Trip Notes for March 3-4: Holy Bull, Mac Diarmida, Davona Dale

Gulfstream
The Very One (race 4)

COMMENT: Holy Helena was best known for her Canadian prowess, winning both the Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate on the Woodbine synthetic. However, the daughter of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper looks ready to make noise on the turf as a smart rallying win makes her 2 for 2 on grass. After some time off (nearly four months), she tried turf for the first time here Feb. 4 and rallied to win an optional claimer. Stepping into Grade 3 ranks here, she stalked while inside as 6-5 favorite Daring Duchess set a slow pace, remained in midpack to the far turn while continuing to save ground, came off the rail entering the stretch, surged into contention and drove past Duchess, drawing clear to win comfortably. Daring Duchess, favored off a sharp second in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante here Jan. 27 after winning the Via Borghese here, went right to the lead, set modest splits while holding a clear lead and staying inside, was set down for the drive with seemingly plenty left after setting the slow pace, proved no match for the winner but stayed on well to be a clear second. Palinodie chased Duchess from the start, couldn’t rally with the winner in the lane and was never able to get on terms with Duchess. Summersault lagged back, made a mild bid while wide on the far turn but then came up empty.

Gulfstream
Palm Beach (race 6)

COMMENT: Maraud stepped back up in class after a smart optional-claiming win here Jan. 13, and the $375,000 son of Blame delivered. He showed speed to sit second as 8-5 favorite Speed Franco set a decent pace, remained there to the top of the lane, moved up outside Franco to battle for the lead into the lane and just edged by in the final yards. Speed Franco, favored off a game win in the Grade 3 Dania Beach here Feb. 3, went right to the lead, set a solid pace while holding the fence, battled back gamely inside when confronted by Maraud in the lane but just couldn’t quite outfinish that foe. Therapist, a winner of his first three starts last summer and fall and making his first start in more than four months, was a bit rambunctious in the gate, backed out of his stall and then was hesitant to load, broke decently once settled, sat comfortably in third behind the top two while saving ground, and never really mustered a run when asked until it was too late as he found his stride to get third. Hawkish, a winner of his debut here Jan. 6, lagged back, came with a threatening run into the lane but flattened out some in the final furlong.

Gulfstream
Herecomesthebride (race 7)

COMMENT: Thewayiam, coming off two straight wins here this winter, including the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant on Feb. 3, hit paydirt again. The French import lagged back early while saving ground, steadily advanced, remained on the fence on the far turn, surged past the tiring pacesetter by midstretch while remaining inside and finished smartly to win going away while pretty much under just a hand ride. Ameritune, a daughter of top sire Tapit who was so impressive in winning her debut, a turf route, here Jan. 27, handled this big step up in class nicely as she sat second as My Favorite Gift set a decent pace, moved closer turning for home, couldn’t finish with the winner but kept on gamely to get the place. She appears to have a bright future. Brattata, a smart maiden winner on this course Feb. 4, stalked in fourth while saving ground, loomed a threat by midstretch but couldn’t finish with the winner and was then edged for second. Princess Warrior, racing on grass for the first time and making her first since running second in an optional claimer on dirt at Churchill Downs on Nov. 25, was slow into stride, sitting last from the start while staying inside, came off the fence on the far turn and finished well, though she was never a danger to the top three.

Gulfstream
Davona Dale (race 8)

COMMENT: Fly So High continued her ascent, notching her third straight easy win and capturing her first graded stakes, but there was immediate worry after the race as she was pulled up on the clubhouse turn and vanned off. The $675,000 daughter of Malibu Moon (sire of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb) showed enough speed to press early pacesetter Take Charge Paula, pulled back just a bit as Heavenhasmynikki and Alter Moon volleyed up front, came with her run into the lane while wide, moved up alongside leader Heavenhasmynikki, went on past and drew clear. She was pulled up and had to be vanned off (rider Jose Ortiz said she felt “a bit off” in her left fore, though she did walk into the ambulance under her own power). The good news is the following day, it was reported that she seemed fine, that maybe she just took an awkward step or two. Take Charge Paula, the easy winner of the Grade 3 Forward Gal here Feb. 3, broke sharply to go right to the lead, soon took back to get a stalking trip, loomed a big threat into the lane, was no match for the winner but stayed on gamely to get second. It looks as though she’s best suited for long one-turn trips such as seven furlongs and a mile. Heavenhasmynikki, fourth to Paula in the Forward Gal, was in midpack early, moved up eagerly to contest the lead going down the backstretch, volleyed with Albert Moon for the lead, got the better of that rival turning for home to take a short lead, battled back inside when hooked by the winner into the lane, was no match for that gal and tired a bit late to end up third. Sultry, second to Paula in the Forward Gal, was slow into stride, pitched wide on the turn and into the lane and finished well. Miss Momentum, so promising in the fall with two big wins but then sixth in the Forward Gal, broke slowly to be last early and never made a move, remaining at the back of the field throughout. This makes for a second straight not-so-hot outing, so they may be in line to regroup. Trainer Mark Casse appeared loaded in this division, but save for Wonder Gadot, he’s taken a hit recently (Win the War ran third at Santa Anita in early January but hasn’t worked since, Grade 1 winner Heavenly Love was dull in two stakes at Fair Grounds, and Grade 2 winner Road to Victory hasn’t worked yet this year.).

