Trip Notes for June 1: Penn Mile, Santa Maria, and more

June 1

Belmont Park

Pennine Ridge (race 8)

COMMENT: Inner course listed as good. It was a highly competitive event but it should come as no surprise that it being a graded stakes, on turf, trainer Chad Brown ended up posing for pictures – but it wasn’t easy. Demarchelier, winner of his first two starts, sat well back early as stablemate Value Proposition set a decent pace under pressure from Clint Maroon, remained toward the back to the far turn, advanced while wide, pitched wider still into the lane as he started his run, got bumped hard by Henley’s Joy who was pushed out by Magnificent McCool who came out near the eighth pole, but got back into stride and powered home to reel in leader Clint Maroon inside the final half-furlong while narrowly outfinishing Seismic Wave, a colt he edged in his debut at Aqueduct last fall. This sets him up for a shot at the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at 1 1/4 miles here July 6. Seismic Wave finished strongly while extremely wide to be a good fourth in the Grade 2 American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill May 4 and ran big again as the son of Tapit lagged even further back than the eventual winner (was, in fact, last in the field of seven), remained there to the top of the lane, pitched wide while just inside the eventual and finished smartly to just miss. The Belmont Derby would figure in his plans as well. Social Paranoia, the favorite off a monster maiden win on Gulfstream turf March 30 and a game third in the aforementioned American Turf, stalked in fourth, came with his run into the lane gamely going after then-leader Clint Maroon, finished well but just couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Value Proposition, smashing winner of his debut here April 27 from well off the pace, ended up on the lead from his rail slot, set a decent pace under pressure from Clint Maroon while staying on the fence, battled back gamely into the lane when challenge but gave way once headed. The Belmont Derby might be too much too soon as this was just his second start.

Penn National

Penn Mile (race 11)

COMMENT: Turf course listed as yielding. Moon Colony, a $400,000 son of 2-year-old male champion Uncle Mo, posted his maiden win at Keeneland last fall on soft turf so the footing suited as the colt posted the mild upset. Freshened since a fifth on Gulfstream turf in the Kitten’s Joy Jan. 5 behind today’s foe Casa Creed, he lagged back from his rail slot, saved ground as Real News set a decent pace, crept closer going to the far turn while seemingly well in hand, was asked for run into the lane while staying inside, answered in the affirmative to that request, grabbed the lead late and drew clear. Not sure he wants the 1 1/4 miles of the Grade 1 Belmont Derby July 6 but the Manila at Belmont at this same mile trip July 4 is an option. The aforementioned Casa Creed, coming off a ninth in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, stalked in fourth, came with his run into the lane, was getting to leader Real News inside the eighth pole but couldn’t counter the winner’s charge. Real News went right to the lead, set modest splits while saving ground, battled back gamely when hooked into the lane but couldn’t finish with the top two while ending up far clear of the rest. A Thread of Blue, the 7-5 favorite after three straight wins on Gulfstream turf and a second in the American Turf at Churchill, sat second from the start, pressuring pacesetter Real News, continued to dog that rival to the far turn but came up empty in the lane. Arlington

Arlington Matron (race 8)

COMMENT: Race complexion changed when La Force, who would likely have been a solid favorite, did not ship from Southern California for this (reportedly due to travel issues), instead staying home to run in the Grade 2 Santa Maria later this day. Coachwhip became the favorite, though all her work to this point had come on turf, so she was trying synthetic footing for the first time. Still, she’d shown quality including finishing third in the Grade 3 Bewitch on Keeneland turf April 26 and was more than up to the task with the move to this new footing. The 5-year-old mare showed speed to dog early pacesetter Daddy’s Boo, continued to pressure that rival through modest splits, moved up to engage that foe into the lane, got the better of her by midstretch, opened up and didn’t really have a nervous moment thereafter. Strawberry Tequila, back to synthetic after being a non-factor fifth at 52-1 in an allowance race on Keeneland turf April 25, bounced back to form as she bided her time early, was still last turning for home, came with a run up the rail into the lane, kept to her task to get second but was never really a threat to the winner. No Pali Spirit, first and second in her only two synthetic track tries (both here) and coming off a third in a strong optional claimer on turf at Churchill May 10, stalked the pace while boxed in just behind the two pacesetters, continued to save ground to the far turn, stayed inside to make her run, stayed on well but couldn’t quite outdo Strawberry Tequila for second. Tough Irma, claimed for $50,000 off an eighth on Oaklawn dirt March 31 and then fifth against allowance foes on dirt there May 3, moved to synthetic for the first time and handled the footing as she stalked the pace toward the outside, loomed a threat on the turn and into the lane but flattened out.

