Trip Notes for March 18-19: Rebel, Azeria, Inside Information, Santa Margarita

March 18

Gulfstream

Inside Information (Race 11)

COMMENT: Distinta picked the right day to run the race of her life as she notched her first graded stakes win. She bided her time off a very fast pace, still had work to do turning for home as Dearest had opened up but finished resolutely between horses to reel in Dearest and outfinish another hard-charging longshot, Wheatfield. Wheatfield, coming off a game second in a turf sprint stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 28, was away slowly, remained at the back of the pack, started to advance into the lane but like the winner still had work to do to catch Dearest but again, like the winner, charged home and just missed. Dearest, freshened since winning the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl here Dec. 17 and the second choice behind odds-on Curlin’s Approval, pressed a hot pace set by longshot Danessa Again, took over from that tiring rival turning for home, opened up into the lane looking as though she would go on to an easy win but then got a little tired late and couldn’t quite fend off the top two. Curlin’s Approval was a major disappointment. Heavily favored after easily winning the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at this trip here Jan. 28 and romping in the Grade 2 Royal Delta routing here Feb. 18, she cut-back in distance here and there was concern over that. It turned out to be well founded. From her outside post she broke slowly, was eager to advance and pulled her way into stalking position while staying well wide down the backstretch, remained very wide on the far turn, was asked to pick it up on the turn but was unable to make a dent. Prior to this, her connections said her main goal was the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on May 5 on the Kentucky Oaks undercard so if she comes out of this all right that figures to remain the plan, but the fact she never got involved at any point was disconcerting.

Oaklawn

Azeri (race 7)

COMMENT: This looked like a good spot for Terra Promessa to confirm her love of this track and pad her resume and she went into this the heavy 1-5 favorite and was a perfect 5-for-5 over this track. Alas, things didn’t work out at all for her as she faltered, which allowed Streamline, who chased Terra Promessa in vain in the last two starts, to get back on the winning track. Third in this last year before running second in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom, Streamline showed more speed than usual to prompt the pace set by She Mabee Wild, took over from that rival going to the far turn and kept to her task gamely to fend off a hard-trying Eskenformoney. A return in the Apple Blossom on April 14 figures next. Eskenformoney, who shipped in from Gulfstream after running third to the red-hot Curlin’s Approval in the Grade 2 Royal Delta last month, stalked the pace, was positioned to keep heavy favorite Terra Promessa hemmed in along the fence, came with a strong run on the far turn, doggedly kept after the winner, continued to creep closer but just couldn’t quite get to her. The Apple Blossom figures on her radar as well. Of course, the fact champion Stellar Wind is pointing for the Apple Blossom as well means that spot will be quite a bit tougher. Tiger Moth, stepping up in class after winning an optional claimer here Jan. 22, lagged back and finished with good energy for third. Terra Promessa, so impressive winning the Pippin and Grade 3 Bayakoa earlier this meet, had a miserable time of it. She took up sharply when outgunned by a couple rivals early, got pinned on the rail while sitting third, remained stuck inside while rank and pulling, had to steady again on the far turn when still trapped inside, finally found room into the lane but was unable to muster the necessary run. Prior to this she had to be considered one of the favorites, if not the favorite for next month’s Apple Blossom. She showed here she can indeed be defeated on this track, though as noted she was significantly troubled. The Apple Blossom and a chance for revenge figure next, provided she exited this race well.

Oaklawn

Rebel (Race 10)

COMMENT: It was Malagacy’s first route, his first try vs. stakes foes, and first time away from Gulfstream, but none of that mattered as the son of Grade 1 Preakness winner Shackleford tossed his hat into the Derby ring with a professional victory. He didn’t debut until Jan. 4 (no Derby winner since Apollo in 1882 won the Derby without racing at 2) but won his debut by 15 and then beat winners at Gulfstream by seven on Feb. 12. He showed good speed in those two outings and after breaking a half-step slow here showed here he has some speed and tractability as he got up to be second before the field reached the first turn while Uncontested set a modest pace. He remained there to the far turn, was asked to get going on the turn, moved up to contend into the lane as Uncontested gave way, moved past Untrapped, who had come from midpack to challenge for the lead, and drew clear. There’s a ton of upside here as he can surely benefit from this first route attempt. The Grade 1 Arkansas Derby here April 15 is the logical next spot, according to his trainer, Todd Pletcher. Sonneteer, the highest-priced horse in the race (112-1) who as a maiden invaded from Southern California, sat well back early, came with a nice run once moved to the rail on the far turn and continued to rally up the inside, though he was never a danger to the winner. The Arkansas Derby may be next for him as well. Untrapped, winner of the Smarty Jones here Jan. 16 but who then faded to sixth in the Grade 3 Southwest here Feb. 20, sat midpack, came with a strong run to challenge for the lead coming into the lane but couldn’t sustain his run, couldn’t stay with Malagacy, and just lost second in the final strides. Petrov, second in the Smarty Jones and the Grade 3 Southwest, stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home but couldn’t muster enough of a run to go with the winner but kept on well enough to miss second by two noses. He could also go in the Arkansas Derby, though trainer Ron Moquett also said the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 8 is possible. Royal Mo, who invaded from Southern California off an easy win in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on Feb. 4, stalked the pace just behind and to the outside of Malagacy, was still there to the far turn but then fell apart. American Anthem, the 8-5 favorite off a sharp second in Santa Anita’s Grade 3 Sham and trying to give trainer Bob Baffert his fourth straight win in this race and his seventh win in the previous eight editions, was slow into stride and quite wide early to be just behind Royal Mo, was midpack by the far turn but then gave way to be no factor. According to his rider, Mike Smith, he slipped badly behind leaving the gate. This $435,000 son of Bodemeister has talent but facing tougher and shipping may have been a tad too much too soon.

Santa Anita

Santa Margarita (race 9)

COMMENT: Vale Dori made it five wins in a row and stamped herself the West’s top female – at least until Songbird and Stellar Wind return. She won three straight Grade 2’s (Bayakoa, La Canada, and Santa Maria) before getting this, her first U.S. Grade 1 win – but it wasn’t easy. She broke a bit slowly but had the speed to rush up and take command. She was able to dictate the pace through slow splits (48.23, 1:12.21) taking modest pressure from Finest City, who was on her hip to her outside, extended her lead just a bit turning for home and doggedly kept to her task to keep Finest City at arm’s length to the line. She could ship for something like the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn on April 14 or Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on May 5 on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, or could await the Grade 1 Beholder Mile here June 3. Finest City, champion female sprinter last year after winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and coming off a romping win in the Grade 2 Santa Monica (also a sprint) here Jan. 21, showed she’s adept at this distance as well as she dogged the winner from the start while sitting on her outside, tried gamely to get on terms with that rival turning for home bust just couldn’t get to her in a fine try, finishing far clear of the rest as this was basically a two-horse race from the bell. Her distance and surface versatility gives her all sorts of options. Autumn Flower from her rail slot lagged back and plugged along to get third, though she was never a danger to the top two. After two straight wins she has now chased Vale Dori home in four straight.