Trip Notes for June 28-29: Mother Goose, Iowa Oaks, Iowa Derby, Gold Cup and more...

Saturday, June 28

Belmont - Mother Goose (race 4)

COMMENT: We didn’t need any more evidence of Untapable’s stranglehold on the 3-year-old filly division, but the daughter of Tapit provided it anyway with a romping win. Remaining unbeaten and untested in four starts this year, the filly broke well, was forced to steady when Princess Violet veered in suddenly coming out of the chute, recovered and moved off the inside for clear sailing, easily moved up to challenge then-leader Princess Violet turning for home, took over and drew off to win a laugher. Trainer Steve Asmussen said there is some thought about trying boys down the road, though right now the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga on July 20 is the most logical next step. Princess Violet broke sharply, went out to a clear lead, veered inward coming onto the main portion of the track, forcing Untapable to steady and House Rules to check, straightened, set a solid pace, was no match for the winner when that gal made her move, but stayed on gamely to hold second despite racing erratically through the lane. America stalked the pace and stayed on decently, nearly catching the erratic runner-up. House Rules broke well, had to steady when pushed toward the rail when Princess Violet veered inward, lost plenty of ground and her momentum, and was unable to get going again.

Belmont - New York (race 9)

COMMENT: Riposte made her case to be considered one of the top distaff turf stayers in the land with a second straight smart Grade 2 win. She led all the way to win the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay here May 24 but showed here that she’s by no means one-dimensional or a need-the-lead type. She didn’t break all that sharply, so she had to settle early. She stalked in fourth as Viva Rafaela set a decent pace, moved closer on the turn, grabbed the lead from the tiring pacesetter, and edged away to win well. Off this, a shot at a race like the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington on Aug. 16 could be next, as the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga may come up too quickly (July 19). Tannery lagged back, bided her time, and came with a nice run but never once really appeared a threat to get to Riposte. Viva Rafaela set the modest pace under pressure from Gathering, still had the lead turning for home but couldn’t finish with the top two. Inimitable Romanee, with three Grade 3 wins in her last four starts, lagged back, swung wide to be just behind the eventual winner on the far turn but then came up empty in a disappointing effort.

Churchill - Bashford Manor (race 6)

COMMENT: Cinco Charlie, an impressive debut winner here May 9, showed his quality again with another stout performance. As with his debut, it was his speed that did the trick. He led all the way to win his debut and here again broke sharply, went right to the lead, took pressure from Silverhill, finally rebuffed that rival into the lane, and edged clear. Silverhill dogged the winner from the start, moved closer turning for home but just couldn’t quite keep pace. Skyway raced third throughout, though he was never really a threat in what was basically a two-horse race. Governmentshutdown, well backed after a stakes win at Pimlico on May 16 and some strong works since, was never a factor in a disappointing effort.

Churchill - Firecracker (race 8)

COMMENT: Silver Max, the last horse to defeat Wise Dan, hadn’t started in almost eight months, but it didn’t matter, as the hard-hitting turfer showed that his speed and guts were intact. He broke sharply to go right to the lead, set fast spits pressured first by Free World and then Regally Ready, rebuffed those rivals into the lane, where he expanded his lead and gamely maintained his edge over three hard-charging foes. His options reportedly include the Grade 3 Oceanport at Monmouth on July 27 and the Grade 2 Fourstardave at Saratoga on Aug. 2, and his long-term goal is likely again the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in the fall, a race in which he ran fourth last year. Nikki’s Sandcastle stalked in fourth, remained there into the lane, and finished well. Guys Reward, the stablemate of the winner, was last early and still seventh turning for home before coming home strongly. Villandry sat back and finished well to be part of a three-horse photo for second.

Prairie Meadows - Iowa Oaks (race 7)

COMMENT: Size was up in class, routing for the first time, and dealing with a sloppy track, but the daughter of First Samurai cleared those hurdles to win for the third time in four starts. She went right to the lead but was quickly overtaken by an eager Dream Spinner, who then shot out to a clear lead. Size was content to sit second, moved up wide to challenge that tiring rival into the lane, took command late, and had enough gas in the tank to keep the favored Ria Antonia at bay in the lane. Ria Antonia bounced back nicely after her Grade 1 Preakness debacle, where she gave way badly against the boys. She bided her time early, swung wide turning for home, and came with a solid, sustained run but just couldn’t get to the winner. Dream Spinner broke well, moved out to a clear lead going into the backstretch, was still there turning for home but weakened just a bit in the lane. Thank You Marylou sat in midpack, started what appeared to be her run turning for home but then had nothing once straightened away.