Santa Anita

Honeymoon (race 7)

COMMENT: Lady Prancealot finished just behind Hostess and Maxim Rate in the Grade 3 Providencia here April 6, then just behind Maxim Rate in the Grade 3 Senorita here May 4, but the daughter of Sir Prancealot used her strong finish to make sure it was her turn this time. From her rail slot she completely lacked speed, as is her custom, sitting toward the back as Holly Hundy set a modest pace, remained there to the top of the lane, still had ground to make up once straightened away but blasted home in the final furlong to get the money. The Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar July 20 figures next, and she’ll likely run into those same rivals again there. Hostess, game winner of the aforementioned Providencia in her U.S. debut and then fourth in the Senorita, rebounded with the return to this longer 9-furlong trip as she lagged back, just ahead of Lady Prancealot, moved earlier than that foe into the lane with a smart wide run to reach contention by midstretch, grabbed the lead outside rivals inside the eighth pole but couldn’t counter the winner’s charge. Over Emphasize, smart second in an optional claimer on this course at this trip May 3, handled the step up in class as she stalked in fourth, while toward the inside, came out some for room into the lane, had to check a bit when in tight, found room and got going again but couldn’t finish with the top two. Maxim Rate, favored after winning two of her first three including the Senorita, was disappointing as the $235,000 daughter of Exchange Rate stalked while just off the rail, advanced on the far turn, loomed a big threat into the lane but flattened out. Could be she’s better at a slightly shorter trip.

Santa Anita

Santa Maria (race 8)

COMMENT: La Force was intended to be shipped to Arlington for the Grade 3 Matron there this day but travel arrangements couldn’t be made. So, trainer Paddy Gallagher opted to stay home and take another shot at huge favorite Paradise Woods, who beat his mare by 10 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita here last time out April 27. Well, staying home paid off as the daughter of Power, making just her second start after nearly six months off, turned the tables. From her outside slot she was devoid of speed, as is her wont, sitting last in the small field while staying wide and in the clear, remained there to the far turn, came with a strong wide run to sweep to the lead on turn, opened up into the lane and gave herself enough of a buffer to keep favored Paradise Woods at arm’s length to the line. The Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar July 28, a race in which she was a good second to champion Unique Bella last year, figures next. Paradise Woods was the overwhelming favorite after a demolition of a few of these in the Santa Margarita, but she bobbled at the start to get away slowly, lagged back while saving ground, remained inside just behind the leaders with seemingly a lot of gas in the tank, suddenly took back into the far turn, remained inside behind a wall of horses as the eventual winner shot past to her outside, shifted off the rail, pitched wide to go around her rivals, pitched wider still into the lane and finished well, though she couldn’t get to the winner. The Hirsch figures on her radar as well. Just a Smidge, who dueled early with Paradise Woods in the Santa Margarita before giving way to end up a well-beaten fourth, went right to the lead from her rail slot, set a slow pace under some pressure from Exuberance, held a narrow lead turning for home while staying inside but was no match for the top two thereafter. Tapped, back to dirt after running second in an optional claimer on turf here April 14, her first start in 18 months, stalked in third while a few lanes off the rail, moved closer on the far turn to loom a threat but then gave way.