Trip Notes for July 4-5: Belmont Derby, Belmont Oaks, Dwyer, United Nations, and more...

Saturday, July 4

Belmont - Victory Ride (race 6)

COMMENT: Owner and trainer Derek Ryan is quite high on Irish Jasper, saying he thinks she's the best 3-year-old filly in the country. That may seem a bit hyperbolic, but his filly didn't hurt his claim as she was an impressive winner here. Freshened since a stakes win at Aqueduct on April 26 and a victory in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico on May 15, she sat last early as Super Saks set a solid pace, moved closer going down the backstretch, pitched wide as she really started her run going into the far turn, remained wide and in the clear as she roared past her rivals, and won going away. Ryan said her next target is the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Enchanting Lady, the favorite, likewise sat back, didn't accelerate as early or as quickly as the winner but got going late to be a clear second, though she was never a danger to the winner. The Test may be on her radar as well. Kathballu dogged pacesetter Super Saks, moved closer to contend turning for home, but was no match for the top two. Promise Me Silver, a winner of her first eight starts before a troubled trip when 10th in the Grade 1 Acorn on June 6, raced eagerly early to stalk the pace while inside, had to steady when tiring pacesetter Super Saks started to fade right in front of her, looked poised to go through a seam into the lane, but had that option closed, had to steady, and was unable to get going again. She wasn't going to beat the winner, but it's no reach to believe she could have finished second with a better trip. So long as she came out of this in good shape, the Test could be next for her as well.

Belmont - Dwyer (race 7)

COMMENT: Speightster remained unbeaten and basically untested in three starts as he proved a romping winner here. The son of sprint champ Speightstown dogged early pacesetter Hollywood Angel, cut the corner on the turn to grab the lead from that tiring rival, opened up into the lane, and kept hard-trying favorite Texas Red at bay to the wire. Trainer Bill Mott said they want to keep him shorter for now, so his next race could be the Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 29. Texas Red, last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, making his first start since Feb. 1 after a foot abscess knocked him off the Triple Crown trail, ran splendidly in defeat. He lagged back early, as is his custom, swung wide on the turn, looked briefly scary into the lane, but then couldn't close the gap on the impressive winner. Not only was the winner finishing strongly, but this guy might have tired just a bit in the final furlong, certainly understandable given the layoff. The Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 29 is his main target, with the Grade 2 Jim Dandy there Aug. 2 as his bridge to that race, according to his trainer. Tommy Macho stalked the pace, came with a threatening run to be alongside the eventual winner turning for home, but couldn't keep pace. Blofeld, once considered a potential Triple Crown player after winning all three starts as a 2-year-old, including two Grade 2s, and coming off a third in his only run this year, pressed the pace while inside but gave way when it mattered. He doesn't appear to have come back quite the same horse.

Belmont - Belmont Derby (race 8)

COMMENT: Force the Pass gave sire Speightstown two big graded stakes wins on this card, as he blasted home to beat a strong field. Last seen rallying smartly to take the Grade 3 Penn Mile on May 30, he stalked in third as the favored Bolo set a slow pace, came with a strong run on the inside to grab the lead turning for home, and powered to the wire to win easily, giving him four wins in his last five starts. Trainer Alan Goldberg said Force the Pass likely will get a break and point for the fall, though the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington on Aug. 15 is a possibility. Canndal, a French invader who was Group 2-placed there in May, bided his time, came with a smart run into the lane, was no match for the impressive winner, but stayed on decently to hold second. Startup Nation stalked the pace, swung wide into the lane, and finished well. Takeover Target seemed in a good spot sitting in midpack from the start but never mustered a run. Divisidero, so impressive in winning the Grade 2 American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill on May 2 and winning the Pennine Ridge here May 30, lagged back, as is his nature, but his big late kick never came. Of course, with the slow fractions, he was up against it trying to catch fresh horses. Bolo, the favorite who ran 12th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and then returned to turf and won smartly at Santa Anita on May 29, had no trouble making the lead, set a dawdling pace, and seemed to have things the way he wanted, only to give way suddenly turning for home. He was pulled up and vanned off as something went awry, which might explain his sudden retreat.

Belmont - Suburban (race 9)

COMMENT: Effinex won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct on April 25 but then veered out on both turns in the Grade 2 Brooklyn on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 6 and didn't finish. Maybe the huge crowd on Belmont Day spooked him because he showed no sign of such a problem here as he gamely beat a heavily favored Tonalist. He bided his time early as first Street Babe and then Coach Inge set the pace, came with a nice run into the lane with Tonalist on his hip, got the better of Coach Inge in the final half-furlong, and gamely got to the line before Tonalist. The Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 8 figures next. Tonalist, previously 4 for 5 here, the lone loss coming last time out when second in the Grade 1 Met Mile, did everything right – he just didn't win. He was slow into stride, moved closer to pacesetter Coach Inge, looked poised to take over whenever his rider wished, but then couldn't outfinish the winner. He did press Coach Inge through some brisk splits, so maybe that used up too much fuel and left him unable to get past Effinex. The Whitney figures on his radar as well. Coach Inge dueled early with Street Babe, took over from that rival going into the far turn, opened up a bit of an advantage turning for home, still held a clear lead in midstretch, then couldn't fend off the top two in the final half-furlong.

