Trip Notes for May 16: Preakness, Vagrancy, Dixie, Red Bank and more...

Saturday, May 16

Belmont - Vagrancy Handicap (race 6)

COMMENT: La Verdad, the 7-10 favorite, got the job done, but it wasn’t easy. As expected she used her speed to go right to the lead, taking some early pressure from Frivolity. La Verdad moved off to a clear lead going down the backstretch as that rival weakened, remained clear into the lane, but then had to work some late to keep hard-trying Room for Me at bay in the final half-furlong, drifting out under a left-handed stick. Room for Me was claimed for just $25,000 at Santa Anita three months ago, and has made that purchase look great as she since has won a stakes on the Aqueduct inner and was an optional-claiming winner here just eight days prior to this. She stalked in third, moved into second when Frivolity gave way, edged closer to the winner coming into the lane, doggedly went after her, but couldn’t quite get there. Mamdooha was last early while saving ground, made steady headway but was never a danger to the top two.

Monmouth - Red Bank (race 10)

COMMENT: After a dull run in Belmont’s Grade 3 Knickerbocker last fall, Winning Cause was laid off, and he ran seventh in his return run at Gulfstream March 6. He was off again for about 2 ½ months and returned here, and this time the rest seemed to work. He bided his time toward the back while Mellow Fellow set the pace. He moved closer, though still toward the back, as favorite Heart to Heart took over on the turn. Winning Cause rallied wide into the lane and powered home to grab the lead late. Heart to Heart, making his first start since dueling for the lead and finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Mathis Bros. Mile at Santa Anita Dec. 26, sat second as Mellow Fellow ran off to a clear early leads, had no trouble going past that tiring rival going into the far turn, rebuffed a challenge into the lane Aztec Brave and while was unable to finish with the winner. Aztec Brave stalked the pace, and came with a smart run into the lane while on the inside for third. Rose Brier pressed the pace but finished one-paced.

Pimlico - Maryland Sprint Handicap (race 5)

COMMENT: Sandbar, a $20,000 claim last fall, notched his first graded stakes win here. Coming off a third in a tough optional claimer at Keeneland April 24, he dogged pacesetter Happy My Day through modest splits, moved closer to challenge that rival into the lane, got the better of him and edged ahead late. Service for Ten, third in this last year and coming off a dull fourth on turf in his first start this year April 17, appreciated the move back to dirt. He lagged back, came up the rail and just got up to edge Happy My Way for second. Happy My Way, a romping winner of this last year, had to work to make the lead, set a decent pace while under pressure from the winner, battled back inside that foe when challenged into the lane but weakened in the final furlong and lost second in the final strides. Coup de Grace, a Grade 2 and Grade 3 winner last year, was the favorite here after a so-so return third at the Fair Grounds in March, sat back and was never a factor.

Pimlico - Gallorette Handicap (race 9)

COMMENT: Watsdachances, second in this last year, was making her first start since last September. She ran in midpack off a modest pace, swung very wide into the lane to launch her run, and rolled past Emotional Kitten. Emotional Kitten, a Grade 1 winner in 2013 and Grade 3 winner last year, was sent off the favorite despite a dull return on soft turf at Keeneland April 9. She fared much better here. She bided her time, came with a wide run on the far turn, swept to the lead into the lane and looked like the winner until Watsdachances came storming past. Sistas Stroll, Grade 1 placed last year at 3, wasn’t too far off the pace. She looked briefly threatening in the lane, kept on well and just lasted for third. Bocaiuva, a French invader, was significantly troubled in her U.S. debut at Keeneland April 17, and she didn’t see any better racing luck here. She broke poorly to be last early, seemed rank, started to advance going down the backstretch, had to wait for room into the lane, found a seam between horses and finished decently to just miss getting third. Maybe better racing luck next time?

Pimlico - Dixie (race 12)

COMMENT: The race was delayed because Grand Tito threw a fit in the gate and had to be scratched. Ironicus stamped himself a potential bigshot in the division with a smashing win. He bided his time toward the back of the pack while saving ground, remained inside turning for home while still well back, found a lane into the stretch, moved out and around tiring pacesetter Skyring and blasted home to win going away. His gallop-out was superb. Cage Fighter, claimed for $40K last summer, sat midpack, came with a run to grab the lead into the lane and looked set to go on for the win, but then had no answer for the winner’s surge. Up With the Birds, making his first start since finishing 16th in the Grade 1 Japan Cup last Nov. 30, was well back with the winner. He started a run into the lane when pitched out very wide, had to steady when in tight but got going again to get third. With some better luck he might have been second. Long On Value, the favorite, stalked the pace, made a wide run to threaten, but didn’t have enough oomph to make an impact in the final furlong.

Pimlico - Preakness (race 13)

COMMENT: After good weather all day the skies opened up before the race. The track had been sealed in preparation. American Pharoah loved the wet going. He broke a bit slowly and had to be rushed up from his rail slot to grab the lead inside Mr. Z, was able to move clear of that rival on the far turn, cruised on the lead going down the backside, looked briefly in danger when a few rivals moved in close to challenge on the far turn but just as suddenly blew the race wide open. He will go on to Belmont June 6 to try and be the 12th Triple Crown winner. Tale of Verve, the longest-priced horse in the race, sat last but apparently loved the going as he started his run on the far turn and kept to his task nicely to get second from a bobbing-and-weaving Divining Rod. Divining Rod was a few lengths off the lead early, moved closer just behind American Pharoah while saving ground on the far turn. He tried to make a run at American Pharoah in the lane but couldn’t keep up with that foe, raced a bit erratically late, and lost second in the final strides. Still, it was a nice run. Dortmund broke well, came off the rail to stalk the pace, moved back to the fence going to the backside, switched back out to make a run on the far turn but failed to continue his bid, flattening out to fourth. Firing Line stumbled at the start to end up farther back than expected, got pushed wide going into the clubhouse turn and after that never made a move and wasn’t persevered with in the lane.

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