Trip Notes for June 25 - June 26: Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Triple Bend

Belmont
Bed o’ Roses Handicap (race 9)

COMMENT: By the Moon, a Grade 1 winner at 2 and twice Grade 1-placed at 3, showed she’s still got her quality at 4 as the daughter of Indian Charlie beat some nice gals in just her second start of the year. Coming in off a fourth in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct on April 17, her first start in eight months, she bided her time early as West Coast Chick set a decent pace, waited for room while main rival Wavell Avenue swung wide for clear sailing, found a seam between horses, pulled her way through, and finished strongly for the win. She’s so effective at this one-turn trip that she could certainly target a race like the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga this summer, though that’s also a target for top sprinting distaffer Taris. Wavell Avenue, the winner of last fall’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and coming off a fourth to Taris in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 7, lagged back with By the Moon, made a strong, wide run into the lane, ran on well, but couldn’t finish with the winner. A race like the Ballerina certainly figures to be on her radar as well. Bar of Gold, who beat By the Moon when third in the Distaff and was then a smart winner of a New York-bred stakes here May 30, stalked in third, was in the vanguard coming into the lane, but couldn’t finish with the top two. She’s another who could eye the Ballerina.

Monmouth
Eatontown (race 10)

COMMENT: After chasing the beast known as Tepin in a couple of outings earlier this year, Isabella Sings has found that avoiding that girl works wonders, as she was a smart winner here, meaning she’s won her last three races that didn’t include Tepin in the starting gate. Of course, victory was expected as she was an overwhelming favorite here. It was again her speed that proved lethal as she basically led them on a merry chase. She bounced right out to a clear lead, set a solid pace, taking some pressure from Invading Humor, but then shot back out to a clear lead into the lane and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. Surely, a race like the Grade 3 Matchmaker here July 31 on Haskell Day figures to be on her radar. Sea Coast, a smart winner against lesser here May 28, showed she’s not out of her element at this level as she lagged back, had to wait for room turning for home, but found a lane and finished smartly, even if she was no danger to the winner. She could target the Matchmaker as well. Bureau de Change, who like the winner has an aversion to Tepin (won two straight at Tampa Bay Downs last winter, then was off the board in three straight, all won by Tepin), bumped with the winner at the start, settled toward the back, came with a wide run on the far turn and into the lane, was alongside Sea Coast, kept to her task, but was unable to finish with Sea Coast while traveling well enough to get third.

Arlington
Chicago Handicap (race 6)

COMMENT: Sarah Sis had had a tough go of it this year, but the Grade 2 winner got back on track here with the class drop. Last seen chasing monster sprinting distaffer Taris in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 7, she dropped, returned to synthetic, and got her groove back. She went right out to the lead, took immediate pressure from Kathballu, set a solid pace, rebuffed that foe’s challenge into the lane, and was actually edging away a bit at the wire. Trainer Ingrid Mason said her prime target is the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga this summer, though that likely will be as tough a spot as the Humana Distaff. Kathballu dogged the winner from the start, moved closer to try to challenge her into the lane, nearly got up alongside by midstretch, but couldn’t quite get to her. You Bought Her lagged well back, came with a decent run in the lane, but wasn’t ever really a threat to the top two. Minks Surprise likewise sat well back, was wide on the turn, and finished decently.

Santa Anita
Triple Bend (race 8)

COMMENT: Lord Nelson came back after more than five months to blast a real nice bunch here June 3, and the fact that trainer Bob Baffert wheeled him back this quickly for this should have told you everything, as it appears there’s a new major player in the sprint division. He broke sharply to get a nice trip pressing pacesetter Subtle Indian. He remained there to the far turn, moved up to challenge for the lead, seemed in trouble when Subtle Indian extended his lead again, but was asked for run and came home gamely to wear down and edge past the game pacesetter. The two main sprints at Del Mar, the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 31 and the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien on Aug. 27, figure to be on his radar. Subtle Indian, a gallant second in the Grade 2 Kona Gold here May 21, again ran very well but again had to settle for the second slot. He shot out of the gate, as is his custom, set solid splits under pressure from Lord Nelson and Ambitious Brew, was taken on by ‘Brew, ‘Nelson and even an early-moving Kobe’s Back into the lane, opened up some as if on his way to victory, but then just couldn’t quite fend off Lord Nelson. Kobe’s Back, the multiple graded stakes winner, lagged back, as is his custom, pitched wide on the turn, made a threatening run into the lane, but flattened out a bit late. He figures to go to Del Mar and eye that track’s two big sprints, along with Lord Nelson.

Santa Anita
The Gold Cup at Santa Anita (race 9)

COMMENT: The blossoming Melatonin accomplished something done by some of the West Coast greats, backing up his win in the Santa Anita Handicap here in March with a victory in the storied Gold Cup. Last seen finishing a good second in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 16, he stalked pacesetter Lieutenant Colonel from the start through modest splits, was content to remain there to the far turn, where he moved up to take a narrow lead, was challenged in the lane by Win the Space, gamely rebuffed that rival, and was actually edging clear in the final half-furlong. He figures to target the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August, though that could be much more daunting with the likes of defending champ Beholder, California Chrome, Dortmund, Firing Line and others eyeing that race. Win the Space, making just his second start of the year after a game optional-claiming win here May 15, showed he was by no means out of his element as he sat just behind Melatonin from the start, moved up outside that rival to challenge into the lane, gamely kept to his task, but couldn’t get to him and was actually losing ground on him through the final furlong. Hard Aces, the winner of this race last year and coming off a good second to in the Grade 2 Californian here May 22, looks like he’s back on his game as he was just behind the top two from the start while stalking and gamely chased those two to the line. Hoppertunity, a sharp second in this last year, freshened since finishing a good third in the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup in late March and who has done much of his best work here (3 of his 5 wins), was last early after a slow start and still was last turning for home before putting in a decent rally in the lane, though he was never really a threat to win. Trainer Bob Baffert reportedly considered scratching him a couple days prior but opted to run.