Trip Notes for June 16-17: Stephen Foster, Summertime Oaks, and more

Churchill
Matt Winn (race 5)

COMMENT: King Zachary had hinted at big ability and on this day the $550,000 son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin put it all together to get the win, leading an exacta finish for trainer Dale Romans. He sat third as stablemate Tiz Mischief was able to set a slow pace with 1-2 favorite Ax Man alongside, remained in third to the top of the lane, surged past the two leaders and drew off to win easily. Off this he figures to get a shot at the deepest waters in the 3-year-old division, namely in races such as the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth next month and Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga in August. Tiz Mischief, fourteenth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby last time out, went right to the lead, was pressed somewhat by Ax Man but was still able to set slow splits, gamely rebuffed that foe into the lane, was no match for his winning stablemate but stayed on well to finish far clear of the rest in a fine try. Ax Man, the heavy favorite after winning three of his first four including a romping win in the Sir Barton at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard May 19, pressed Tiz Mischief from the start, though with his natural speed you would expect he could have gone faster and taken control early, continued with that foe to the top of the lane but then couldn’t keep up. Rider Mike Smith reported the horse was a basket case before the start and in the gate, throwing a fit, so obviously that didn’t help. Combatant, 18th in the Kentucky Derby, was away slowly, sat well back while remaining wide and in the clear but never mustered a run.

Churchill
Wise Dan (race 6)

COMMENT: Mr. Misunderstood, a close-up sixth in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland on April 13 last timeout, appreciated the freshening and return to this course as he’s now 3 for 3 here, posting a smart win. The 4-year-old gelding bumped hard at the start with heavy favorite World Approval to his inside, gathered himself, stalked in fourth as Mr Cub set a modest pace, remained there to the top of the lane, came with a smart run and was able to outfinish the hard-charging Inspector Lynley for the win. Inspector Lynley, last seen finishing second in a tough optional claimer at Belmont on May 11, lagged back from the start, remained back sitting just behind the eventual winner, had to wait for room coming into the lane so wasn’t able to accelerate as early or as quickly as the winner as he was blocked, moved to the inside, found a lane and finished gamely but couldn’t quite outdo the winner. Mr Cub went right to the lead, set a modest pace, looked in trouble when World Approval came to him on the far turn, rebuffed that foe, opened up again into the lane but couldn’t quite fend off the top two. World Approval, last year’s grass champion but coming off a dull fifth in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 10, bumped with the winner at the start but quickly assumed a nice trip sitting second pressing Mr Cub, loomed ominously on the far turn but then came up empty. Could it be that after so much good work this guy just isn’t the horse he once was?

Churchill
Fleur de Lis Handicap (race 7)

COMMENT: Blue Prize showed her affinity for this place with a laugher of a win in the Grade 2 Falls City here in the fall. After a dull Grade 2 Azeri run at Oaklawn on March 17 (seventh) she bounced back to win a stakes at Aqueduct and was then a good second in the Grade 3 DuPont Distaff at Pimlicoon May 18 and confirmed she’s back on track and loves this place with a handy win here. She broke well to sit a couple lengths off a decent pace set by Farrell and Apologynotaccepted while saving ground, remained inside as Awestruck moved up to challenge Farrell on the far turn, came with her run between horses to reel-in then-leader Farrell in the lane and drew off. Trainer Ignacio Correas IV wasn’t keen about naming what start might be next for the 5-year-old daughter of Pure Prize, but did say “Saratoga might be next,” likely meaning something like the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 29 or Grade 1 Sword Dancer on Aug. 25. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff here in November is her primary target. Farrell again ran well in defeat. She went right up to contest the lead from her outside post, proved quicker than Apologynotaccepted going into the backstretch, was able to set a modest pace, rebuffed a challenge from Awestruck into the lane, opened up again as if ready to go on to victory but then was no match for the winner in the final half-furlong. Mopotism, an invader from Southern California, bided her time toward the back while saving ground, came with a nice run between horses into the lane, ran on well to be a clear third but was never really a threat to the top two. Awestruck stalked the pace, loomed a big threat turning for home but couldn’t sustain her bid. Valadorna, well backed after taking Keeneland’s Grade 3 Doubledogdare on April 20, lagged back, made a mild move while quite wide on the far turn but had little to offer thereafter.

Churchill
Stephen F. Foster Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Pavel has been knocking on the door of the upper echelon in the handicap division (fourth in three Grade 1s and a Grade 2 in last four starts) but put it all together here for the smart win. The son of Creative Cause stalked as Uncle Mojo set a modest pace under pressure from Irish War Cry, bided his time on the stalk as heavy favorite Backyard Heaven moved up to contend for the lead on the far turn, launched his run into the lane with a smart wide move to quickly assume command and draw off for the easy win. Any and all the big handicap races across the country figure on his radar. It doesn’t hurt that the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic is to be held here in November and this shows he likes the place. Oddly enough, trainer Doug O’Neill was just two for his previous 50 starters at Churchill – though those two were I’ll Have Another and Nyquist, both winners of the Kentucky Derby. Honorable Duty, romping winner of an optional claimer here May 20, bided his time early, hit the rail on the first turn but remained midpack, pitched wide on the far turn and into the lane, finished well to just get second though he was never a danger to the winner. Matrooh, big winner of the Grade 3 Hanshin on Arlington’s synthetic track May 12 (though six of his eight wins came on dirt), lagged well back from the start, steadily advanced to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane and finished well, only missing second by a neck. Backyard Heaven, the overwhelming 4-5 favorite off a big win in the Grade 2 Alysheba here on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 4, was quite disappointing. He seemed in a great spot stalking in third while saving ground, remained inside going down the backstretch, moved up eagerly to engage then-leader Uncle Mojo as pacepresser Irish War Cry backed out of it, looked poised to take command into the lane but just as suddenly came up empty. Irish War Cry, something of a Jekyll-and-Hyde but coming off a big win in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special at Pimlico on May 18, went right up to contest the early lead with Uncle Mojo, continued to dog that rival going down the backstretch but suddenly backed out of it going to the far turn and was pulled up. He was vanned off.

