Trip Notes for June 4-5: Beholder Mile, Shoemaker Mile, Penn Mile, and more

June 3

Belmont
Pennine Ridge (race 9)

COMMENT: Oscar Performance was a smart winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita last Nov. 4 but didn’t look like the same horse in his only two starts this season. Well, it was obviously too early to write him off based on those two outings as he bounced back nicely to beat a strong field here. He went right to the lead, as expected, was able to set a modest pace despite some pressure from Secretary at War, was a clear lead into the lane and stayed on well to keep a couple hard-trying rivals at arm’s length to the wire. The Grade 1 Belmont Derby at 1 1/4 miles here July 8 figures next. Good Samaritan was a troubled third behind the winner in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and in his first start of the year rallied well despite being incredibly wide to get second in the Grade 2 American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill May 6. However, he again couldn’t catch Oscar Performance as he was slow into stride, as usual, as the 9-10 favorite, bided his time, came wide into the lane and finished well but couldn’t get to the winner. Ticonderoga, a troubled fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf before winning the Grade 3 Palm Beach at Gulfstream March 4 and running fourth in the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland April 7, was well back early, as is his custom (was in fact last of seven), remained there to the far turn, came with a nice run into the lane, had to alter for clear sailing late and continued on well, just failing to catch the runner-up, though neither was really a big danger to the winner. Good Samaritan and Ticonderoga both figure to have the Belmont Derby on their radar as well. Bowies Hero, 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf but who invaded from Southern California off a win in Santa Anita’s Singletary May 6, stalked in third while inside, had to wait for room coming into the lane, was still in the hunt once straightened away but then couldn’t finish with the top three.

Churchill
Aristides (race 10)

COMMENT: Limousine Liberal looks back on his game. After a so-so fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita Nov. 5 (later elevated to fourth with the disqualification of Masochistic) he was freshened before tiring some to be third in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland April 8. He stepped it up, though, posting a 13-1 upset in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap on the Kentucky Derby undercard here May 6. Here he stalked early as Union Jackson set a strong pace under pressure from Wilbo, moved closer to those dueling leaders by the far turn while staying wide and in the clear, engaged Wilbo into the lane, had to work some to get past that stubborn foe but then drew off once wresting command. The Grade 2 Belmont Sprint Championship July 8 could be next – though the water may be a lot deeper there with the likes of top-class Mind Your Biscuits and A. P. Indian, last year’s winner, also eyeing that race. Wilbo, stepping up off a game optional claiming win here May 12, pressed Union Jackson from the start, got the better of that foe coming into the lane, taking the lead, was immediately taken on by the eventual winner, battled gamely to deep stretch before relenting late. The Truth Or Else sat back and ran on decently for third while widest of all, just failing to catch Wilbo. Union Jackson set a strong pace under constant pressured before weakening in the lane.

Monmouth
Eatontown (race 11)

COMMENT: Race lost a little luster when top contender Time and Motion scratched with plans to instead go in the Grade 2 New York at Belmont June 9, but she’ll miss that as well as she’s reportedly ill. That shouldn’t detract from another fine effort from Grand Jete as the Juddmonte/Chad Brown filly was an impressive winner. The former French runner blasted allowance foes at Keeneland in her U.S. debut April 13 and proved that run no fluke here as she was slow into stride early, bided her time while saving ground as Quiet Kitten set a solid pace under pressure from Cali Thirty Seven, remained toward the back going down the backstretch, steadily advanced to the far turn, waited for room between horses coming into the lane, found a seam, came out and around rallying stablemate Light in Paris to commence her run and stormed past her rivals, leading an all-Brown exacta. This doesn’t mean she’s quite ready for the likes of stablemates Lady Eli, Sea Calisi, Dacita, Roca Rojo, Bainha Da Bateria or Elysea’s World but surely she can do damage in the right spot. Considering she handled this course so well ‘the right spot’ could well be the Grade 3 Matchmaker here on Haskell Day July 30. Another Brown runner, Light in Paris, coming off an easy win in the Plenty of Grace at Aqueduct April 15, was just ahead of her winning stablemate, remained ahead of her, actually having her hemmed in some as she got first run turning for home, came with a threatening run to get to then-leader Zipessa inside the furlong pole but was no match for her stablemate thereafter while able to keep going well for second. Zipessa, coming off a dull fifth in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont May 6 (not only was that her first run in six months, it came at a trip that may be longer than she likes and came on turf surely softer than she prefers), stalked in fourth, came with a smart run into the lane to grab the lead, looked possibly on her way to victory by the eighth pole but then had no answer for the two Brown girls. This was still a nice bounce-back effort. Tin Type Gal, making her first start since running third in the Grade 2 Sands Point at Belmont last Sept. 17, sat well back early but was able to make only modest headway, passing a couple rivals while never a factor.

