Trip Notes for March 24-25: Louisiana Derby, Sunland Derby, Hutcheson, and more

March 24

Gulfstream
Hutcheson (race 12)

COMMENT: Madison’s Luna, a $400,000 son of top sire Tapit, won his debut in smart fashion at Tampa Bay on Feb. 10, but here he was asked to ship and not only face winners but to do so in a graded stakes. He proved more than up to the task. He broke alertly to sit third early as Belle Tapisserie set a solid early pace, soon pulled his way to the lead going into the far turn, dispatched with the other two speed types and drew off to win easily. Soutache, winner of three of his first four, the last two being stakes here last September, broke a bit slowly but seemed content to bide his time, steadily advanced, came with a run in the lane but was unable to scare the winner while continuing on well to be a clear second. Tricks to Doo, fourth in the Grade 3 Swale here Feb. 3, pressed the early issue as part of the three-horse pace battle, was no match for the winner when that runner set down for the drive and plugged along inside to hold third. Impact Player, favored off a romping optional-claiming winner here Jan. 17, broke slowly from his rail slot to be last, was pushed along on the far turn inside to try to get involved but was unable to do so. The Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill in late April figures next for a few of these, including the winner.

Fair Grounds
New Orleans Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Good Samaritan made a smashing return here, stamping himself a potential big player on dirt and turf, though the race was marred when favored The Player was pulled up turning for home. Good Samaritan, making his first start since finishing a sharp rallying second in the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill on Nov. 24, sat last early in the small field as The Player set a modest pace, remained at the back to the top of the lane, surged into the contention with a wide run, rolled past his rivals to draw away in the final furlong while under a hand ride. As noted, he’s proven top class on both turf and dirt so they have numerous options with him but racing manager Elliott Walden said making him a Grade 1 winner on dirt may be his priority, mentioning races such as the Grade 1 Met Mile at Belmont or the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill in June. Hollywood Handsome lagged back as well, ahead of only the eventual winner, came with a nice wide run in tandem with Good Samaritan into the lane, proved no match for that rival but kept on well to be a clear second. Scuba stalked the pace, took command on the turn when The Player pulled up, but was no match for the top two. The Player went right out to a clear lead, set a modest pace but went wrong turning for home and was pulled up, having reportedly fractured sesamoids in his right fore.

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Fair Grounds
Muniz Memorial Handicap (race 9)

COMMENT: Synchrony ran the race of his life to win the Grade 3 Fair Ground Handicap here Feb. 18, his first start in nine months. He validated that form and then some, proving an easy winner here and stamping himself a potential big player in the coming grass season. The son of Tapit stalked midpack while saving ground as longshot Zulu Alpha set a modest pace under pressure first from Mr. Misunderstood and then Forge, remained midpack to the far turn, came off the inside for room, swung out into the lane and finished strongly to blow past his rivals and win clear. This may have earned him a shot at the Grade 1 Old Forrester Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs on May 5. Arklow, game winner of an optional claimer here Feb. 24, his first start in nearly seven months, stalked the pace, not far ahead of the eventual winner, tried to rally with that foe in the lane, couldn’t match strides with Synchrony but kept on well to get second. Zulu Alpha, fifth in the Fair Grounds Handicap, went right to the lead, took pressure from Mr. Misunderstood and then Forge, gamely rebuffed those rivals in the lane but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Mr. Misunderstood, second in the Fair Grounds Handicap after winning five straight grass stakes, pressed Zulu Alpha from the start, kept up to the pressure to the top of the lane and kept to his task smartly to be a good fourth. Ring Weekend, the former Grade 1 winner who looked like his old self when a romping optional-claiming winner at Gulfstream on Feb. 11, showed there’s still gas in the tank as he lagged back, came with a threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain it. Lucullan, stepping up off an impressive optional-claiming win at Gulfstream on Feb. 11, his first start in four months, got away poorly to be last early, remained well back to the far turn and was able to make some headway and pass a few tired rivals in the lane, though he was never a danger. Forge, second to champion World Approval in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay on Feb. 10, pressed the issue from the start, loomed a big threat turning for home but came up empty when it mattered.

Fair Grounds
Fair Grounds Oaks (race 10)

COMMENT: Chocolate Martini was claimed for $30,000 here Feb. 2 and validated that claim with a game 27-1 optional-claiming win here Feb. 18. She was thrown into deeper water here and made that claim look super as the daughter of Broken Vow notched her first graded stakes win and may have punched her ticket to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. From her outside post she lagged back as favored Classy Act set a strong pace from her rail slot, remained toward the back and a few lanes off the rail, swung wider into the lane and finished strongly to get up for the narrow win. Eskimo Kisses, a romping 11 1/2-length optional-claiming winner in slop here Feb. 22, didn’t quite reproduce that effort on dry land, though she ran well as she was last early while saving ground, came off the inside going to the far turn, pitched widest of all into the lane and finished smartly but just couldn’t quite outdo the winner. Wonder Gadot continued her solid work at this level as the Grade 2 winner/placed daughter of Medaglia d’Oro stalked in fourth, came with her run in the lane to loom a big threat but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. She ran well enough here that the Kentucky Oaks is likely still on her radar. Classy Act, favored after her solid second to the highly regarded Monomoy Girl in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra here Feb. 17, shot out to a clear lead from her rail slot, set fast splits, extended her lead farther on the far turn but paid the price for her early work as she weakened in the lane and was overwhelmed by the top three.