Churchill
Regret (race 9)

COMMENT: After two big wins in three starts Beyond Blame couldn’t handle the bog-like conditions in the Grade 3 Edgewood here May 4, finishing sixth. However, she got firm turf for this and got back on track as the daughter of Blame notched her first graded stakes win. As the tepid 7-2 favorite she was troubled at the start, settled midpack, bided her time there, steadily advanced while wide to the far turn, pitched wider still into the lane and finished well to grab the lead by midstretch and edge clear in the final furlong. Go Noni Go, back to turf after running fifth in the Grade 3 Selene on Woodbine’s synthetic main track May 19, stalked the early pace, soon assumed pacesetting duties, set modest splits under pressure from early pacesetter Romantic Moment, got rid of that foe on the far turn but was quickly taken on the eventual winner, couldn’t keep pace with that foe in the final furlong and just held second in a good try. Heavenly Love, winner of last fall’s Grade 1 Alcibiades on Keeneland dirt but off the board in four starts since, perked up some as she was troubled at the start to be last at the first margin call, was still well back turning for home, pitched wider out on the turn and into the lane and finished full of run, just failing to get up for second. Secret Message, a well-beaten second in her first try on turf in a stakes on soft grass at Pimlico May 18, broke awkwardly to be well back early, raced with Heavenly Love much of the way, rallied with that foe into the lane but couldn’t quit stay with that foe in the final furlong. Romantic Moment, a $425,000 daughter of Flatter and winner of her last two, her first starts on grass, stepped up in class here, went right to the lead, set a brisk early pace under pressure from Go Noni Go, tried to battle back when Go Noni Go took command going into the far turn but couldn’t keep pace and gave way readily, ending up last of 13.

Santa Anita
Summertime Oaks (race 6)

COMMENT: For Ollie’s Candy it was first time routing, first time on dirt, first time in a stakes and first time shipping out of her Golden Gate home. None of that mattered as the daughter of Candy Ride handled all the challenges to gamely prevail, making it three wins in as many starts and stamping herself one to watch in the 3-year-old filly division. From her outside post she showed the speed to sit second behind 7-5 favorite Thirteen Squared, who set a modest pace, remained in behind that rival to the far turn, moved up to challenge that runner to her outside into the lane, grabbed a narrow lead by midstretch and stayed on gamely to narrowly prevail. The next graded stakes dirt route opportunity for 3-year-old fillies isn’t until the Grade 3 Torrey Pines at Del Mar Aug. 26. The Grade 2 San Clemente on turf, which would be her first start on that footing, at Del Mar on July 21, might be next. Thirteen Squared, back to routing after looming a threat before fading to fourth in the Angel Flight (a sprint) here May 12, went right to the lead from her rail slot, set modest splits while taking only symbolic pressure from the eventual winner, still held a clear lead turning for home, battled back when confronted by Ollie’s Candy into the lane, stayed on gamely to the line only to come up just a neck short while finishing far clear of the others. Chocolate Martini, an East Coast invader who last ran fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill on May 4, was again done-in by her lack of speed as she was last out of the gate, remained well back to the top of the lane while saving ground, made some headway in the lane but had left herself with far too much to do and was unable to be a factor. Zusha sat fourth from the start, loomed a threat on the turn and into the lane but couldn’t sustain her bid and lost third in the final few strides.

June 17

Belmont
Poker (race 9)

COMMENT: Oscar Performance hadn’t run since fading to ninth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar last Nov. 4 and missed some training a month or so ago when hit with a minor bout of colic. None of that mattered as the 4-year-old son of turf champ Kitten’s Joy stamped himself a potential major player in the grass division, not only winning smartly, not only setting a course record in the process (the old one, established by Elusive Quality, was set way back in 1998) but equaling the world record for a mile (1:31.23, set by Mandurah at Monmouth in 2010). He broke cleanly, established a nice trip stalking as Black Tide set a very fast pace, remained outside in the clear, advanced on the far turn, came with a strong run into the lane to drive past then-leader Voodoo Song, opened up and had little trouble keeping Made You Look at bay in the final furlong. Trainer Brian Lynch said he’d likely keep Oscar Performance at around a mile, though he also has top miler Heart to Heart so he may have to do a bit of juggling to keep the two separated. If staying at this type of trip is the plan then something like the Forbidden Apple here July 14 could be next and/or the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga on Aug. 11. There’s also the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup at a slightly longer trip (1 1/8 miles) July 29, so he has options. Made You Look, coming off a big optional claiming win here May 11, his first start for trainer Chad Brown and first action of any kind in 10 months, bided his time early not far behind the eventual winner, didn’t accelerate as early or as quickly as that rival but came with a smart run in the lane to close the gap on ‘Performance, though he was never really a danger. Voodoo Song stalked the pace, moved to the lead turning for home, proved no match for the winner but kept to his task gamely to hold third. Ballagh Rocks, favored off a good second in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland on April 13, showed more speed than usual to press the pace, remained in close attendance to the sizzling pace to the far turn but paid the price for that as he came up empty in the lane. Force the Pass, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Derby here in 2015 and coming off a game stakes win at Monmouth on May 5, his first start in over 18 months, stalked the pace while saving ground, remained there but was unable to launch a bid to challenge. Could be at this stage of the game this company is a tad too deep for him.