Trip Notes for May 19-20: Preakness, Dixie, and more

May 19

Arlington
Arlington Matron (race 7)

COMMENT: Race complexion changed some with the scratch of contender Apologynotaccepted. Princess La Quinta continued her love affair with this track, winning for the fourth time in five starts here. Stepping up in class off a strong optional-claiming win here May 4, the daughter of Quality Road bided her time in fourth as Daddy’s Boo set the pace (fractions unavailable due to a timer malfunction). She remained there to the far turn, angled out for clear sailing, remained wide coming into the lane, finished well to reel-in then-leader Daddy’s Boo in deep stretch and edge clear. Daddy’s Boo, winner of her only two synthetic starts, both on this track, bounced out to a clear early lead, as expected, maintained a clear lead to the far turn, opened up farther on the turn and into the lane as if ready to go on to victory but then couldn’t counter the winner’s charge. Con Te Partito, favored off a rallying third in a turf allowance at Keeneland last month, lagged well back after banging into the gate at the start, bided her time, came with a steady rally to get third though she was never really a danger to the winner. Trainer Wesley Ward had said this might be a springboard for her to go back to Ascot for another invasion next month (she won a stakes there last June). Moonlit Garden, trying synthetic for the first time and stepping up in class after a big maiden win at the Fair Grounds on March 17 and smart allowance win at Keeneland on April 20, chased the pacesetter from the start, tried to make a run at her on the turn but then gave way.

Churchill
Louisville Handicap (race 10)

COMMENT: Trainer Ken McPeek had a stranglehold on this race as, led by Vettori Kin, his runners ran first, second, and fourth. Coming back quickly (just six days) after running third in an allowance race here, a run McPeek said was basically a ‘test run’ for this, Vettori Kin, a Group 1 winner in his native Brazil in 2016, enjoyed this much longer trip as he bided his time early as Designed for War set a modest pace under heavy pressure from Roman Approval, steadily advanced going to the far turn, swung wide coming into the lane, came with a strong run to reel-in then-leader stablemate Harlan Strong before midstretch and drew away to win comfortably. He obviously enjoys this longer game, though there aren’t too many opportunities at this type of distance, unless he wants to step up in class for, say, something like the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga on July 28. Harlan Strong stalked in third from the start, came with a nice run into the lane, grabbed the lead from tiring pacesetter Designed for War, but held it only briefly as his stablemate surged. While unable to keep pace with that runner, he finished nicely to end up well clear of the others. Bronson was in tight and got bounced around early to be well back, bided his time there, shifted out coming into the lane and finished decently, though he was never a danger to the top two. Some in Tieme, the defending champ and favored after running eighth in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland last month, was away slowly to be last early, made some progress going to the far turn, swung very wide on the turn, came with a nice run to loom a threat but couldn’t sustain his rally.

Pimlico
Dixie (race 7)

COMMENT: Rains in recent days (the area received more than six inches of rain since Wednesday) and into this card forced five of the six turf races on this program to be moved off the turf including this one, with numerous scratches including that of likely favorite World Approval, leading to a field of four. World Approval will instead point to the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Churchill on June 16. Also scratching was Grade 1 winner Divisidero, who will go for the Grade 2 Monmouth on May 26. On a main track listed as ‘sloppy (sealed),’ Fire Away, the 6-5 favorite, stalked as Unbridled Juan set a modest pace, bided his time while saving ground, hugged the fence coming into the lane, found room inside Unbridled Juan, engaged that rival with Just Howard still a threat to their outside, got the better of those two and edged away in the final half-furlong. Unbridled Juan bounced right out to a clear lead, set a modest pace, maintained his advantage into the lane, came off the rail a bit, was confronted by Just Howard to his outside and by Fire Away to his inside, battled gamely, rebuffed Just Howard but couldn’t quite finish with the winner. Just Howard chased Unbridled Juan from the start, moved up alongside that foe on the turn, kept after him to midstretch, but couldn’t quite keep up with the top two in the final half-furlong.

Pimlico
Gallorette (race 9)

COMMENT: This was the lone grass race to remain on that footing, listed as ‘soft,’ and if they had a designation for something even more difficult it would apply as the rain continued. The inner rail was moved so the race was run on turf which hadn’t been used yet this meet. Race complexion changed with the scratch of morning-line favorite Cambodia. Ultra Brat got away from the best of the division, had a much better start, a dream trip and handled the footing with aplomb, all that translating into a romping win. Coming off a 10th in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland last month when facing Sistercharlie, Fourstar Crook, Off Limit, and Dona Bruja, Ultra Brat got a dream trip as she stalked pacesetter Stallion Heiress through slow splits, crept closer to that rival to her outside on the turn, soon took command under her own energy while being confidently ridden, opened up without really being pressured to do so and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. This shows that while the absolute best of the division may be a bit beyond her, she can still do damage in the right spots. And handling this footing likely means she can handle anything. Blessed Silence lagged back early, bided her time, came with a decent run on the far turn and into the lane and kept to her task well to get second, though she was never a danger to the winner. Brooks House lagged back from the start, moved off the inside going into the first turn, remained toward the back going to the far turn, came wider into the lane and finished decently to get third, though she was never really a factor. Elysea’s World, the favorite off a freshening after last taking the Grade 3 Suwanee River at Gulfstream on Feb. 10, seemed in a great spot stalking a few lengths off the pace, advanced going to the far turn and on the turn while just behind the eventual winner, seemed poised to make a run but didn’t have the necessary oomph in the lane and lost third in the final strides. She ran like a horse who didn’t care for the footing.

