Trip Notes for March 31: Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park Oaks, and more

Gulfstream Park

Gulfstream Park Hardacre Mile (race 8)

COMMENT: This race marked the return of last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, but it was outsider Conquest Big E who stole the spotlight with a smart victory. Coming off a second to Saturday foe Tommy Macho in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper here Jan. 27 and a fourth in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope here Feb. 24, the son of Tapit broke smartly from the rail, went right to the lead, took some pressure from Always Dreaming to his immediate right while setting a sharp pace, opened up some on the far turn, put the race away with a strong run into the lane to open up farther and cruised home to win clear. Off this he could target bigger things, such as the Grade 2 Churchill Downs at seven furlongs at Churchill on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 5. Always Dreaming, making his first start since fading badly to ninth in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga last summer and was then found to have some severe ulcers and given plenty of time off, broke well, had enough speed to dog the winner early, kept to his task but couldn’t keep up, ending up a clear second. This was an encouraging return run, even if he didn’t win, and trainer Todd Pletcher had said earlier a race such as the Grade 1 Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 9 could be a target. Tommy Macho, game winner of the aforementioned Hooper here at this trip Jan. 27, was a bit slow into stride, steadily advanced going to the far turn, kept to his task decently but was never really a threat to the winner and in fact lost ground to the runner-up in the final furlong. Irish War Cry, favored off a good second in the Hal’s Hope here Feb. 24, his first start in five months, didn’t show as much speed as usual to be fourth early, made a mild move on the far turn but then gave way readily and was eased up in the lane. Something may have gone amiss.

Honey Fox (race 11)

COMMENT: Lull was freshened since finishing a good fifth in the very tough Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar on Nov. 26 and the rest, and some class relief, here did the trick as she proved a smart winner. The daughter of War Front went right to the lead, took some early pressure from Team of Teams, opened up some going down the backstretch while setting a very fast pace, had Team of Teams move closer again on the far turn but kicked clear, opened up into the lane and just got to the line before a hard-charging Res Ipsa. Trainer Christophe Clement said the Grade 1 Just a Game II on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 9 is her main target, though obviously the water will be much deeper there. Res Ipsa, freshened since two straight wins in Kentucky last summer/fall, was away slowly to be last early, remained last going into the backstretch, made only modest headway by the far turn but then pitched wide into the lane and finished with gusto to just miss. On Leave, game winner of the Grade 3 My Charmer at Gulfstream last time out Dec. 16, sat midpack, came out for room turning for home, came with a nice run in the lane, closed the gap nicely on the winner but couldn’t quite get to that foe. Team of Teams, strong winner of the ungraded Sand Springs here March 3, found this step up in class a bit much as she dogged the eventual winner through fast splits, made a run at that foe on the turn but couldn’t sustain her bid, tiring in the lane.

Gulfstream Park Oaks (race 12)

COMMENT: Coach Rocks looked super blasting maidens routing here Feb. 14, but was taking a hefty step up in class today. She proved up to the task as the daughter of Grade 1 Preakness winner Oxbow may have punched her ticket to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill on May 4. While that maiden win was accomplished on the front end, she showed versatility here to win from well off the pace. She broke slowly to be well back early while saving ground, steadily advanced while in some traffic going to the far turn but found room into the lane in the middle of the track and finished strongly to reel in and go past then-clear leader Take Charge Paula. Still, on paper this didn’t seem the strongest Kentucky Oaks prep, so the water at Churchill will be quite a bit deeper. Take Charge Paula, favored off a second in the Grade 2 Davona Dale here March 3, dueled early with Eight Thirtyone and Alter Moon through solid splits, dispatched with those rivals turning for home, opened up into the lane as if ready to go on to victory but weakened some from her early efforts and couldn’t fend off the winner’s charge while finishing far clear of the others. She ran well but it’s possible she’s better at a slightly shorter trip, meaning a race like the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill on Kentucky Derby weekend could be a better fit than the Oaks. Princess Warrior, back to dirt after running well for fourth in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride on turf here March 3, lagged back, not far behind the eventual winner, came with a smart wide run to reach contention on the far turn but couldn’t sustain her run, finishing evenly in the lane to end up a well-beaten third. Blonde Bomber, third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in the fall but since then only fourth and fifth in a pair of ungraded stakes, got jostled around at the start to be well back early, remained well back to the far turn and could make only minimal headway thereafter. It’s starting to look as if her Breeders’ Cup run was a bit of an aberration, or as if that Grade 1 race just wasn’t that strong. It seems unlikely any who finished behind the top two would have designs on the Kentucky Oaks after being so well beaten here.

