Trip Notes for June 29: Mother Goose, Princess Rooney, and more

June 29

Belmont Park

Mother Goose (race 8)

COMMENT: Trainer Chad Brown was so impressed with Dunbar Road, a $350,000 daughter of Quality Road, that after he debut win at Gulfstream Park March 3, he late-supplemented her to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and brought her back in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Parks Oaks March 30 in which she was a rallying second. That seemed to set her up for a shot at the Kentucky Oaks but she failed to qualify on points. Brown opted to regroup, got her an easy allowance win here May 30 to point for the stretch of big races for 3-year-old fillies on the East Coast including this, and the filly showed what had Brown so optimistic as she romped despite some nervous moments. From her rail slot she broke decently, was content to bide her time as Classic Fit moved out to set a modest pace, remained inside behind the pacesetter, came off the rail a bit only to have rival Safta move up to her inside, remained bottled up between and behind horses all the way around the turn, had to wait for room, finally found a seam to allow her out from behind horses, moved to the outside while still in hand, was asked for run in the lane and blew past her rivals to win as much the best. The Grade 1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga July 20 is likely next, though there she could run into her highly talented stablemate Guarana, monstrous winner of the Grade 1 Acorn here on Belmont Stakes day June 8. Should all go well there the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga in August and Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx in September figure in the plans. Classic Fit, winner of her last three but unraced since winning a stakes at Gulfstream Dec. 8, went right to the lead, set modest splits while under some pressure from Jeltrin, dispatched with that foe into the lane while staying inside, was no match for the winner cut kept on well to be a clear second. Jeltrin, a decent third in the Grade 1 Acorn here June 8, pressed Classic Fit from the start while to that foe’s outside, remained in second down the backstretch, moved closer to the pacesetter going to the far turn, challenged that rival in full on the turn, actually put her head in front into the lane but couldn’t sustain her run. She might be better at a shorter game. Safta, a smart maiden winner here May 30, had a troubled trip as she broke slowly, was in tight going down the backstretch while just in behind the eventual winner, was forced to check falling back to last, moved to the rail when Dunbar Road vacated that spot heading to the far turn, moved up eagerly to be just behind the pacesetter and inside the eventual winner, was forced to check again behind Classic Fit, remained on the fence into the lane, tried to make a run in the stretch but weakened in the final furlong.

Churchill Downs

Bashford Manor (race 11)

COMMENT: Phantom Boss shipped in from Southern California off a big maiden win at Santa Anita June 2 and showed his quality as the son of Grade 1 winner Shackleford proved a prompt favorite, though it wasn’t easy. From his rail slot he stalked the pace, got jostled a bit going into the far turn, again on the turn, pitched out for room turning for home, came with a smart wide run to be abreast of three other challengers, saw to fall away inside the furlong pole and got the best of a stubborn Rowdy Yates. Rowdy Yates, romping winner of his debut here May 31, pressed the issue from the start between horses, was in the thick of it turning for home, doggedly kept to his task but couldn’t quite finish with the winner. Verb, a maiden but who had run third in his May 19 debut at Santa Anita (race won by Fore Left who came back to win the Tremont at Belmont June 7, the runner-up was the same Phantom Boss he chased here) and then third here June 14, held a narrow advantage from the start, setting a strong pace under pressure from a few rivals, was still in the hunt to midstretch but couldn’t stay with the top two in the final furlong. Two Last Words, who dueled and drew off to easily win his debut at Indiana Downs May 31, stalked the pace, moved wide on the turn as if poised to make a run but could make only modest headway. Rookie Salsa, winner of the Kentucky Juvenile here May 1 and a well-beaten third in the aforementioned Tremont, was slow into stride and never mustered a run.

Gulfstream Park

Princess Rooney (race 12)

