Trip Notes for June 15-16, 2019: Stephen Foster, Fleur de Lis, and more

June 15

Churchill
Matt Winn (race 5)

COMMENT: Mr. Money was a smashing winner of the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile here on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, a run that was flattered significantly when runner-up Hog Creek Hustle came back to win the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes day June 8. But that was around one turn and you wondered if that was a better game for him than this two-turn game. Well, he cast the doubters aside as the $130,000 son of Goldencents dominated the proceedings again. As the heavy favorite he broke well, sat just behind Knicks Go who set a modest pace, ranged up outside that rival on the far turn, had little trouble wresting command from that foe, drawing off in the lane for the easy win. The Grade 3 Indiana Derby at this same trip at Indiana Grand July 13 is his next target, according to trainer Bret Calhoun. Signalman, cutting back in distance and dropping after running ninth in the Grade 1 Preakness at Pimlico May 18, was slow into stride, as is his custom, moved closer earlier than usual, however, while staying wide and in the clear, tried to make a run at the winner on the far turn, proved no match for that foe but kept to his task to be a clear second. Proverb, who set the pace before finishing third at 33-1 in a stakes at Oaklawn last time out May 4, stalked the pace not far behind Mr. Money while saving ground, remained inside to the top of the lane, had to wait for room, came through, moved out as if ready to make a run but flattened out a bit in the final furlong. Nolo Contesto was the disappointment. The $385,000 son of Pioneerof the Nile and 7-2 second choice flashed big potential out West including finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby last time out April 6. However, here he got bounced around at the break to be toward the back after the start, was then a bit rank, fighting his rider down the backstretch, and came up empty thereafter.

Churchill
Wise Dan (race 6)

COMMENT: March to the Arch was fifth in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic here on the Kentucky Derby undercard but wasn’t disgraced by winner Bricks and Mortar, who came back to win the Grade 1 Manhattan and is clearly the top turfer in the land. The gelded son of Arch got some class relief here and it paid off as he posted the upset. Despite his outside post he was able to get over to the inside, sitting midpack racing along the hedge as Siem Riep set a solid pace, maneuvered his way through traffic into the lane, moved to the outside and finished strongly to edge All Right in the final strides. He may not be ready for the likes of Bricks and Mortar again but this shows he can surely do damage in the right spot. All Right, a huge longshot (71-1), sat midpack from the start, crept closer on the far turn while off the rail, split horses into the lane, took over from leader First Premio inside the eighth pole, looked poised for the big upset only to get nailed late by the surging winner. Admission Office, the 2-1 favorite off a strong-closing second to top-class Catholic Boy in the Grade 2 Dixie on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico May 18, got bounced around at the break to end up far back soon after the start, was still well back going to the far turn while off the fence, pitched wider into the lane to launch his run and finished well. First Premio, fourth to Siem Riep in the Opening Verse here May 2, stalked the pace, moved to the lead into the lane but couldn’t sustain his run. El Picaro, a highly regarded Chilean import who was a multiple Grade 1 winner in his homeland making his first start in the U.S. and first start in over seven months, was just in front of the eventual winner from the start, shifted out on the far turn seemingly poised to make a run but flattened out in the lane. Itsinthepost, a multiple Grade 2 winner making his first start in 10 months, sat midpack from the start but was done by the far turn, fading to end up last.

Churchill
Fleur de Lis (race 7)