Gulfstream
Canadian Turf (race 10)

COMMENT: Apparently, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Hogy, the 9-year-old veteran, has made his name as a sprinter, winning numerous stakes. Well, they tried the son of Offlee Wild at this route distance, and it worked as the old warrior notched career win No. 19. Coming off a big win in a turf-sprint stakes at Sam Houston on Jan. 28, the gelding broke well, bided his time as Conquest Sandman and Blind Ambition battled on the pace, advanced up the inside on the far turn, moved out for room into the lane, shot through to grab the lead and draw off to win easily. Obviously, there’s plenty of gas in the tank despite the fact this was his 50th start, and now that he’s shown he can go at least this far, that gives him more options. Fractions were unavailable due to a timing malfunction. Galleon Mast, a winner of four of his last five, all stakes, including taking the Sunshine Millions Turf here last time out Jan. 20, was close to the eventual winner from the start, came with his run on the far turn, bulled his way through between horses into the lane to make his run, bumping with March, was no match for the winner but ran on well for second. March, dropping after running eighth in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf on Feb. 10, stalked in fourth behind the first flight of three runners, made his run into the lane and bumped with Galleon Mast while staying on decently. Conquest Sandman, a winner of three straight, including a stakes here Feb. 17 (after being claimed for $16,000 the race prior), battled on the pace with Blind Ambition, was getting the better of that foe turning for home but was then overwhelmed as the top three surged past. Highland Sky, making his first start as a gelding and first since finishing last of seven in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on dirt at Belmont on Oct. 7, was well back from the start and never really mustered a run. This guy was a neck away from being a Grade 1 winner on turf a couple summers ago but appears to have lost a step or two. Shakhimat, the winner of the Grade 3 Tropical Park turf here Dec. 16 and fifth in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale here Jan. 13, pressed the two pacemakers from the start, was still in it turning for home but then hit a wall.

Gulfstream
Gulfstream Park Sprint (race 12)

COMMENT: Classic Rock found graded stakes waters too tough last summer, but the $180,000 son of Maclean’s Music appears a bit more grown up and handled the move into such deeper waters here. Coming off a big optional-claiming win here Dec. 20, the 4-year-old colt showed speed to dog pacesetter Rock and Fellers from the start, took over form that tiring rival into the lane, quickly opened up and won without really a nervous moment in the final furlong. The Grade 2 Smile Sprint here this summer is a primary target. Sweetontheladies, third in the Sunshine Millions Sprint to X Y Jet (next targeting the Group 1 Golden Shaheen in Dubai on March 31) was slow into stride to be last early, remained well back to the far turn, pitched wide into the lane to make his run and finished well, though he was never really on the winner’s radar. Eight Town, back to sprinting (won his last three sprints) after giving way badly to end up eighth in the Grade 3 Hooper at a mile here Jan. 27, sat in midpack from the start, crept closer going to the far turn, loomed a threat into the lane but was unable to mount enough of a bid to scare the winner and just lost the place in the final strides. Mr. Jordan, the 9-2 second choice after a second going longer in the Sunshine Millions Classic here Jan. 20, bided his time early, tried make a run to get involved on the far turn while very wide but then finished evenly. Favorable Outcome, the heavy favorite off a good third in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, bobbled at the start to get away poorly and could make only modest headway in a disappointing effort.