COMMENT: Some light rain resulted in the main track being listed as good. When Stormy Embrace won this last year by six lengths she was a 15-1 surprise. She was no such surprise this year as she defended her title as the heavy favorite. Freshened after two Grade 3 placings here in the fall/winter, she came back after those four months to romp in a state-bred stakes here May 18 by 10 1/2 lengths. Here the daughter of Circular Quay broke well, stalked as Saguaro Row and Razorback Lady dueled up front, moved up easily outside those far on the far turn to take command, was soon confronted by Trenchtown Cat to her outside coming into the lane while staying well off the rail, rebuffed that stubborn rival and kept to her task well to get the win staying out toward the middle of the track. Last year after this she was freshened a few months before returning here in September so maybe they’ll take the same approach with her this year, though off her form she wouldn’t be out of place in a race like the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga Aug. 24. Trenchtown Cat put up a gallant run in defeat. Winner of three of her last four including an easy win in the Ana T. here May 25, she stumbled at the star and got squeezed back between rivals, gathered herself at the back of the pack while saving ground, steadily advanced to the far turn while saving ground, was just behind the dueling leaders to the far turn, pitched off the rail for room, came with a smart run outside the eventual winner on the far turn to loom a big threat, doggedly kept after that rival the rest of the way but couldn’t get to her while remaining widest of all. Royal Asscher, coming off two romping optional claiming wins here this meet, sat back off the pace, remained toward the inside to the top of the lane, came off the inside to go around the two tiring pacesetters and kept to her task to get third though she was never a danger to the top two.

Gulfstream Park

Smile Sprint (race 13)

COMMENT: Still lightly raining so the main track remains listed as good. Diamond Oops was 3-for-4 here coming into this, but those wins all came in 2017 so you wondered if that was water long under the bridge. Coming into this off a respectable fifth in the Grade 1 Jaipur on turf on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 8, the 4-year-old gelded son of Lookin At Lucky affirmed his affection for this place, notching his first graded stakes win. He broke well, got a nice trip stalking as favorite Jalen Journey set a solid pace under pressure from Royal Squeeze, bided his time to the far turn, came with his run outside the leaders, pitched wider still into the lane and battled on to finally take over from Jalen Journey in deep stretch and edge away late. Jalen Journey, favored off three romping wins here this winter/spring but stepping up into stakes ranks for the first time, showed he belonged as he ran big. He went right to the lead, took immediate pressure from Royal Squeeze to his outside while setting a brisk pace, was getting the better of that rival into the lane only to be confronted by Diamond Oops, fought back gamely but finally relented in the final half-furlong. Fast Pass, coming off two straight wins here this spring including a stakes win last time out, was away slowly to be last early, remained there to the top of the lane, pitched wide to make his run and finished well, though he was never really a danger to the top two. Royal Squeeze, coming here in peak form off four straight wins but stepping up in class, dueled with Jalen Journey outside that rival from the start, remained locked in battle with that foe to midstretch before tiring a bit in the final furlong. Garter and Tie, coming off a 10 1/2-length stakes win here June 1, lagged well back from the start, pitched very wide into the lane, made decent headway but was unable to really be a factor. Proforma, shipping in after a solid second in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico May 18, stalked while holding the rail, was still there on the far turn but never mustered a run.

Arlington

Chicago Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: My Mertie was trying graded stakes for the first time but didn’t exactly come into this with the most encouraging pattern as she was gone seven months, was a so-so fifth in her return here May 12 and then gone another month and a half. Well, none of that bothered the 7-year-old daughter of Magna Graduate as she posted the big upset. She bumped slightly with favored Hotshot Anna in the opening strides to get away slowly, sat at the back of the pack from the start as Student Body and Annathela dueled through solid splits, steadily advanced while racing wide, remained well out on the far turn, continued her wide run into the lane, was able to reel in leader Hotshot Anna and draw clear. Four of her eight wins have come here so obviously this is home. Hotshot Anna won her last four including this race a year ago and in her most recent start the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters last Sept. 17. However, she hadn’t been seen since as she got spooked in the stable area, reared, fell over and fractured her withers. Making her first start off that long layoff she bumped slightly with the eventual winner early but had the speed to get into a nice stalking position in third, remained there to the far turn, rolled past the tiring pacesetters into the lane to grab the lead, was confronted by My Mertie to her outside, battled back but succumbed in the final half-furlong. Considering the injury and time off she ran quite well and can move forward off this outing. Heavenly Hill, coming off a big optional-claiming win here May 31, stalked in firth, came with a threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain her bid enough to challenge the top two. Still not bad for a horse who was claimed for just $16,000 last Nov. 18. Excessivespending, coming off a series of good races on turf but trying synthetic for the first time, stumbled at the start, quickly got back on track, stalked the pace outside Hotshot Anna, looked poised to make a run into the lane but flattened out. Student Body, a 9 3/4-length winner in her only prior start here last summer and turf stakes winner at the Fair Grounds this winter, was eager from the break, went right to the lead from her rail slot, immediately got into a duel with Annathela, continued to volley up front with that foe through solid splits while holding the fence but paid the price for the duel as she gave way.