Trip Notes for May 14: Man o' War, Peter Pan

Belmont
Ruffian (race 7)
COMMENT: Considering that Cavorting’s two worst outings came when she went longer than a sprint (both were at this one-mile distance), there were concerns that she might only be a sprinter. Well, she put such worries to rest with a resounding victory in what likely is the best race of her career. Coming off an OK second in the Grade 3 Distaff (seven furlongs) at Aqueduct on April 17, her first start of the year, she settled nicely in fourth from her rail draw as Calamity Kate set a decent pace, bided her time to the far turn, moved off the fence, ranged up to challenge the favored Carrumba turning for home and, once straightened away, stormed clear to win in a romp. The way she won hints that she can go farther, and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 11 may be next – though the East’s best (Stopchargingmaria, Sheer Drama, Untapable, Curalina, Forever Unbridled, etc.) are reportedly targeting that as well. Carrumba did nothing wrong in defeat – she just ran into a gal who ran the race of her life. She sat in second, pressing Calamity Jane, moved up to challenge for the lead turning for home with Cavorting, but was no match for that gal in the lane while staying on well to be a clear second. The Phipps figures to be on her radar as well. Spelling Again stalked in third while saving ground, kept to her task, but was no threat to the top two in the lane. Belmont

Beaugay (race 8)
COMMENT: Strike Charmer, a Grade 3 winner in Kentucky in 2014 but unable to win a stakes since, showed that there’s still gas in the tank as the daughter of Smart Strike used her late kick to get another Grade 3 win. She actually showed more speed than usual, sitting in fourth early as My Miss Sophia ran off to a clear lead setting fast splits, remained there to the far turn while saving ground, remained on the inside as she moved closer into the lane, was asked to switch off the rail while commencing her run, was able to do so, and finished smartly to grab the lead and draw clear in the final half-furlong. This doesn’t mean she’s ready for Tepin, Sea Calisi, Dacita, and Co. but shows she can do damage in the right spot. However, trainer Mark Hennig said they could look at the Grade 1 Just a Game on the Belmont Stakes card as an option, though obviously that race always comes up tough and, he pointed out, she’s now had two straight hard races. Tapitry sat in second behind clear early leader My Miss Sophia, remained there to the far turn, came with a smart run to grab the lead into the lane, but then couldn’t finish with the winner. Recepta lagged well back after clipping heels early, settled well, and finished smartly, but it was too little, too late. My Miss Sophia, the favorite, shot out to a clear lead while setting fast splits, was still well clear of the field turning for home while staying on the rail, but then weakened from her early efforts. Ball Dancing sat just behind the eventual winner early but never mustered a run and faded to seventh. She just doesn’t look like the same gal who won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland 13 months ago.

Belmont
Peter Pan (race 9)
COMMENT: Unified made it three wins in as many starts, again using his speed, though the upstart son of Candy Ride doesn’t necessarily look like an A. P. Indy or Tonalist who could go on to be a Grade 1 Belmont horse. Routing for the first time, he showed some patience early, sitting third as 70-1 longshot Singleton went out to the lead, stalked that foe through sharp early splits, moved up to take command turning for home, opened up as if ready to go on to an easy score, but then had to be urged to keep to his task and fend off a hard-trying Governor Malibu in the final half-furlong. While he may not be a Belmont horse, certainly a race like the Grade 3 Dwyer here July 9 would seem like a good target. Governor Malibu, the first-place finisher of the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel on April 9 (disqualified to second) lagged back early, was asked for run on the far turn while inside, angled out into the lane, and finished well. Depending on the Preakness results and other circumstances, this could put him in the Belmont picture. Wild About Deb, a romping winner over maidens in the slop at Santa Anita on April 9, lagged back with the eventual runner-up early, didn’t accelerate as quickly, pitched very wide into the lane, and finished decently. Adventist, a rallying third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, stalked in fourth, loomed a threat turning for home while wide, but flattened out.

Belmont
Man o’ War (race 10)
COMMENT: Wake Forest had an eventful trip, but as a proven top-class performer, his class came through, and he notched his first top-level win. Coming off a sharp second (beaten a head by Kaigun, a foe here) in the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream on April 2, his first start in almost eight months, he bided his time early while saving ground as Go Around set a slow pace, crept closer going to the far turn while still inside, started his run turning for home but came up on traffic and had to wait for room, shifted out for clear sailing, got going again, and finished smartly. He could show up in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Money Multiplier, also sent out by trainer Chad Brown, sat second behind Go Around from the start, took over from that tiring rival into the lane, couldn’t counter his stablemate’s charge, but kept on well for second. Not bad for Brown to run one-two in a Grade 1 with guys who may not rank at the top of his male turf distance team (Flintshire, Big Blue Kitten, Slumber, Mr Maybe). Can’thelpbelieving stalked in third, just behind the eventual runner-up, tried to finish with that rival in the lane, couldn’t quite keep pace with Money Multiplier and was no match for the winner. Kaigun, who came here off six straight strong outings (one win, five seconds), bided his time early, as is his custom, but never mustered a run. That he didn’t produce a rally makes you wonder if he’s in need of a break as he’s been pretty busy since last summer (11 starts in the last 10 months).

Santa Anita
Lazaro Barrera (race 6)
COMMENT: After seeing if I Will Score could stretch his speed and earn a spot on the Kentucky Derby trail (he didn’t), it looks as though he’s found his niche sprinting as he notched his first stakes win here. After shipping to Oaklawn, pressing a hot pace, and running second in the Bachelor Stakes, he returned home for this. He broke a tad slowly, but his natural speed carried him up to challenge Smokey Image for pacesetting duties. He dueled with that foe, got the better of him, opened up into the lane, and then gamely fended off a hard-trying Mrazek in the final half-furlong. He’ll reportedly eye the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Mrazek sat in third as I Will Score and Smokey Image dueled through hot splits, came out into the lane, kept to his task gamely to close the gap, but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. The Woody Stephens may be on his radar as well. Smokey Image dueled early with the winner but paid the price as he weakened a bit in the lane, just holding third. This was a move forward after two poor outings (both routes vs. graded stakes foes), but he still doesn’t look as sharp as when he won his first six starts. Denman’s Call, the 8-5 favorite as he returned to sprinting after being well beaten in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, lagged back early, made a mild move when angled to the inside on the far turn, but then had nothing.