Belmont - Belmont Oaks (race 10)

COMMENT: Lady Eli went into this, the toughest test of her career, unbeaten in five starts. Not only did she remain unbeaten, but she was marvelous, dismantling a very strong field and stamping herself as something special, which we sort of already knew. She bided her time early as Lady Zulu set a brisk pace, moved closer on the far turn as she positioned herself for the stretch run, swung wide into the lane, and blasted home to easily roll past her rivals and win clear. The Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga on Aug. 14 could be next, though trainer Chad Brown also mentioned a possible tilt against elders in the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington on Aug. 15. Her primary goal is the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 10, particularly since the Breeders' Cup will be held there a few weeks later. Itsonlyactingdad sat well back, just behind the eventual winner, while saving ground, came off the rail going to the far turn, swung wider into the lane, and finished well, though she was no match for the big winner. Outstanding, a talented invader who came here off two big wins in Ireland, raced in midpack, moved closer on the turn, came through between horses to challenge, was no match for Lady Eli, but stayed on well to edge three others for the show. Spanish Queen, the best 3-year-old turf filly out West, sat back while saving ground but never mustered a run. Olorda, a talented invader from France (Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed there in May), seemed in a good spot stalking while saving ground, moved closer turning for home, but then fell apart. She reportedly will stay in the U.S. and go to the barn of Brown, the trainer of Lady Eli.

Belmont - Belmont Sprint (race 11)

COMMENT: Private Zone proved again he's one of the two or three best one-turn horses in the land as he was an easy winner here. He did catch a break as two other speedsters who could have hindered him early (Bay of Plenty, Moonlight Song) scratched, as did Grade 1 winner The Big Beast (foot abscess). He went right to the lead as expected, took some heat from Green Gratto, had little trouble dispatching with that foe going into the far turn as he opened up a clear lead, and continued on well to the line to win comfortably. Trainer Jorge Navarro said he'd like to run him possibly just once more between now and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, either in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 29 or the Grade 1 Vosburgh here Oct. 3. Clearly Now, the romping winner of this last year but winless in four starts since, including fading to sixth in the Grade 2 True North here June 5, recently underwent throat surgery to help his breathing. He was slow into stride, steadily advanced, gamely chased the winner, and while no match for that runner, finished well clear of the rest. Stallkwalkin' Dude stalked in third, tried to make a run at the winner into the lane, was unable to make a dent in Private Zone's advantage, and weakened late.

Los Alamitos - Los Alamitos Derby (race 8)

COMMENT: Trainer Bob Baffert already has such 3-year-old big shots as American Pharoah and Dortmund, and it appears that he's got another sophomore who can make some noise in Gimme Da Lute. Coming off a game, upset win in the Grade 3 Affirmed at Santa Anita on June 7, the son of champion sprinter Midnight Lute showed his courage and ability as he dogged heavy favorite Kentuckian from the start, moved closer to that rival on the far turn, got the better of Kentuckian into the lane, and stayed on gamely to nip Prospect Park, who was second in the Affirmed. Prospect Park stalked the two leaders, came with his run into the lane, moved up alongside the eventual winner to battle it out, but just came up a nose short. Kentuckian, the heavy favorite off a dazzling win in the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera at Santa Anita on May 10, was routing for the first time, and that was an issue here, as he grabbed the early lead, set a solid pace under some pressure from the eventual winner while staying on the fence, battled back when initially confronted by Gimme Da Lute, but then weakened late to finish a well-beaten third. He could improve now that he's got a taste of a route. Then again, his pedigree on the bottom side is sprint-tilted, so he could be best suited to a mile or shorter.

Sunday, July 5

Gulfstream - Azalea (race 7)

COMMENT: Dogwood Trail couldn't handle Huasca when second to that rival in the Tangelo here June 6 but gained her revenge on that rival. She went right out to the lead, set a solid pace under pressure first from Fond of Sarah and then from Warriorscmoutoplay, rebuffed those challenges into the lane, had Huasca come at her, but stayed on gamely to keep that rival at arm's length to the wire and was actually edging away again late. She ran only 0.01 seconds slower than the 3-year-old boys did in the Carry Back about an hour later. Huasca sat further back than in the Tangelo, came with a smart run into the lane, looked quite scary by midstretch, but then couldn't get on terms with the winner, finishing well clear of the rest. I'm a Looker sat back, just behind Huasca, didn't accelerate as quickly or as strongly, but came with a decent wide run to get third. Warriorscmoutoplay dogged the winner from the start, was still in contention into the lane, but gave way late.

