Trip Notes for March 28: Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, and more

Saturday, March 28

Gulfstream

Skip Away (race 5)

COMMENT: Commissioner may be ready to resume the form that saw him nearly win the Grade 1 Belmont last year. After pressing stablemate Constitution in the Grade 1 Donn before fading to sixth here Feb. 7 he dropped in class for this race and that did the trick. He dogged pacesetter Sr. Quisqueyano from the start, moved closer to engage that foe turning for home and won a long, hard duel. Sr. Quisqueyano relished returning to Florida and being able to use his speed. Third in this race last year and ninth last out in the Santa Anita Handicap, he bounced right out to the lead, set modest splits while under moderate pressure from Commissioner, battled back, and fought all the way to the wire to just miss in a big try. He finished 7 1/4 lengths clear of third. Encryption stalked the pace, tried to make a run on the turn but was no match for the top pair while a clear third. Ulanbator got bumped at the start and never got involved.

Gulfstream

Appleton (race 6)

COMMENT: War Correspondent, coming off a third to Mshawish in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, stalked in fourth as Aripeka set a decent pace. He moved closer on the turn, angled out for clear sailing and kept on resolutely to run down the stubborn Aripeka. Aripeka set the pace under pressure from Excaper, dispatched with the other speed types turning for home, but then couldn’t quite fend off War Correspondent. Grand Tito lagged back, was quite wide on the far turn and into the lane, and finished well. Excaper pressed Aripeka from the start but gave way.

Gulfstream

Honey Fox (race 10)

COMMENT: Lady Lara, making her first start since finishing second to Sparkling Review in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere at Churchill Nov. 15, became a graded stakes winner. She bided her time early, was still toward the back turning for home, but came with a strong run to nail Sandiva in the final strides. Sandiva, coming off two straight stakes wins at Gulfstream, sat midpack, made a smart run to grab the lead into the lane looking like the winner, but then couldn’t fend off Lady Lara. Coffee Clique, making her first start since winning the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont last June 7, had an odd trip. She seemed in a good spot stalking the pace in third, looked done turning for home as she was passed by a couple runners but got going again to finish well. Istanford bounced right out to a clear lead, as is her custom, but gave way badly once headed into the lane.

Gulfstream

Orchid (race 11)

COMMENT: Beauty Parlor, a French invader sent out by the ever-dangerous Christophe Clement barn, showed she was ready despite this being her first action in nearly seven months. She stalked pacesetter Photo Call, and seemed quite comfortable remaining there to the top of the lane, when she moved up smartly to grab the lead. She then had enough left to fend off closers Tabreed and Kitten’s Point. Tabreed lagged well back and rallied for second, giving Clement the exacta. Kitten’s Point was back early with Tabreed, made an earlier move to into stalking position in third, tried to make a run into the lane with the winner but couldn’t keep pace and then got outfinished by Tabreed. Riposte, the favorite, stalked the pace while staying out wide, seemed in a good spot but never mustered a run. Of course, she may have already been spent due to her pre-race antics as she broke through the gate prior to the start and had to be reloaded.

Gulfstream

Gulfstream Park Oaks (race 12)

COMMENT: Birdatthewire continued her surge in form and stamped herself a major player for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill May 1. She rallied from far back to easily win the Grade 2 Forward Gal (a sprint) and rallied for second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale (a route) here last month. She got more ground here and flourished. She was slow into stride, as is her custom, was in tight going into the backstretch, was able to move out and settle, commenced her run on the far turn while staying wide and in the clear, and sustained it to sweep past her rivals. With her distance breeding, it’s no surprise she likes more ground. Eskenformoney, a neck behind Birdatthewire in the Davona Dale, stalked the pace of Ekati’s Phaeton, moved up nicely to take the lead going to the far turn, then moved to the inside (which may have been a mistake as the inside was not the place to be on this day). She still had the lead into the lane, battled on gamely, but was no match for the winner in the final furlong. Danessa Deluxe, making her first start since running fourth to champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Princess Nov. 22, lagged back, came with a smart threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain it. Ekati’s Phaeton, speedy winner of the Davona Dale, set a modest pace inside under some pressure from Cristina’s Journey but was done by the far turn. This may have exposed her distance limitations, but it didn’t help being inside, either. Still, there are big races like the Grade 1 Acorn and Grade 1 Test that would seemingly fit her to a T.

Gulfstream

Pan American (race 13)

COMMENT: Imagining showed top-class ability last summer and fall when second to champion Main Sequence in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer and third to that foe in the Grade 1 Turf Classic. However, he fizzled in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, was freshened and then less than dazzling when eighth in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap Feb. 7. But that race may have been a tad short for him, he had some trouble in the lane and it served its purpose as a springboard to this. He sat midpack early, getting cover, moved to the outside going to the far turn and put in a sustained rally that carried him past heavy favorite Twilight Agenda and kept him in front of a rallying Pyrite Mountain. Pyrite Mountain, who rallied for third in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap last month, stalked the pace in third, looked done into the lane but got going again to at least give the winner a scare. Twilight Eclipse, the even-money favorite after knocking heads (and coming up on the wrong side) with champion Main Sequence in his last five starts, dogged pacesetter Change of Command from the start, took command easily turning for home, but then was unable to finish with the top two. Glennard stalked in fourth backed out of it badly on the far turn as if something was amiss.