Pimlico
Maryland Sprint (race 10)

COMMENT: Rain ceased just before this race but the main track continued to be listed as ‘sloppy (sealed).’ Fog moved in to make visibility difficult when horses were on the backstretch. Switzerland continued his ascent as despite a step up in class he notched his fourth straight win. The $500,000 son of champion sprinter Speightstown, Switzerland, the second choice, dogged early pacesetter Red Dragon Tattoo through a solid first quarter, assumed command soon thereafter, set brisk splits, was briefly threatened by favorite Long Haul Bay who made a run at him to his outside turning for home and into the lane but rebuffed that foe and opened up in the final furlong for the smart win. Speed continues to hold up very well, though it’s worth noting many of these frontrunning winners were major contenders, so they were the best horse going in. Long Haul Bay, the favorite after a big optional-claiming win at Aqueduct last month, his first start in more than 10 months, stalked the pace just behind the eventual winner from the start while to his outside, came with a run on the far turn, loomed a threat into the lane but was then no match for the winner. Lewisfield, winner of five of his last six but stepping up after a stakes win at Laurel on March 17, was just behind the top two early, had to steady to lose position going to the far turn but got going again decently to get third, though he was never a danger to the top two. Heartwood broke poorly to be last, was very rank and fighting his rider early while still last, finally got settled going to the far turn and was able to come with a decent run between horses to pass a few rivals, though he was never a factor.

Pimlico
Preakness (race 13)

COMMENT: The rain ceased a couple hours before this race but the track was still ‘sloppy (sealed)’ and visibility was down to about a sixteenth of a mile due to heavy fog which developed the past couple hours. None of that mattered to Justify as the winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby two weeks prior prevailed and now goes to the Grade 1 Belmont on June 9, trying to become the game’s 13th Triple Crown champion and the only undefeated one since Seattle Slew (1977). While this wasn’t the tour de force of his Derby, the courage shown made this just about as impressive. He broke sharply from his outside post but was immediately taken on by Kentucky Derby runner-up and last year’s 2-year-old male champion Good Magic who rushed up to his inside to engage immediately. The two went at it nose to nose, though the fractions weren’t too fast, remained locked in battle to the top of the lane when Justify seemed to start to get the better of Good Magic, taking the lead, but just as it appeared Justify might draw clear Good Magic tried to re-rally to his inside and Tenfold came charging up to his hip. Justify maintained the narrow lead and got to the line before a hard-charging Bravazo to his outside, giving trainer Bob Baffert his seventh Preakness win, tied for the most. All five of his Derby winners came back to win the Preakness. This also gives him 14 Triple Crown race wins, tied with D. Wayne Lukas for the top spot. Five horses finished within about two lengths of one another at the finish and that fact may lead more than a few to feel the Belmont is a good time to challenge this horse who, good as he might be, has now run five times in just four months, having debuted just Feb. 18. Bravazo lagged back, stayed wide down the backstretch letting Justify and Good Magic duel, moved a bit closer turning for home, didn’t appear to be going anywhere but found his best stride late and surged to get second and give Justify a scare. Tenfold lagged back, came with a nice run into the lane, loomed ominously on Justify’s hip by midstretch but just couldn’t quite get to him. Both Bravazo and Tenfold may show up at Belmont to take another swing at Justify. Good Magic lost nothing in defeat as he did all the heavy lifting, battling from the start with Justify, was stuck inside throughout and continued on gamely. Oddly enough jockey Jose Ortiz said he ‘messed up,’ that he wasn’t supposed to engage Justify from the start but that once it happened the die was cast and he couldn’t take the horse back. Trainer Chad Brown had already said Good Magic does not strike him as a 12-furlong horse, so the Belmont isn’t in his plans. Surely the summer at Saratoga is his target, namely the Grade 1 Travers in late August. Lone Sailor, eighth in the Kentucky Derby, was slow away from the gate to be last early, was still well back turning for home, came with a smart wide run into the lane, moved back toward the inside coming into the lane and finished decently to be beaten by just two lengths. Quip was urged out of the gate from his rail slot, found a few others quicker, settled into a stalking position while holding the rail but came up empty when it mattered.

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