COMMENT: Elate couldn’t handle Midnight Bisou in a couple outings at Oaklawn, including a third in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom last time out April 14, but that is hardly a disgrace considering how good Midnight Bisou is, and without that gal in the lineup this top-class mare got back to the winner’s circle. As the 4-5 favorite she stalked toward the inside as longshot Skeptic set a slow pace under modest pressure from She’s a Julie, remained there as She’s a Julie and Blue Prize went toe-to-toe into the lane to contest the lead, came out for room in the stretch, hit top gear and surged past to the outside of those two and drew clear. The Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, a race she won last year, could be next for her July 13 and trainer Bill Mott said the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at this same 1 1/8-mile trip remained her long-term goal. Blue Prize, third behind She’s a Julie in the Grade 1 La Troienne here on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, raced with the eventual winner while fighting her jockey some, appeared to settle down the backstretch, stalked the slow pace, moved up with She’s a Julie to fight for the lead into the lane, proved no match for the winner but stayed on gamely for second. She’s a Julie pressed Skeptic from the start, moved to the lead into the lane but was immediately joined by Blue Prize, battled with that foe, had no answer when Elate burst past to her outside and stayed on well, only losing second by a head. The other three were far back.

Churchill
Stephen Foster (race 8)

COMMENT: Seeking the Soul has done most of his best work on this track and his affinity for this place paid off again as he got back to the winner’s circle. Coming off a well-beaten third to top-class McKinzie in the Grade 2 Alysheba here on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, the son of Perfect Soul bided his time from the start as Tom’s d’Etat set a modest pace, advanced up the rail on the far turn, angled out into the stretch and finished resolutely to subdue a stubborn Quip to his inside. Off this a shot at the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Aug. 3 could be in the works, though trainer Dallas Stewart said he was going to keep his options open keeping an eye on both the West Coast and East Coast. This insures him a spot in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in the fall. He was unable to get into that race last year, going instead in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (ran second to monster winner City of Light). He’ll have no such issues this year. Quip, game winner of the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap April 13, pressed Tom’s d’Etat from the start while outside that rival, was getting the better of that foe by midstretch only to then have Seeking the Soul come to him to his outside and just edge him on the line. Tom’s d’Etat, second well ahead of Seeking the Soul in the Alysheba, went right to the lead, took immediate pressure from Quip but was still able to set a slow pace, battled back gamely when hooked by that foe into the lane, was still in the thick of it to midstretch while holding the fence but then couldn’t keep pace with the top two in the final half-furlong. Gift Box, the West Coast raider who was favored off a win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and sharp second in the Grade 1 Gold Cup there May 27, sat midpack while quite wide, remained very wide throughout, loomed a threat into the lane while still well outside but flattened out in the final furlong. Surely the wide trip cost him. He’s likely to go back to his Southern California home base and target the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 17 at a longer 1 1/4-mile trip he probably prefers. Yoshida, making his first start since finishing sixth in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup March 30, sat well back after breaking from his far-outside post, remained toward the back while wide, came with a decent run into the lane while still wide before flattening out. Like Gift Box he was surely hurt by the wide trip. Tenfold, game winner of the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard at Pimlico May 17, was away slowly to be last after the start, remained last until the top of the lane and was then only able to pass a few tiring rivals while never a factor at any point.

Churchill
Regret (race 9)

COMMENT: Hard Legacy was an even fourth in the Grade 2 Appalachian on soft turf at Keeneland April 7, but after a freshening and with a return to firm footing here the daughter of Hard Spun got back on track, notching her first stakes win. She broke well, pressed early pacemaker Winter Sunset to her inside, soon assumed pacemaking duties, set a modest pace while that rival took back some, moved off the rail and to her outside to continue to apply pressure, remained up front on the inside, met the challenge from Winter Sunset who ranged up her outside into the lane, rebuffed her bid and edged clear again in the final half-furlong. Winter Sunset, who ran on for third, albeit well beaten, behind maybe the two best members of the 3-year-old filly turf division (Concrete Rose, Newspaperofrecord) in the Grade 3 Edgewood here on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, broke alertly to go right to the lead, soon relented pacesetting duties to Hard Legacy, took back and moved off the inside, shifted to the outside of Hard Legacy to press that rival, continued to dog that rival, threw down her challenge in earnest into the lane but couldn’t get to Hard Legacy and relented in the final half-furlong. Varenka, fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf here last Nov. 2 as a maiden and a smart winner over maidens at Belmont May 11 in her first start since and sent off the favorite here, lagged back, remained wide on the far turn, came with a nice run turning for home, got crowded a bit into the lane, angled to the inside for room and got going well again between horses to finish nicely. Hungry Kitten, so impressive when blasting home with the addition of blinkers to beat maidens here May 4 on the Kentucky Derby undercard, broke a bit slowly to be last from the start but never made a move.