Pan American (race 13)

COMMENT: Hi Happy couldn’t quite get to top-class Heart to Heart at the shorter (1 1/8-mile) Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf here Feb. 10, but that was his first start in more than 10 months and having that run under his belt and moving to this longer trip he posted his first victory in the U.S. A four-time Group 1 winner in his native Argentina, albeit back in 2016, the 6-year-old showed what the fuss was all about when he came to the U.S. in the fall of 2016 as he was quite impressive here. He sat second as One Go All Go went out to a clear early lead, moved closer after just a half-mile, continued to pressure that foe into the backstretch, took a narrow lead going to the far turn, dispatched with that rival and opened up in the lane to win comfortably. Trainer Todd Pletcher said they might point him for the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont on May 12. One Go All Go, second to favorite Sadler’s Joy in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida here March 3, ran big again only to get frustrated again with another close call as he broke well and pulled his way to a clear lead, was soon taking pressure from the eventual winner, continued on the lead while continuing to take pressure from that rival into the backstretch, relinquished the lead on the far turn, tried to keep pace, proved no match but kept on gamely to hold the place. Classic Covey, trying stakes for the first time after a couple decent optional-claiming tries here this winter, sat midpack, came with a steady run along the inside and nearly got up for second. Sadler’s Joy, the defending champ and slight favorite over Hi Happy coming off a rallying win in the Mac Diarmida here March 3, was devoid of speed, as is his custom, was still well back turning for home, pitched very wide into the lane to make his run and while able to pass a few rivals was never really a factor. With his style he sometimes leaves himself with too much to do. Bullards Alley, freakish winner of the Grade 1 Canadian International on soft turf at Woodbine in the fall and coming off three good outings since, stalked the pace in fourth, was still there and seemingly traveling well turning for home but lacked the needed rally as he instead finished one-paced, losing fourth in the final strides. Bigger Picture, winner of the Grade 1 United Nations last summer and coming off a win in the Grade 3 John. B. Connally at Sam Houston on Jan. 28, was disappointing as he was toward the back early, just in front of Sadler’s Joy but never mustered a run at any point.

Florida Derby (race 14)

COMMENT: The question for Audible was whether his big win in the Grade 2 Holy Bull here Feb. 3 was an aberration or a sign the $500,000 son of Into Mischief has figured things out. Well, in notching his fourth straight win the colt has backers believing the latter as he proved a smart winner in what on paper appeared a strong race. He broke alertly from his outside post, moved over toward the inside to sit midpack as Promises Fulfilled set a blistering early pace under pressure from Strike Power, bided his time while remaining wide and in the clear, came with a wide run on the turn as the field bunched, went after and collared then-leader Mississippi, grabbed the lead, drifted out in the lane but remained clear of his rivals. This surely stamps him as one of the favorites for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 5. Hofburg, a son of Tapit who was a smart maiden winner here March 3 in just his second career start, bided his time midpack, came with a nice run in the lane to chase the winner and while never really a danger to him finished well clear of the rest. He likely has enough points to get into the Derby, though it’s a question as to whether they want to throw him into such a pressure-pot after just three starts. Trainer Bill Mott said the Derby was something they would think about. Mississippi, a smart second in an optional claimer here Feb. 4, stalked the pace from his outside post, steadily advanced to come abreast of the leaders on the far turn, grabbed the lead into the lane if only briefly as Audible soon took command and stayed on decently for third, though he was no danger to the top two in the final furlong. Catholic Boy, second in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa on Feb. 10, sat back with the eventual winner, moved with that rival going into the far turn but then couldn’t keep up when it mattered. It was later reported that he bled significantly and will get some time off, meaning the Kentucky Derby is off the table. Promises Fulfilled was asked for run out of the gate, dueled briefly with Strike Power, assumed command on the first turn while setting a very fast pace, relaxed a bit going down the backstretch still under pressure from ‘Power while staying on the fence, tried to battle back when hooked by a few rivals on the far turn but then gave way badly to end up last. Regardless, trainer Dale Romans said the Kentucky Derby was still on the horse’s radar.

Golden Gate

San Francisco Mile (race 8)

COMMENT: Flamboyant was really good in 2016, winning multiple graded stakes. While he was winless in 2017 he still ran decently with multiple stakes placings. But you had to be worried when he was a dull sixth in the Grade 2 San Marcos at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Feb. 3 prior to this. Well, a freshening, distance cutback and slight drop combined to get the 7-year-old back on track as he became a millionaire posting the 11-1 upset, his first win in 14 starts. Devoid of speed early, he sat well back as Many Roses set a solid pace under pressure first from Frank Conversation and then Mr. Roary. Flamboyant remained well back to the far turn, had to wait for room turning for home but found a clear lane on the inside and surged home to just get to the line before hard-charging Editore. Maybe at this stage of the game this shorter trip is what he wants, and while he may not be ready for the top runners at this type of trip he can surely do damage in the right spots. Editore, third to the West’s top turf distance horse Itsinthepost in his last two starts, sat midpack while saving ground but wasn’t too far off the pace, came with a smart run in the lane but just couldn’t quite outdo the winner. Many Roses, third in this last year, went right out to the lead, set a solid pace under constant pressure, battled back gamely in the lane and only succumbed to the top two in the final half-furlong. Syntax was midpack early, swung wide on the far turn, which cost him some position, remained wide and finished well though it was too late. Frank Conversation pressed the pace, loomed a threat turning for home while inside but flattened out. Full of Luck, the favorite who was making his first start in the U.S. after some strong work in Chile including winning a Group 2 when last seen there Oct. 27, was away slowly, made a decent midrace move while wide but then gave way readily.