Gulfstream
Mac Diarmida (race 13)

COMMENT: Sadler’s Joy, freshened since finishing a most respectable fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4, showed that class mattered as the 5-year-old son of grass champ and top turf sire Kitten’s Joy got the job done. From his rail slot, he was slow into stride to be last early, remained well back to the far turn, pitched widest of all to make his run in the lane and finished resolutely to get up for the win. The Grade 2 Pan American here March 31 may be next. One Go All Go went right to the lead, took some pressure from Oscar Nominated while setting modest splits, rebuffed that foe into the stretch, maintained the lead to inside the eighth pole but just couldn’t quite fend off the classy winner. Nessy sat well back early from the start, not far in front of the eventual winner, made his move with that foe while staying inside and finished well, though he couldn’t quite finish with the winner. Oscar Nominated, the winner of the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight here Jan. 27, dogged pacesetter One Go All Go from the start, tried to make a run at the lead turning for home but couldn’t quite do enough to get involved. Patterson Cross, a sharp second in this last year but making his first start since running third in the Pan American here last April 1 (a race won by Sadler’s Joy), got bounced around at the start, bided his time toward the back of the pack but never made a move.

Gulfstream
Fountain of Youth (race 14)

COMMENT: A Kentucky Derby prep that was highlighted by the return of champion 2-year-old male Good Magic instead saw a front-running upset by Promises Fulfilled. The son of Shackleford, a winner of the Preakness, was making his first start since setting the pace and running third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill on Nov. 25. As in his other starts, he used his speed, bouncing right out to the lead. He set a modest pace while keeping pace-pressing Strike Power at arm’s length throughout, shut off a move by Storm Runner, who tried to come up inside him going down the backstretch, maintained a narrow edge on the far turn and into the lane and had plenty left to blow the race open in the final furlong, drawing off for the easy win. The Grade 1 Florida Derby here March 31 is likely next. Strike Power, a romping winner of his first two starts, both sprints, including the Grade 3 Swale here last time out Feb. 3, had the speed to dog the winner from the start, gamely kept after him and, while unable to keep up with that foe in the final furlong, remained well clear of the rest to finish second. This was a most promising first route. The Florida Derby is on his radar as well. Good Magic, the champion 2-year-old male making his first start since easily winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, seemed to get a dream trip stalking the pace while outside rivals, was asked for run on the far turn to get involved, loomed a threat but couldn’t keep pace with the top two in the lane. He surely needed this race, though the fact he wasn’t more of a threat in the lane was a bit disconcerting. Trainer Chad Brown had mentioned before that after this, the colt may go elsewhere for his Kentucky Derby prep, and it was reported the following day that could be the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 7. Marconi, third in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on Feb. 3, lagged well back as usual, was still last on the far turn and from there could make only modest headway. His lack of speed remains an issue. Storm Runner, a winner of his last two starts on dirt, stalked the pace while inside, tried to move up inside the eventual winner going down the backstretch but had to check when there was no room, remained a threat to the far turn but then came up empty. He might still go in the Florida Derby. He Takes Charge, diving into deeper waters after a smart maiden win here Feb. 10, lagged back early while saving ground, made some progress going to the far turn but then gave way.

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Santa Anita
Santa Ysabel (race 6)

COMMENT: Rain Friday and into Saturday resulted in a wet-fast (sealed) track and the scratch of unbeaten morning-line favorite Dream Tree. Midnight Bisou was already on most people’s shortlist for the Kentucky Oaks, but she’d never routed, so this was her first test. Well, she passed with flying colors, also showing she could handle wet going. She stalked in third as Spring Lily set a solid pace under pressure from Thirteen Squared, bided her time there to the midpoint on the far turn, was set down for the drive, swooped up alongside the two leaders to their outside and had no trouble going past before drawing clear. Dream Tree beat her the only two times they met, but this run may stamp Midnight Bisou the favorite for next month’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks. Thirteen Squared dogged pacesetter Spring Lily from the start, got the better of that foe into the lane, was no match for the winner but kept on well to be a clear second. Spring Lily, a super-impressive maiden winner sprinting here Feb. 4, went right to the lead, took immediate, constant pressure from Thirteen Squared, maintained a narrow edge to the top of the lane while setting a solid pace but then felt the effects of setting the pressured pace, giving way in the lane. Still, this was her first start vs. winners and first route, so she may well benefit from this outing.