Trip Notes for May 12-13, 2018: Man o' War, Peter Pan, and more

May 12

Arlington
Hanshin Cup (race 7)

COMMENT: It was Matrooh’s first try on synthetic, but that didn’t matter to the 8-year-old gelded son of Distorted Humor who seemed rejuvenated as he posted a third straight win. He beat $25K N2Y foes on Oaklawn dirt March 3 (was claimed), then beat tougher optional claimers in slop there April 6. He moved to this place, was slow out of the gate to be last early, was still last going to the far turn, started to advance, came with a strong wide run coming into the lane and sustained it to reel-in clear leader Goneghost in the final half-furlong to win pretty easily. Obviously, the synthetic suits. Goneghost went right to the lead, dueled early with Harmac, lost the lead to that rival down the backstretch, regained command on the far turn, looked like the winner when blasting to a clear lead into the lane but had no answer for the winner’s charge while finishing far clear of the rest. Western Elegance stumbled at the start to be well back early, had to steady going down the backstretch, steadily advanced, and while never a danger to the top two ran on well for third. Ghost Hunter lagged back, got shuffled back on the far turn and never mustered a run.

Belmont
Vagrancy (race 3)

COMMENT: Main track listed as “good” from earlier rains, which had ceased by first post. Kirby’s Penny continued her ascent and enjoyed the non-dry land going, notching her first stakes win in her first attempt and winning for the sixth time in her last eight starts (ran second in the two losses). A 5-year-old daughter of Macho Uno, she broke well, stalked pacesetter Sounds Delicious, who went right to the lead from the rail and set solid splits, bided her time in stalking position alongside Chalon, remained in third as that foe went up to challenge Sounds Delicious and take the lead turning for home but moved wide to launch her bid into the lane, came with a smart run to reel-in and go past Chalon by the sixteenth pole drawing clear for the win. Trainer Wesley Ward said he might freshen her, point to a race at Saratoga (likely the Grade 1 Ballerina) with the long-term target being the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill. Chalon, smart winner of Laurel’s Primonetta on April 21, her first start in six months, stalked the pace with the winner, moved earlier than the eventual winner to confront pacesetting Holiday Disguise on the far turn, soon took command, battled back when confronted by the eventual winner but then couldn’t keep pace in the final half-furlong. Holiday Disguise, the favorite off a rallying win in the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct on April 6, lagged back while saving ground, pitched on the turn and into the lane to make her run, finished well but couldn’t get to the top two. Those two could hook up again in the Grade 3 Bed O’ Roses here June 8. Sounds Delicious, game second to ‘Disguise in the Distaff, broke sharply from the rail to go right to the lead, set a brisk pace under some pressure from the eventual top two finishers, battled back when challenged by Chalon turning for home but soon relented.

Belmont
Beaugay (race 9)

COMMENT: The inner course listed as “good” after earlier rains and showers had resumed during the running. To no one’s surprise, trainer Chad Brown not only won another graded turf stakes, he also finished second. A Raving Beauty, making her first start in the U.S. after a long layoff after last finishing second in a German Group 2 and an Italian Group 1 last October, showed speed to stalk as Team of Teams set a modest pace, remained in stalking mode in third to the top of the lane while saving ground, burst through between horses into the lane, surged to a clear lead and opened up. She looks like yet another comer for Brown, and maybe much deeper water such as the Grade 1 Just a Game II here on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 9 is on her radar. Brown’s other runner, heavy favorite Inflexibility, coming off an impressive win over optional claimers at Aqueduct on April 22 in her first start in six months, bided her time early after having to check going into the first turn, was still able to relax and bide her time in fourth not far behind her eventual winning stablemate, didn’t accelerate as strong or as early as that rival into the lane, pitched out wide for the stretch run and got going late to just get up for second, though she was never a threat to the winner. Lido raced with the favorite from the start while saving ground, pitched out into the lane to make her run, finished decently but was no threat to the winner and just lost second in the final strides. My Impression, fourth to two other Brown trainees (Uni, Fifty Five) in a stakes at Aqueduct on April 14, her first start in almost five months, was away a bit slowly, had to check early to lose position, found herself sitting last under a hold, opted to remain well back while saving ground but never mustered a run.