Fair Grounds
Louisiana Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: Noble Indy won his first two starts before finishing a decent third to Bravazo and Snapper Sinclair in the Grade 2 Risen Star here Feb. 17. The son of Take Charge Indy added blinkers and that, plus some experience, got him paydirt as he punched his ticket to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 5. As the favorite he showed enough speed to dog early pacesetting longshot Marmello, easily took over from that tiring foe going into the far turn, looked in trouble when passed by a couple rivals in midstretch but showed heart to get going again, re-rallying to get the narrow win. Lone Sailor, ninth in the Grade 3 Lecomte here Jan. 13 and then second in an optional claimer here Feb. 19, was hustled away from the gate, moved to the inside to save ground while sitting well back, bided his time there, came with a run on the far turn and into the lane, looked as though he might go on to victory when taking a narrow lead by midstretch but couldn’t counter the winner’s re-rally in the final half-furlong. The Kentucky Derby is in his plans as well. My Boy Jack, romping winner of the Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn on Feb. 19, was slow into stride to be last early, remained at the back going to the far turn, swung very wide on the turn, wider still into the lane, surged into contention by midstretch but couldn’t quite sustain his bid. Snapper Sinclair, second in the Risen Star, sat midpack while wide and was basically one-paced throughout. Bravazo broke alertly from his rail slot but was eager and rank, remained that way going down the backstretch, shifted out for room going into the far turn and on the far turn and was unable to muster a run, in fact giving way as his rider left him with no fuel in the lane.

Santa Anita
Santa Monica (race 5)

COMMENT: Selcourt has blossomed into the best sprinting female out West not named Unique Bella, as the daughter of Tiz Wonderful dominated the proceedings, winning her third straight stakes of the meet. Coming off a game tally in the Grade 3 Las Flores here Feb. 18 it was again her speed that proved lethal as she broke sharply, went right to the lead, set a strong pace while staying well off the rail, and then opened up in the lane where she didn’t have a nervous moment. Trainer John Sadler said the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 5 could be next, or they could await the Grade 1 Beholder Mile here June 2, or if she continues to thrive they could try both. Marley’s Freedom, fourth in the Grade 1 La Brea here Dec. 26 and back at these confines after a troubled sixth in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream on Jan. 27, lagged back and came with a steady run up the inside to get second, though she was never a danger to the winner. Skye Diamonds, third in the Las Flores to Selcourt, stalked the pace while saving ground, took back some as Selcourt and Paradise Woods opened up a bit going to the far turn and plugged along to get third from a tiring Paradise Woods without really being a factor. Paradise Woods was disappointing. After a good third to Unique Bella in the Grade 1 La Brea here Dec. 26 she suffered a couple minor setbacks (illness, foot ailment) but had been working strongly for this. She broke decently to press the eventual winner, got to that foe’s outside going down the backstretch, seemed well positioned as she loomed a threat going into the far turn but failed to respond and gave way.

Santa Anita
San Luis Rey (race 10)

COMMENT: Two straight Grade 2 wins entrenched Itsinthepost as the West’s top turf horse. Well, a third here firmly established that as the 6-year-old son of American Post proved best again as he successfully defended his title. He bided his time early as Play Hard to Get and Aquaphobia volleyed up front, moved closer as Aquaphobia assumed pacesetting duties, bided his time in third as Aquaphobia and Colonist battled for the lead going into the far turn, joined those two on the turn, quickly took over from those two, opened up and had enough of a lead to get to the wire before a hard-trying Hayabusa One. While the win was sure nice and Itsinthepost is, as noted, the West’s top male turfer, it’s worth noting Hayabusa One was also his immediate victim in the Grade 2 San Marcos, so this spot wasn’t really any harder than the San Marcos. The Grade 2 Elkhorn at 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland on April 21 could be next so he’ll have to ship and likely face tougher. Hayabusa One, a smart winner of an optional claimer here Jan. 13 (his first start in 11 months) and second in the San Marcos, sat just behind the eventual winner from the start, remained tucked in behind that foe to the far turn, didn’t accelerate quite as quickly as that rival into the lane, losing a bit of ground to him, got going late but couldn’t quite get to that rival in the final half-furlong while finishing far clear of the others. Responsibleforlove, a mare facing males, sat back, remained there to the far turn, came out into the lane and finished decently for third though she was never a danger to the top two. Rye sat well back and could make only modest headway in the lane.

March 25

Sunland
Sunland Park Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: Runaway Ghost, a son of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, romped in the Riley Allison here Jan. 28, then dueled and ran second in the Mine That Bird here Feb. 25. The colt stepped up his game further, winning this in smart fashion and punching his ticket for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5. From his outside post he bided his time early as All Out Blitz set a solid pace under pressure from New York Central, steadily advanced while staying wide and clear, came with a strong run off the far turn, surged to a clear lead and while runner-up Dream Baby Dream closed the gap in the final half-furlong the issue had already been put to bed. Dream Baby Dream, third to Sunday foe New York Central in an optional claimer in the mud at Oaklawn on Feb. 19, appreciated the faster going here as the son of Into Mischief was far back early, pitched very wide turning for home, came with a smart run in the lane but while able to close the gap on the winner was never really a danger to him while finishing far clear of the others. Peace, a Southern California raider who has faced the best of the division there this winter, bided his time early, was very wide on the far turn as he got shuffled back to lose position, got going again in the lane and finished decently to pass a number of rivals but was never a danger to the top two. Seven Trumpets, seventh in the Grade 3 Southwest in the mud at Oaklawn on Feb. 19, sat well back early, came with a nice run into the lane but flattened out a bit in the final furlong. Dark Vader, third in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita on Feb. 3, steadied at the start, was still able to establish position midpack, got shuffled back on the far turn, got going again in the lane to pass a few rivals but was never able to threaten. New York Central, game winner of a tough optional claimer at Oaklawn on Feb. 19, dogged early pacesetter All Out Blitz from the start, remained at that foe’s throat to the top of the lane but then gave way.