topic, fifth in the Black Eyed Susan last time out, lagged back early, moved closer going down the backstretch to stalk in third, advanced on the far turn to briefly look a threat but was one-paced to the line and no real danger to the top two. Champagne Anyone, a rallying fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill May 3 last time out, sat just off the eventual winner from the start, didn’t really push that rival early, tried to make a run at her turning for home, got rebuffed and tired in the lane.

Saratoga
Shuvee Handicap (race 13)

COMMENT: Golden Award was no match for Electric Forest in the slop in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland April 19, beaten by 6 1/2 lengths and was then a sharp second when beaten a nose in the Grade 3 DuPont Distaff at Pimlico May 17. However, her connections thought enough of her to supplement her to this, despite the fact she hadn’t run since and was stepping up in class. Well, her connections knew what they were doing as she handled the class hike, beating a nice bunch. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro dueled with She’s a Julie to her inside from the start, held a narrow lead from that rival to the far turn, dispatched with that foe, opened up into the lane and extended her advantage to win easily. This may have earned her a shot at the Grade 1 Personal Ensign here Aug. 24, though there she may well run into division leader Midnight Bisou, top-class stablemate Elate and runner-up here Wow Cat, who likely needed this race. Wow Cat was slow into stride, as is her want, moved closer going down the backstretch as she wasn’t far off the slow pace set by the winner and She’s a Julie, loomed a big threat into the lane when going after the eventual winner but proved no match and stayed on decently to hold second, looking very much like a horse who needed the race (she hadn’t run since rallying for second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill last Nov. 3). With this under her belt she could take a shot at the Personal Ensign, a race in which she was a well-beaten third last year, though as noted that race is coming up extremely tough. She’s a Julie, a solid third to Elate in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill last time out June 15 after gamely winning the Grade 2 La Troienne there May 3, went right to the lead from her rail slot, was immediately joined by Golden Award, dueled inside that rival though the splits were slow, was still in contention turning for home, couldn’t stay with the winner but kept to her task decently to end up third well ahead of the others. With stablemate Midnight Bisou targeting the Personal Ensign she’ll likely target something else, avoiding the division heavies.

Del Mar
Eddie Read (race 4)

COMMENT: The SoCal middle-distance turf horses continue to take turns (Ohio, Bolo, Majestic Eagle have won the last three middle-distance turf stakes out West) and this time it was Bowies Hero who grabbed the brass ring. A nice rallying third in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita May 27, the 5-year-old son of Artie Schiller bided his time early as longshot Ritzy A. P. set a modest pace under some pressure from 3-2 favorite Catapult, remained toward the back to the top of the lane, came off the inside into the stretch, came with a smart run to grab the lead and drew clear to win smartly. Off this a shot at the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Aug. 18 figures next, though there he likely faces Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile winner Bolo, Shoemaker Mile runner-up River Boyne and some of these, and as we noted these guys have been taking turns. Marckie’s Water, smart winner of his last two including the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham at Santa Anita May 25, sat last from the start behind the eventual winner, didn’t accelerate as early or as strongly as that foe but got going well in the lane to get up for second, though he was never a danger to the winner. The Del Mar Mile might be a tad short for him, meaning something like the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles here Aug. 17 could be his next target. Ritzy A. P., the highest-priced horse in the race coming off a second in an optional claimer at Santa Anita June 14, his first start in nine months, went right to the lead, set a modest pace under some pressure from Catapult, battled back gamely when hooked by the eventual winner into the lane, couldn’t stay with that foe but kept to his task well to only miss second by a head. Sharp Samurai, a sharp second in this last year losing by just a neck to Catapult and coming off a good third (beaten a neck) in the Grade 3 American at Santa Anita June 23, stalked in fourth, moved closer into the lane, kept to his task decently but was never really a threat to the winner. Catapult, the favorite who won this last year and was looking to bounce back after a fifth in the Shoemaker Mile, dogged the pacesetter from the start, made a threatening move into the lane but was one-paced to the line and unable to threaten the winner in the final furlong. Could be the 6-year-old just isn’t quite the horse he was last summer/fall.