Gulfstream

Florida Derby (race 14)

COMMENT: Materiality, who didn’t make his first start since Jan. 11, turned in a big effort to remain unbeaten in three starts and toss his hat into the Derby ring. He pressured early pacesetter Jack Tripp with favorite Upstart on his hip, moved up eagerly and on his own to take the lead going to the half-mile pole, was followed duly by Upstart, gamely rebuffed that foe’s challenge in the lane, did drift out some in midstretch but continued on for the win. You all know how no horse since Apollo back in 1882 has won the Derby without racing at 2, so there’s a lot of history to buck here. Upstart, easy winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull and first in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth (was DQ’d to second), was right on Materiality’s hip from the start, moved closer to that foe going to the far turn, steadied briefly in the lane when that rival shifted out some, but the issue already seemed resolved. He finished 12 1/2 lengths clear of the rest. He figures to go on to Churchill but is he trending the right way? He not only got beat here but his Fountain of Youth was run in a slow time. Ami’s Flatter, second to runaway winner Carpe Diem in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby last time, bided his time early, came with a steady run and finished a clear third. Itsaknockout, who was awarded the win by the stewards when Upstart was disqualified in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, stalked in fourth, got shuffled back going to the backstretch, was able to get back into stalking position in fourth, but finished fairly one-paced.[bc_video_id:351827:]

Fair Grounds

Mervin Muniz Jr. Handicap (race 8)

COMMENT: Whether it’s maturity or a love of this turf course, Chocolate Ride has really blossomed as he notched a third straight win. He used his speed to capture last month’s Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap and his speed again proved lethal. He went right to the lead, got away with modest splits, and that left more than enough gas in the tank for the win. He was claimed for $40,000 five races ago, and has earned almost $300,000. Slumber, the favorite after a second to Mshawish in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap Feb. 7, lagged back and finished well, but that’s now nine straight losses (five as the chalk). Of course, the slow pace set by the winner didn’t help his cause. Paroled, stepping up to graded stakes ranks, chased the winner from the start but could never get on terms. Coalport, who came here won four straight, stalked the pace, seemed in a good spot on the far turn but then failed to muster a run.

Fair Grounds

Fair Grounds Oaks (race 9)

COMMENT: There was a bit of a delay as Audrey’s Double had to be re-shod. It didn’t matter, though, to heavy 3-5 favorite I’m a Chatterbox, who continued her sterling form with a third straight easy win. She won the Silverbulletday on the lead and took the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra from well off the pace after a lousy start. This time she split the difference. She sat a dream trip just behind longshot pacesetter Jugni, took command turning for home, had little trouble rebuffing a bid from Shook Up, and edged clear to win comfortably. Unless someone else pops up with a big outing in the interim, she looks like the legit favorite for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill May 1. Shook Up romped in a maiden race here Jan. 3, but then disappointed in two subsequent tries. She showed better here as she stalked the pace, made a run at the winner into the lane and kept on well for second. Forever Unbridled was third to I’m a Chatterbox in the Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra and filled that same slot again here. She stalked the pace and stayed on to finish well clear of the rest.

Fair Grounds

New Orleans Handicap (race 10)

COMMENT: Call Me George picked the right day for the race of his life as he posted the big upset. He bided his time early in fourth as first Go Go Rocket and then Albano and Moreno vied on the lead. Call Me George looked in trouble on the far turn when losing position, but got going and plugged away to wear down the tired front-runners Albano and Moreno. Of course, it took him over 14 seconds to negotiate the final furlong so it’s not as if he powered home. Albano, last seen romping in the Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston Feb. 28, stalked the pace, moved up to vie for command with Moreno, looked beaten by that rival in midstretch but re-rallied past that tired foe, then was unable to fend off the winner. Moreno, a Grade 1 winner and the favorite, vied with Albano and looked home free when taking the lead in midstretch, only to get wobbly late and falter to third. He was coming back fairly quickly after running second to Shared Belief in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 7 and maybe that took its toll. Otherwise he had no obvious excuse.

Fair Grounds

Louisiana Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: So is it maturity or a love for the Fair Grounds that has caused International Star to blossom? The son of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus swept the three-race 3-year-old male series here and punched his ticket for the Kentucky Derby. He sat well back early as Stanford set a modest pace. International Star saved ground to the far turn when he started to make his run, and kept on doggedly to just get past a stubborn Stanford. This guy is more workmanlike than brilliant but he’s been getting the job done. Still, there remains a question as to the caliber of competition he was facing here as the horse he had to work to get past, Stanford, is a nice Todd Pletcher runner but hardly ranks among that trainer’s first string. Stanford showed speed from his rail draw, set a modest pace, rebuffed Mr. Z turning for home, and couldn’t fend off the winner. War Story finished second to International Star in the Grade 3 Lecomte and Grade 2 Risen Star and again couldn’t handle that foe. He lagged back and finished decently for third. Keen Ice, third in the Grade 2 Risen Star, lagged back early, as is his custom, and made some headway to get fourth. They can’t blame a speed-favoring track. After all, the winner was only just in front of him early on. His lack of speed simply leaves him with too much to do. Mr. Z had to be considered a potential Derby horse off a string of good outings but his bubble may have burst here as he stalked the pace, moved up to challenge turning for home but then gave way badly to finish last.[bc_video_id:351828:]

Santa Anita

Tokyo City Cup (race 8)

COMMENT: Sky Kingdom, making his first start since running fourth in the Grade 2 Las Vegas Marathon here on the first Breeders’ Cup Day here Oct. 31, showed he’s a true stayer. He stalked the early pace of Arlington House, took over midway down the backstretch, and expanded his margin to the line. It was his second win in this race. Bailoutbobby, scratched from a seemingly easier spot a few days ago, bided his time early, came with a nice run but couldn’t close the gap on the winner while ending up well clear of the others. Bronzo, dropping after a fourth in the Grade 2 San Antonio (behind Shared Belief, California Chrome and Hoppertunity) and fifth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap (behind Shared Belief), seemed in a good spot stalking in third but never really mustered a run.