Trip Notes for July 30-31: Jim Dandy, Clement Hirsch, Haskell Invitational, and more

July 30

Saratoga

Amsterdam (race 4)

COMMENT: Mind Your Biscuits, who had done all his work against New York-breds, showed he’s the real deal. From his outside post he was last after a quarter-mile. He started to advance going to the far turn while saving ground and continued his momentum to reel in leader Maniacal inside the furlong pole and drew away. Maniacal, coming off two straight wins after over a year on the bench, set a solid pace under pressure from Its All Relevent, was edging away from that foe inside the furlong pole when confronted by the eventual winner, and stayed on well to be a clear second. Its All Relative dogged Maniacal from the start, had his heels clipped and stumbled turning for home, got going again, but flattened out some in the final furlong. Quijote stalked the early pace, moved closer when squeezing between Maniacal and Its All Relevent on the far turn, but had the lane close up. He appeared to clip the heels of Its All Relevant and nearly went down.

Saratoga

Bowling Green Handicap (race 7)

COMMENT: Flintshire reinforced the idea he’s the best turf distance horse in the land with a win here, but it required a bit more work than expected. Coming off a romping win in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 11, he sat inside stalking in third behind Grand Tito, who set a dawdling pace. Flintshire was unable to extricate himself from the rail as the others kept him hemmed in, and suddenly found himself last as turning for home. He moved off the rail, swung out for room and powered past his overmatched rivals. Grand Tito, fourth to Flintshire in the Manhattan, his first start in a couple months, got away with murder on the front end. He rebuffed challenges from Can’thelpbelieving into the lane and then Twilight Eclipse, but then had no answer for the winner’s charge. Twilight Eclipse was last early in the small field, moved up outside Flintshire to keep that foe trapped inside, and challenged Grand Tito into the lane.

Saratoga

Vanderbilt (race 9)

COMMENT: A. P. Indian was coming off a win in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint July 9 and he validated that effort here. He dueled with Delta Bluesman from the start, got the better of that foe by the top of the lane, was immediately confronted Holy Boss, but kept that rival at bay. He’s now 4 for 4 this year. Holy Boss added blinkers, and used his speed to hound A. P. Indian and Delta Bluesman. He loomed a big threat into the lane but couldn’t get to the winner. Catalina Red sat a few lengths off the lead after being bumped at the start, kept to his task well, but just wasn’t good enough. Anchor Down, second in the Grade 1 Met Mile to freaky winner Frosted, got bumped at the start. He seemed in a good spot stalking while saving ground, but then had nothing to offer.

Saratoga

Jim Dandy (race 10)

COMMENT: Laoban, a maiden coming off a fifth in the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont July 9, went right out to the lead, set dawdling splits under only mild pressure from Destin, kicked clear on the far turn, and kept a couple rivals at arm’s length to the line. Governor Malibu, fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont June 11 last time out, sat fifth early, moved closer going down the backstretch to be third, cut the corner into the lane, but couldn’t close the gap. Destin, beaten a nose by Creator in the Belmont, sat second, applying only modest pressure to the pacesetter. He was asked to go after that foe in earnest into the lane but couldn’t close the gap and lost second in the final strides. Mohaymen, the favorite who was making his first start since running fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby May 7, stumbled at the start but was still able to establish a good stalking position. He never mustered a run. Creator, who won the Belmont with a huge rally, was last from the start and remained there all the way around. With his style he had no chance considering the slow pace.

Del Mar

Clement L. Hirsch (race 8)

COMMENT: Stellar Wind beat future Hall of Famer Beholder with likely the best effort of her. Stellar Wind, second to Beholder in the Grade 1 Vanity Mile at Santa Anita last month, broke well and showed more speed than in her last race, sitting just off pacesetting Beholder. She remained outside Beholder, moved closer going to the far turn, then alongside Beholder, and after a long duel got the better of her older rival in the final half-furlong. Beholder, the heavy favorite, set a modest pace, and battled back when hooked by Stellar Wind while staying on the fence. Trainer Richard Mandella said she was tired after the race. Divina Comedia was fourth early and plugged along to finish third, far ahead of the other two runners.

July 31

Saratoga

Shuvee (race 3)

COMMENT: Overnight rains turned the track sloppy. Curalina, fourth in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 11, had no trouble dominating this small field. She dogged pacesetter and main rival Carrumba through very slow splits, moved closer to that foe as they picked up the pace going to the far turn, took command without much fuss, and drew off to win in a romp. Carrumba, who beat Curalina when third in the Phipps, picked up the tempo when pushed by Curalina, tried to battle back when hooked by that foe into the lane, and stayed on to finish a clear second. Sweetgrass, last early, made a mild move on the far turn but couldn’t keep pace with the top two.