Prairie Meadows - Iowa Derby (race 8)

COMMENT: Jessica’s Star made it three straight wins and showed he can do some damage against some nice members of his crop as he posted the mild upset. Coming off an optional-claiming sprint at Churchill Downs and then a game win in the mud in a stakes here May 31, he sat in midpack early in the sloppy going, swung wide turning for home, and came with a solid run to just get past Embellishing Bob in the final strides. Embellishing Bob, dropping and stretching out after running seventh in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes undercard, went right to the lead, set a solid pace while pressured by I Got It All, dispatched with that rival on the far turn, only to be immediately taken on by Vicar’s in Trouble, finally put that foe away in deep stretch but then couldn’t fend off the winner in a fine try. Vicar’s in Trouble, favored in his first start since fading badly to finish 19th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, stalked the pace, loomed ominously turning for home, was right in the thick of it to deep stretch but weakened a bit late. Charge Now, coming off a super-impressive N1X win at Belmont on May 30, broke slowly and was never a factor. Maybe this was a bit too much too soon for the son of Horse of the Year Tiznow. But it’s far too early to give up on him.

Prairie Meadows - Cornhusker (race 9)

COMMENT: Carve, coming off a romping optional-claiming win at Churchill Downs, handled the slop just fine as he gamely proved best. He bided his time early, steadily advanced, swung out into the lane, and wore down his rivals to get up in the final strides. Right to Vote, coming off a stakes win here May 26, went right to the lead, set a modest pace under pressure from Ground Transport, doggedly kept that foe at bay, and battled hard to the line but just couldn’t quite fend off the winner. Ground Transport, who faded to fifth in the Grade 2 Brooklyn at Belmont on June 7, dogged pacesetter Right to Vote from the start but just couldn’t quite get past that foe and was unable to finish with the winner. Golden Ticket, the favorite coming off a fifth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 14, lagged back, made a threatening, wide move turning for home but didn’t follow it through to the wire.

Arlington - Chicago Handicap (race 9)

COMMENT: Race was delayed when, sadly, Apropos flipped in the saddling stall suffering a severe injury. She later had to be euthanized. My Option, coming off a so-so sixth in a stakes on Woodbine’s Polytrack on May 24, bounced back to top form and then some with a terrific performance. She bided her time early as Flower Spell ran off to a clear lead, remained well back on the far turn, and then unleashed a strong run from between horses that carried her past and far clear of her rivals to win in a romp. Flower Spell bounded out to a clear lead, looked like the winner when she was still well in front into the lane but then had no answer for the winner’s charge. Disco Barbie, the favorite, sat in midpack, made a mild move into the lane, and plugged along decently for third, though she was never really a threat. Cozze Up Lady, the defending champ, stalked the pace but weakened in the lane.

Santa Anita - Royal Heroine (race 5)

COMMENT: Parranda didn’t let tough foes or the worst post position stop her as the daughter of grass champ English Channel notched her second graded stakes win of the meet (won Grade 3 Wilshire on April 27). Despite her far-outside post (No. 10) she had the speed to be well positioned early, sitting just behind pacesetter Kathleen Rose. She was content to remain there, went after Kathleen Rose into the lane, and after a tough battle finally got the better of that foe. Kathleen Rose, a winner of her previous three and five of her past six, showed she’s the real deal as she was superb in defeat while taking the big step up in class. She again used her speed to go right to the lead, set modest splits while pressured by Dutchessa, got rid of that foe turning for home, was immediately tackled by Parranda, and put up a good fight but fell just a neck short. Moulin de Mougin sat in midpack, came with a threatening run into the lane but couldn’t quite sustain it. Wishing Gate was last early, still last turning for home, and then finished well. Moone’s My Name lagged back, made a mild run into the lane but didn’t follow through. Stormy Lucy, a Grade 2/3 winner here this meet, sat back and never mustered a run.