June 16

Belmont
Poker (race 8)

COMMENT: A chaotic finish at the end of this when favored Clyde’s Image seemingly had this won but appeared to take a bad step just a stride or two before the wire which led to a five-horse blanket finish. On the far outside it was Gucci Factor who won the blanket photo by the narrowest of margins. Coming off four wins in his last five starts, including a win over New York-breds in a stakes here May 27, Gucci Factor sat well back early as Dr. Edgar set a strong pace, remained well back to the top of the lane, swung wide and finished strongly to just get up for the nose win. This was an awfully nice run, though you get the feeling if you ran this race five times you might get five different winners. Hembree, a rallying second in a stakes at Churchill last time out May 2, stalked in fifth, came with a smart run between horses in the lane, finished well and just missed. Krumpus, freshened since a disappointing seventh in the Grade 3 Appleton at Gulfstream March 29, stalked in third while saving ground, looked in trouble into the lane when losing some ground but got going again, rerallied and finished smartly to miss by just two noses. Dr. Edgar, second in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy here May 4 on soft turf, broke sharply from his far outside post, made off to a clear early lead while managing to work his way to the rail, set solid splits under pressure from favorite Clyde’s Image and Krampus, continued on gamely along the fence to be part of the blanket finish. Clyde’s Image, favored off a good third in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, a race won by top turf horse Bricks and Mortar, broke well from his rail slot to contest the very early pace, took back a bit as Dr. Edgar assumed pacesetting duties, came off the inside and move outside Dr. Edgar to stalk that rival, came with his challenge into the lane, took a narrow lead as the field came at him, seemed on his way to victory but took an awkward step just a couple strides before the wire and was being pulled up as four rivals edged past on the line. He was vanned off. Early reports were that he suffered a bowed tendon in his right fore. Ticonderoga, ninth in the Old Forester Turf Classic, lagged well back from the start racing wide and in the clear, remained wide on the turn and into the lane, kept to his task and made some progress but was never really a danger.

Santa Anita
Affirmed (race 8)

COMMENT: Mucho Gusto got lost in the shuffle some this year what with his more vaunted stablemates including champion Game Winner and Grade 1 winners Improbable and Roadster. However, the $625,000 son of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man has done plenty of good work himself, winning here for the fifth time in seven starts and notching his fourth Grade 3 win. Back to routing after easily winning the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera at 7 furlongs here May 18, he broke well from his outside post but showed the handiness to bide his time in fourth as Visitant set a modest pace under pressure from Kingly. He bided his time there, remained wide and in the clear, came with a smart run into the lane to grab the lead, edged clear and kept to his task well to win fairly comfortably over his aforementioned more highly regarded stablemate Roadster. This might earn him a shot at the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth July 20. Roadster, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby here April 6 but then dull when sixteenth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby May 4 (moved up to fifteenth via disqualification), sat just behind the eventual winner from the start, remained just in behind to the far turn, didn’t accelerate as early or as quickly as that rival but swung to the outside, got going in the final furlong to get up for second widest of all, though he was never really a danger to the winner in the final furlong. This was still a nice bounce-back after that Kentucky Derby debacle and the Haskell could be on his radar as well, though there’s also the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby July 13 to consider. Visitant, trying dirt for the first time after winning three of his first four starts all on Golden Gate’s synthetic track including a stakes win last time out May 19, showed more speed than usual as he went right to the lead from his rail slot, took pressure first from Always Forgiven, then more earnestly from Kingly, lost the lad to Kingly turning for home, rerallied between horses into the lane but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Kingly, the third Baffert runner, pressed Visitant from the start, poked his head in front on the far turn while inside but then couldn’t keep pace thereafter.