Trip Notes for June 23-24: Ohio Derby, San Carlos Stakes, and more

June 23

Arlington

Chicago Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Hotshot Anna had run just once before on synthetic footing, finishing off the board. She was trying it again here but came into this off two sharp races at Canterbury Downs and the footing didn’t matter as the 4-year-old daughter of Trappe Shot continued her good form with a big win. She didn’t just handle the footing, she thrived on it. She broke alertly to dog early pacesetter Marquee Miss from the start, kept after that foe through strong splits, dispatched with that foe into the lane, opened up and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter, setting a track record for the 7-furlong distance in the process. Princess La Quinta, winner of four of five here including the Grade 3 Matron here last time out on May 19, shortened up to a sprint after 12 routes, stalked in fourth early while saving ground, improved her position going to the far turn, though still well behind the dueling pacesetters, tried to make a run at the eventual winner into the lane while saving ground, was no match for that foe but kept on well to get second. This shows she can handle this shorter trip just fine. Union Strike, a scary invader who was a Grade 1 winner at Del Mar in the summer of 2016 and Grade 2-placed at Churchill Downs in May 2017 but making just her second start of the year and first in five and a half months, was away slowly, saved ground while toward the back, steadily advanced, came with a nice run in the lane and while never a threat to the winner got close to the runner-up. One Liz, winner of five of her seven starts here and back to sprinting after a second in a stakes here June 9, pressed the strong early pace, remained in stalking mode to the far turn, was no match for the big winner but kept to her task decently for fourth.

Thistledown

Ohio Derby (race 9)

COMMENT: Core Beliefs found top sophomores Justify and Bolt d’ Oro far too tough when a well-beaten third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby but a good second in Belmont’s Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 12 showed the $350,000 son of Quality Road had ample quality. He further affirmed that here with a game victory. He was a bit slow into stride, sitting well back early as Flameaway set a modest pace under some pressure from big longshot Caloric. Core Beliefs steadily improved his position while staying wide and in the clear, remained wide on the far turn when really asked for run and finished doggedly to just outduel favorite Lone Sailor for the narrow win. This could earn him another shot at the deepest waters, i.e., the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth next month and/or Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga this summer. Lone Sailor, favored off an eighth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and good fifth in the Grade 1 Preakness (beaten by just two lengths by eventual Triple Crown winner Justify), sat midpack early, not far in front of the eventual winner, remained midpack as the winner went past him to his outside on the far turn, came with a smart run in the lane between horses to grab the lead but just couldn’t quite outduel the winner in a fine try. Trigger Warning, a longshot, stalked the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane, actually took the lead by midstretch but just couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Flameaway, the second choice making his first start since finishing 13th in the Kentucky Derby, went right to the lead, set a modest pace while saving ground taking some pressure from big longshot Caloric, dispatched with that foe turning for home while staying on the fence, battled back when challenged to midstretch before weakening in the final half-furlong.

Santa Anita

San Carlos (race 11)

COMMENT: With reigning sprint champion Roy H having just returned to training, the West Coast sprint division was a bit puzzling. American Anthem was a good third to Roy H in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship last Oct. 7 as a 3-year-old, but wasn’t seen again until earlier this month in an optional claimer at Churchill. When the $435,000 son of Bodemeister won that nicely it said he was a bigger, badder dude as a 4-year-old and he validated that here with a game victory. He showed good speed as the heavy 9-10 favorite to duel with longshot St. Joe Bay from the start while outside that foe, continued to hound that rival through strong splits, moved up to grab the lead into the lane, looked poised to possibly edge away but had to battle all the way to the wire to topple his courageous rival. Off this he figures to target the two big sprints at Del Mar, the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 28 and the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien on Aug. 25. He might well run into Roy H in either or both, too. St. Joe Bay, a $62,500 claim off a third last time out, validated that claim as he ran splendidly in defeat. He went right to the lead while holding the fence, immediately had ‘Anthem at his throatlatch to his outside, continued to set a strong pace with ‘Anthem hounding him all the way, looked in trouble by midstretch when ‘Anthem took the lead but battled back gamely to just miss. This guy was a Grade 3 winner here in late 2016, Grade 2 winner here in early 2017 so he’s got back-class and this run hints he’s as good as ever. The two aforementioned Del Mar sprints figure on his radar as well. Horse Greedy was slow into stride to be well back early, remained well back to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane and finished well to close the gap on the top two though he was never really a danger to them. Touching Rainbows, the 5-2 second choice off four straight optional-claiming wins, pressed the top two from the start, was still there turning for home but then gave way. He may finally have found his ceiling.

June 24

Santa Anita

Wilshire (race 9)

COMMENT: The revolving door that is the middle-distance turf distaff division out West got another surprise when Storm the Hill, who failed to hit the exacta in her first four start this year, finished strongly to post the upset. She last won the Unzip Me down the hill here last September, so she’s got some quality. She returned West after two dull stakes tries at Gulfstream to start the year, a dull sixth in a turf sprint stakes at Keeneland on April 14 and a troubled third in an optional-claiming turf route at Churchill on May 12. With a bullet work under her belt she was a bit slow away from the gate, bided her time toward the back of the pack as Miss Julie Star set a strong pace, crept closer by the far turn, came with a strong run into the lane to overtake then leader Cordiality inside the eighth pole, drawing off while keeping her rallying stablemate Ancient Secret at bay in the final half-furlong. This may earn her a shot at the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar on Aug. 4 at 1 1/16 miles. Ancient Secret, a stablemate of the winner, moved back to a route here after a fine second in the Grade 2 Monrovia down the hill here May 28 (behind Belvoir Bay, likely the best turf sprinting distaffer in SoCal), stalked in fourth, loomed a threat into the lane, finished well but couldn’t finish with her winning stablemate. Cordiality, coming off a smart win over statebreds in the Fran’s Valentine here May 19, dogged early pacesetter Miss Julie Star, engaged that rival into the lane, got the better of her by midstretch but couldn’t fend off the top two. Beau Recall, rallying winner of the Grade 2 Royal Heroine here April 7 and a strong-finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Gamely here May 26 (won by Sophie P), was slow away from the gate, as is her custom, sitting last early, remained at the back of the pack to the far turn, came with a nice run to pass a few rivals but was never really a threat to the top three. Sophie P, 14-1 upset winner of the aforementioned Gamely, sat midpack, moved to the inside into the lane as if ready to make a run but the run never came. A number of the vanquished figure to target the Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar for another potential shot at the winner.