Santa Anita - Triple Bend (race 6)

COMMENT: Another sprint stakes out West, another different winner as Declassify, who’d shown enormous promise, stepped up in class and handled it well. From his rail slot he dueled with Cyclometer, appeared in trouble when that guy edged in front in midstretch but re-rallied gamely along the fence to get up for the win. He figures to target the two big Del Mar sprints, the Grade 1 Bing Crosby and the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien. But as noted, in sprint stakes so far this meet, you’ve seen Wild Dude, Sahara Sky, Big Macher, and Cyclometer win. And at Del Mar, there may waiting last year’s champion sprinter, Secret Circle, the top-class Goldencents, proven top sprinter Shakin It Up, and the surging Seeking the Sherif. Cyclometer did everything right. He dueled with Declassify from the start, keeping that guy hemmed in on the fence. He looked on his way to victory when he started to edge away into the lane but then couldn’t fend off Declassify’s re-rally. Indexical stalked the pace, gamely chased the top two but just wasn’t good enough. Sahara Sky, the heavy favorite, showed no speed, as is his custom, but never made a move. That makes for suddenly two straight very dull efforts.

Santa Anita - Senorita (race 7)

COMMENT: After two straight smart turf wins here in January, Sheza Smoke Show had a brutal post (10) in the one-mile China Doll on March 8, chased the pace while wide, and faded to fifth behind a couple of top-class gals (Diversy Harbor and Nashoba’s Gold). They opted to freshen her, and that plus a better draw (2) for this one-mile turf contest did the trick, as she posted the upset. She bided her time in midpack, moved closer turning for home, swung out into the lane, and finished smartly to win going away. It may also have helped that she was reunited with jockey Joe Talamo, as he was up for those two January wins but was not aboard in the China Doll. Famous Alice was just behind the winner every step. She was just behind her early, made her move in tandem with the winner but found that gal a bit too strong in the final furlong. Morning Fix sat back and finished smartly. Rovenna, coming off three straight dirt wins, the last two in California-bred stakes, chased the pace early but gave way readily. It may be back to dirt for her. Clenor, one of the favorites, was bumped soundly at the start and was pulled up going into the clubhouse turn. She did walk off under her own power.

Santa Anita - Gold Cup (race 8)

COMMENT: Majestic Harbor continued his ascent as the 6-year-old son of Rockport Harbor, a Grade 3 winner earlier this meet, became a Grade 1 winner with a smashing performance to easily dismantle the West’s top handicap horses. He sat in third early while Fury Kapcori and Game On Dude set very fast splits, took over from those tiring rivals with a wide run on the turn, moved to the rail into the lane, and shot clear to win in a romp. As impressive as he was visually, he didn’t exactly come home all that fast, however (26.39 seconds). Surely a race like the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 24 is on his radar. There’s pedigree to bolster optimism here, too – he’s kin to Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Danza. Clubhouse Ride was just behind Majestic Harbor from the start, moved with that rival on the far turn while staying inside, but couldn’t keep up as Majestic Harbor just drew off. Imperative lagged back and came with a steady run, though he was never really a threat. Game On Dude, the heavy favorite trying to win his third Gold Cup, broke sharply and was immediately tackled by Fury Kapcori, who then took over the pacesetting duties. Game On Dude chased that foe through fast splits and paid the price as he was done before the quarter pole. These four figure to meet up again at Del Mar.

Sunday, June 29

Belmont - Victory Ride (race 8)

COMMENT: A hot pace played right into the hands of Street Story, and the filly took advantage to post the upset. Making her first start in 11 weeks, the filly bided her time while Red Velvet set a hot pace. She commenced a smart run turning for home and had no trouble going past leader Miss Behaviour and drawing off late to win nicely. Races like the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 2 and the Grade 2 Prioress there Aug. 30 figure on her docket. Miss Behaviour stalked pacesetter Red Velvet from the start, overtook that rival after a half-mile, opened up as if she might win but had no answer for the winner’s charge. She figures to be a Test/Prioress filly as well. Milam was slow into stride, sitting last early, but finished with good energy for third. Red Velvet, the favorite, outsprinted her speedy rivals early but couldn’t keep pace in the lane.

Santa Anita - San Juan Capistrano (race 8)

COMMENT: Big Kick, who could have been claimed for $50,000 on May 10, was coming off a romping optional-claiming win on turf here June 13. He moved up in class and to this longer trip and had no trouble with those hurdles, posting an easy victory. As in his June 13 win, he went right to the early lead, bounded out to an overwhelming lead (10 lengths), was still far in front turning for home and in midstretch, giving him enough of a buffer to get to the line before hard-charging favorite Quick Casablanca could get to him. The latter lagged back and came with a strong, sustained run, but the issue had pretty much already been determined, though he finished far clear of the others (9 3/4 lengths). Starspangled Heat also lagged back and plugged along for third, though he was never a danger. Black Spirit chased the winner from the start but weakened from those efforts.