Belmont
Peter Pan (race 10)

COMMENT: Main track listed as “good” as showers had resumed the prior hour. This was a Southern California show as raiders from there ran one-two. Blended Citizen’s connections wanted to get into the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and the son of Proud Citizen (second in the Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Preakness) validated their judgment as he proved a smart winner here. He bided his time early as Just Whistle set a decent pace under heavy pressure from 2-1 favorite Core Beliefs, bided his time while remaining well off the rail, pitched wider still going to the far turn, angled in some to make his run on the far turn, angled back out to find clear sailing into the lane and fished smartly to reel in and go past then-leader Core Beliefs in the final half-furlong. The Grade 1 Belmont here June 9 is reportedly next. Core Beliefs, favored off a third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby behind Justify, who next won the Kentucky Derby, and top-class Bolt d’Oro on April 7, dogged pacesetter Just Whistle from the start, kept after that foe to the far turn, got the better of him into the lane, opened up as if ready to go on to victory, shied some in midstretch and was unable to finish with the winner. Just Whistle set a decent pace under constant pressure from Core Beliefs, held a narrow advantage as that rival dogged him to the far turn, finally relented but showed enough to hold third. High North, the second choice off a big win in Oaklawn’s Northern Spur on April 14, stalked while between horses, loomed a big threat turning for home but flattened out in the lane. Those in here thinking about the Belmont do get an extra week compared to those who will be exiting the Grade 1 Preakness, but it’s still hard to think Justify and Co. are quaking in their boots over this.

Belmont
Man o’ War (race 11)

COMMENT: Inner course listed as “good” as showers resumed the prior hour. Hi Happy stamped himself a potential big player in the long-distance turf division when a big winner of Gulfstream’s Grade 2 Pan American on March 31 and he validated that here with another smart performance. He broke sharply to take the lead out of the gate, soon relinquished pacesetting duties to One Go All Go, was content to sit second as that rival moved out to a clear lead, bided his time as ‘Go maintained that big lead despite setting slow splits, steadily closed the gap on the turn and into the lane, grabbed the lead inside the eighth pole and while Sadler’s Joy closed the gap on him in the final furlong the issue was already put to bed. The Grade 1 Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard here June 9 could be next, though if they were to judge that coming back too quickly he could await the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth on June 30 or the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga on July 28. Sadler’s Joy, so reliable with his kick and coming off a fourth to Hi Happy in the Pan American, lagged back off the slow pace, remained last going into the far turn, swung very, very wide into the lane and finished with a flourish but couldn’t quite get to the winner. Last year after a third in this he went in the Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day (ran third) so they may follow the same schedule. One Go All Go, second to Sadler’s Joy in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream on March 3, second to Hi Happy in the aforementioned Pan American and then wire-to-wire winner of the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland on April 21, stumbled at the start to be outbroke by the eventual winner, soon assumed pacesetting duties going into the first run opening up a clear lead, dictated tempo through slow splits, battled back when confronted by the winner but couldn’t keep up with that foe in the lane and lost second in the final strides. The Manhattan or United Nations would figure on his radar as well. Call Provision, fourth to One Go All Go in the Elkhorn, lagged back from the start, remained well back to the far turn, swung wide into the lane to make his run, loomed a threat but couldn’t sustain his run. Bigger Picture, a disappointing seventh in the Pan American, was disappointing again here as he stalked in fourth, was still there turning for home but then gave way. Could it be that age 7 after so many races (30) Father Time has caught up to him? Wake Forest, winner of this in 2016, fifth in this last year and coming off a smart second in a tough optional claimer at Aqueduct on April 13, his first start in 10 months, lagged back from the start while saving ground, came out into the lane but never mustered a run. He may not be the horse he once was but this result may have been more a function of the footing, as he disdains non-firm turf.

Santa Anita
Lazaro Barrera (race 5)

COMMENT: Kanthaka was so impressive winning a couple of 7-furlong sprints here earlier in the meet (including the Grade 2 San Vicente) but then found routing and tougher too much to handle when second in the Grade 2 San Felipe and sixth in the Grade 2 Blue Grass last time out. The son of Jimmy Creed dropped, moved back to turf and got back on track as from his rail slot he bided his time early while saving ground, had to wait between horses on the far turn, came through when a lane presented itself to grab the lead and kept on doggedly to outfinish a hard-trying Beautiful Shot. He could be a Grade 2 Woody Stephens/Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens horse. Beautiful Shot, also cutting back in distance after finishing eighth in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct on March 10 and eighth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 14, was just behind the eventual winner early, crept closer while staying wide going to the far turn, moved with that foe into the lane to do battle, stayed on gamely but couldn’t quite stay with the winner in the final half-furlong. Zulfikhar dueled early between horses, lost position as a couple of rivals proved quicker going to the far turn, stayed wide and in the clear and kept to his task decently to get third, though the top two had gotten away from him in the final furlong. McKale broke a bit slowly, rushed up along the inside to still assume pacesetting duties by the first margin call, held a narrow lead to the half-mile pole as he was dogged by King Cause through brisk splits, was still in the thick of it turning for home but then couldn’t keep up when it mattered.