Monmouth

Monmouth Cup (race 8)

COMMENT: A sloppy and sealed track didn’t prevent favored Bradester from a third win in as many starts this year. Coming off a tally in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill June 18, he went right to the lead, set modest splits, and blew the race open with a strong run on the far turn and into the lane. Scuba bided his time early, came with a nice run on the rail, and while he closed the gap on the winner he was never a danger to him. He finished far clear of the rest. Mr. Jordan, third as the heavy favorite in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile here July 2, chased the winner from the start while saving ground, tried to make a run at him on the far turn, then weakened to be a well-beaten third. Blofeld, off since finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 11, stalked the pace while wide and in the clear, still seemed in a good position going to the far turn, but then had nothing to offer. This makes for a third straight modest effort since his win in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

Monmouth

Oceanport (race 9)

COMMENT: Blacktype, favored off an impressive optional-claiming win at Belmont July 3, handled a step up in class and notched his first graded stakes win. He bided his time early as Nonna’s Boy went out to a clear early lead over the yielding turf. Blacktype remained toward the back of the pack going to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane, and finished resolutely to edge Kharafa. Kharafa, who was sixth in that July 3 race won by Blacktype, stalked in fourth, made a run to challenge for the lead into the lane, and couldn’t fend off Blacktype. War Dancer sat just behind Kharafa, didn’t accelerate quite as quickly but got going late to be a clear third. Almasty stalked in third, moved up to take the lead from a tiring Nonna’s Boy into the lane, still had the lead by the eighth pole, but then weakened.

Monmouth

Molly Pitcher (race 10)

COMMENT: Genre notched her first stakes win here. On a sloppy and sealed track, she dogged favored pacesetter Super Majesty through modest splits, got the better of that foe turning for home, looked in deep water when stablemate Eskenformoney surged past to her outside, but re-rallied to get the win. Eskenformoney sat a bit behind the two pacesetters, came with a run on the far turn, got floated out by her stablemate, looked as though she might go on to win, but couldn’t counter Genre’s re-rally. Birdatthewire, dropping in class and moving back to a route after a third in the Grade 1 Princess Rooney at seven furlongs at Gulfstream July 2, was reluctant to load, then got away a bit slowly. She sat just behind Eskenformoney, loomed a threat turning for home, but couldn’t sustain her run. While she’s won twice routing, she may be most effective as a late-running sprinter. Super Majesty, second in the Iowa Distaff at Prairie Meadows July 1, took pressure from Genre, was still in the thick of it turning for home, and tired.

Monmouth

Matchmaker (race 11)

COMMENT: Itsonlyactingdad, Grade coming off a second in a tough optional claimer at Belmont June 23, notched her first stakes win. She bided her time toward the back of the pack as Means Well set a modest pace on the yielding turf. Itsonlyactingdad remained toward the back to the far turn, angled out coming into the lane, and finished with a flourish to surge past her rivals. Tammy the Torpedo, coming off a third in a Grade 3 at Parx July 4, sat midpack, came with a run into the lane, and ended up well clear of the others. Uchenna, a rallying fifth in Woodbine’s Grade 2 Dance Smartly July 3, lagged back with the eventual winner and finished decently inside. Heath, who rallied to be third in Pimlico’s Grade 3 Gallorette May 21 and fourth in the Dance Smartly, was last coming into the lane and could make only modest headway to split the field. Sea Coast, second in the Grade 3 Eatontown here June 25, sat well back and made a mild move into the lane.

Monmouth

Haskell (race 12)

COMMENT: Exaggerator’s two biggest moments –wins in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 1 Preakness – came when he caught a wet track and got a good pace to close into. He got the same situation here. This looked like a reprise of the Preakness as Exaggerator bided his time early, saving ground as Nyquist set the early pace under pressure from American Freedom and Awesome Slew. Exaggerator began to move forward going down the backstretch, swung wide on the turn, swept past the battling leaders into the lane. He veered in, almost impeding American Freedom, but straightened out and powered home. He did have to survive a claim of foul from the rider of American Freedom. American Freedom, trying to give trainer Bob Baffert his ninth win in this race, dogged Nyquist, took the lead going down the backstretch, and was part of a three-way battle sandwiched between Nyquist on the rail and Gun Runner to his outside turning for home. He got the better of Nyquist on the rail but couldn’t finish with the winner. Sunny Ridge, making his first start since running fourth in the Grade 3 Gotham March 5, sat back with only Exaggerator behind him early, swung out into the lane, and finished gamely to edge Nyquist for third. Nyquist broke sharply from his rail post to go right to the lead, took immediate pressure from American Freedom with Awesome Slew and Gun Runner just behind, relinquished the lead to American Freedom after a half-mile, came back again on the inside into the lane, and got edged by a rallying Sunny Ridge. He seems best when he can stalk and finish, like in his Kentucky Derby win. Gun Runner, third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby to Nyquist and Exaggerator and then a winner of the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill June 18, stalked the pace, joined American Freedom and Nyquist to their outside turning for home, but weakened once the winner stormed past.

Del Mar

Bing Crosby (race 8)

COMMENT: After a five-month hiatus Lord Nelson won his July 3 comeback at Santa Anita, then won the Grade 1 Triple Bend there June 25. Here, he sat third as Subtle Indian and Justin Squared dueled through blistering splits. He pounced into the lane, and surged to the lead to win easily. Indexical sat just behind Lord Nelson, tried to go with him into the lane while moving to the inside, and finished nicely to be a clear second. Alsvid was just behind the top two from the start, got going in the lane to get up for third, though he was no danger to the top pair. Justin Squared and Subtle Indian both paid the price for their insane early duel, fading to sixth and eighth.