Penn
Penn Mile (race 9)

COMMENT: Frostmourne showed ample talent in New York last summer/fall, winning two of three including a stakes at Belmont. After a long layoff (eight months) he came back to be a sharp second in a stakes at Aqueduct April 22. Not only did that show he had progressed with the time off, it served a launching pad to this as he notched his first graded stakes win. The son of Speightstown sat fifth as Time to Travel set a decent pace under pressure from Cistron, crept closer turning for home, came with a smart run in the lane to grab the lead inside the furlong pole and draw clear. The Grade 1 Belmont Derby July 9 could be next. Big Score, the slight favorite off a win in the Keeneland’s Grade 3 Transylvania April 7 and good third in the Grade 2 American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill May 6, sat well back early, swung wide on the far turn to commence his run and finished well, though he was never really a danger to the winner having left himself with too much to do. The Belmont Derby could be in his sights as well. After this race and the Pennine Ridge earlier this day the Belmont Derby is shaping up as a heck of a race. Cistron, a Southern California raider coming off a second in a turf sprint stakes at Santa Anita May 13, pressed Time to Travel through modest splits from the start, got the better of that tiring foe turning for home, held a brief lead to midstretch but then couldn’t finish with the top two. Bronson, winner of the English Channel on turf at Gulfstream May 6, stalked in fourth but never mustered a run to get involved when it mattered. He was in a bit tight in the final 70 yards, though he wasn’t really going anywhere by that point. Time to Travel, trying turf for the first time after a second in the Sir Barton at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard May 20, went right out to the lead while holding the fence, took pressure from Cistron, was still in the fight to midstretch but then gave way.

Santa Anita
Shoemaker Mile (race 7)

COMMENT: Bal a Bali got back to his home track, back to firm turf, with the right type of pace and the result was a bounce-back effort to get his second Grade 1 win of the year. After being gone almost 11 months he won the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile here March 11 before finishing midpack (fifth) in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill May 6 on turf that was surely was softer than he prefers. Here he bided his time early while staying outside in the clear as favorite Heart to Heart shot out to set a sizzling pace under some pressure from What a View, remained there to the top of the lane, came with a smart run to reel in then-lead Heart to Heart and go past for the win. Trainer Dick Mandella said his primary end-of-year goal is the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar Nov. 4 and that he’s likely to keep this veteran at a mile. The next big mile race in Southern California is the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Aug. 20. Farhaan, impressive winner of the Grade 3 Thunder Road here April 29, ran well again as the veteran 8-year-old got squeezed back at the start to get away last, was content to bide his time there to the top of the lane before finishing smartly to nip Heart to Heart for second, though he never really seemed a danger to the winner. The Grade 2 Eddie Read at Del Mar July 22 may be next. Heart to Heart, back for another try after running fourth in this last year and coming off a super second (beaten just a neck) in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland April 14, shot out to take the early lead, set fast fractions under some pressure from What a View, dispatched with that foe and pacepressing Free Rose on the far turn as he opened up a clear lead, was clear further by the eighth pole but then paid the price for his early work as he was unable to finish with the winner and then just got nipped by the runner-up. He figures to return East and could reappear at Saratoga. Bolo, surely among the top milers on this circuit the past year or so, stalked in third but couldn’t keep up on the far turn and then wilted in the lane. This comes on the heels of a ninth in the Maker’s 46 Mile and third to Farhaan in the Thunder Road so could be he’s in need of a freshening. What a View, winner of this last year and wheeled back quickly after a Cal.-bred stakes win here May 20, chased Heart to Heart through hot splits but was done before reaching the top of the lane, fading to last. The turnaround may have been a bit ambitious, but surely chasing the hot pace of Heart to Heart was the big culprit.

Santa Anita
Beholder Mile (race 8)

COMMENT: It may have been just a field of three after a couple scratches but this remained a much-anticipated match-up of three top distaffers (lacked only superstar filly Songbird) with champion Stellar Wind laying down the gauntlet to Songbird that she’d best come back at full strength or better. Coming off an impressive win in Oaklawn’s Grade 1 Apple Blossom April 14 over Terra Promessa (who flattered her greatly by coming back to romp in the Grade 3 DuPont at Pimlico last month), Stellar Wind broke a step slow but was urged some early, responded by moving up to sit just off Vale Dori through modest splits, moved up alongside that rival on the far turn, battled gamely with that rival all the way to the line and narrowly prevailed. The Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch July 30 at Del Mar, a race she won last year over eventual older distaff champion Beholder, figures next. Vale Dori, winner of her previous six starts, the last five being graded stakes, lost nothing in defeat as she broke alertly from her rail slot, had Finest City to her outside briefly but assumed command as that rival took back, set a modest pace under her own power as Stellar Wind pressed her, seemed to be waiting for the challenge from Stellar Wind, which came to her on the far turn, battled gamely with that foe all the way to the line to only narrowly miss in a superb effort. The Clement L. Hirsch figures in her plans as well. Finest City, last year’s distaff sprint champion and coming off a game second in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill May 6, broke alertly with Vale Dori but relinquished pacesetting duties to that rival, took back to sit a few lengths behind those two while saving ground but was never able to seriously threaten thereafter. She’ll reportedly be freshened with her main target being defense of her Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint title at Del Mar Nov. 4. Trainer Ian Kruljac said she’d probably have just one start prior to that.