Gulfstream - Carry Back (race 9)

COMMENT: Grand Bili pressured Bluegrass Singer through sizzling splits, took over from that tiring rival into the lane, opened up a clear lead, and despite obviously being tired (the final furlong was in 13.36 seconds) from pressing those hot fractions, had enough left to get to the line before hard-trying favorite Barbados. The latter, making his first start since winning the Grade 3 Hutcheson here Jan. 24 and being injured, bided his time in fifth, moved closer coming into the lane, came with a smart run, but just couldn't get to the determined winner while far clear of the rest. This was a most encouraging comeback run. Juan and Bina sat well back, came with a nice run into the lane, couldn't sustain it, but did enough to comfortably hold third. Royal Squeeze, awarded the win in the Tarpon here April 25 after Mr. Jordan was disqualified, sat back but never mustered a run. He's won sprinting, but these splits may have been too sharp for him, and he might be better going a bit longer.

Gulfstream - Princess Rooney (race 10)

COMMENT: Merry Meadow was the best distaff sprinter during the winter/spring meet here, winning three straight stakes, including two Grade 3s, before fizzling in the Grade 2 Inside Information on March 21. Freshened since, she came back here on point, as she dogged pacesetter Flutterby from the start, moved closer to that rival going into the far turn, moved up to challenge into the lane, battled long and hard, but finally got the better of that foe and edged away late. It looks like she's back, and off this, a race like the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga next month could be in her plans. Flutterby ran splendidly in defeat, setting hot splits while pressured by Merry Meadow. She battled back gamely when hooked and only succumbed in the last half-furlong. Kiss to Remember lagged back, pitched wide into the lane, and rallied decently for third, though she was never a danger to the top two. R Free Roll, coming off a nice stakes win here June 6, stalked in third, chased the top two to the top of the lane, but then weakened from those efforts.

Gulfstream - Smile Sprint (race 11)

COMMENT: Favorite Tale was coming off a disappointing effort in the Grade 2 True North at Belmont on June 5, when he set the early pace before giving way to finish fifth. The lack of major opposing early speed here, however, helped him turn things around, as he took a clear lead from the start from his rail slot, set fast splits while being chased, and then opened up into the lane and drew off to win in a romp. This was almost certainly the best race of his career. Work All Week, last year's sprint champ and coming off a second to Alsvid in his 2015 debut in the Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill on May 30, stalked the winner from the start, seemed in good position turning for home, gamely went after the winner, but proved no match as the winner spurted away in the lane. Wildcat Red pressed the winner from the start, weakened a bit from those efforts, but stayed on well enough to hold third. Alsvid sat in midpack, moved closer while wide on the turn, but never really mustered a run.

Monmouth - Salvator Mile (race 10)

COMMENT: Bradester was a good second in this race last year and this year seemed a question mark, as he was no factor in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai on March 28 and a well-beaten third in an optional claimer at Churchill on Derby Day. However, he's been freshened since, the blinkers came off, and that did the trick as he got back to his best form, posting an impressive win over a strong bunch. He dueled early with Fabulous Kid, got the better of that foe going down the backstretch, was still taking some pressure from Valid turning for home, but rebuffed that foe's bid, opened up some into the lane, and stayed on well to keep his clear lead. After this race last year, he romped in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup in late July, and apparently this year he's primed to defend here Aug. 2 on the Haskell undercard. Red Vine, coming off two big wins, including the Majestic Light here May 23, got bumped at the start, was still able to establish position a few lengths off the lead, and came with a decent run in the lane, though he was never really a danger to the winner. Valid, second in the Majestic Light, stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home, but couldn't keep pace with the winner and then tired a bit late while still able to hold third, well ahead of the others. Race Day, the heavy favorite off two big graded stakes wins at Oaklawn and freshened three months, got bumped at the start and never made a move in a disappointing effort.

Monmouth - United Nations (race 11)

COMMENT: A big race for trainer Chad Brown as he runs one-two. Big Blue Kitten may be a 7-year-old, but there's still plenty of gas in the tank. Coming off a second to stablemate Slumber in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 6, he bided his time early as Shining Copper went out to a long lead, started to move closer going to the far turn, stayed wide and clear, and came home strongly to go past that longshot inside the final furlong, drawing away late. He also won this race in 2013. Slumber sat farther back in last, was still well back going to the far turn, had to steady, but got going again and finished well for second, though it never looked as though he was going to get to the winner. Brown said the Grade 2 Bowling Green at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 1 at Saratoga or the Arlington Million at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 15 could be next for one or both. Twilight Eclipse likewise sat back, made his move along the inside, had to steady into the lane, but still finished well. Main Sequence, last year's turf champ, making his first start since a dull seventh in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic on March 28, sat back with the eventual one-two finishers, but whereas they both rallied, he never really mustered any sort of run. For a horse who was so good and consistent last year, his two straight dull efforts give you cause to wonder.