Trip Notes for May 23, 2020: Matt Winn, Charles Whittingham, and more

May 23 Churchill
Matt Winn (race 10)

COMMENT: Maxfield looked like a real comer last year, winning his first two starts including taking the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in the fall in dazzling fashion. He was to be one of the favorites in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita but had to miss that due to injury (had surgery to remove an ankle chip in his right fore). You’re always worried as to how they’ll come back from that but the son of juvenile champion and Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense was super in his return here, winning despite the layoff and without a clear trip. From his outside post he broke well but soon found himself between horses, while wide, going into the first turn, eventually being shuffled back to lose position as Celtic Striker set a modest pace under pressure from second choice Pneumatic to his inside and Ny Traffic to his outside. Maxfield remained toward the back to the far turn, looked in trouble when coming under a ride but not immediately responding, soon found another gear into the stretch, remained widest of all, rallied gamely down the middle of the track, was soon abreast of leaders Ny Traffic and Pneumatic to their outside, and seemed to find yet another gear late to put the matter to bed in just a couple tries before being geared down at the line. This was a super return run, though whether his connections think it’s enough to try the deepest end of the pool, the Grade 1 Belmont June 20, taking on the likes of Nadal, Charlatan and Tiz the Law, or give him another race in something like the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland July 11 (site of his aforementioned big Breeders’ Futurity win) is the question. Ny Traffic, a game second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds last time out March 21, showed speed to stalk in third outside early pacesetter Celtic Striker with Pneumatic further to the inside on the rail, moved up outside Pneumatic turning for home as that foe took over from a tiring Celtic Striker, dueled with that foe, appeared to be getting the better of that rival to his inside in deep stretch only to have the winner surge up alongside and them move ahead to his outside in the final half-furlong. His trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., said the Belmont isn’t in his plans, that instead the son of Cross Traffic would target either the Blue Grass or the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth July 18. Pneumatic, a son of juvenile champ Uncle Mo and stepping into stakes ranks after smartly winning his first two starts at Oaklawn, showed speed to hound early pacesetter Celtic Striker to his outside while saving ground, took over from that rival into the far turn, was immediately confronted by Ny Traffic to his outside, battled with that foe only to have the winner blow by further to the outside while unable to keep pace with Ny Traffic to his immediate right in the final half-furlong. Major Fed, a rallying fourth in the Louisiana Derby, broke slowly from his far outside post, was able to get position midpack into the first turn while very wide, remained there while staying wide but came up completely empty in the lane.

Santa Anita
Daytona (race 5)

COMMENT: Wildman Jack came into this off a dazzling win in a Group 3 turf sprint in Dubai March 7. He prevailed, but the stretch run was a bit of a jam-up and he had to survive an inquiry. He showed his customary good speed to be part of a three-way pace battle from the start, with Sparky Ville and Cistron to his inside through sizzling splits, continued to press the issue as Stubbins joined the fray to his inside between horses, came with his run in the lane as longshot Sparky Ville took a clear lead, drifted inward in midstretch forcing the field bunch up and continued on gamely to edge Sparky Ville, missing the course mark by .01 of a second. Smart as this was, you sort of get the feeling that if you ran this race five times you might get four different winners. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in the fall is his long-term goal though how he gets there is fluid. The Grade 3 Green Flash at Del Mar in the summer may be his next target. Sparky Ville, a big longshot (70-1) after finishing fifth to Cistron in the Grade 3 San Simeon here March 21, broke sharply from his rail slot, dueled early with Cistron, took over from that rival into the lane, opened up a clear lead on the rail, drifted off the rail forcing Cistron and Stubbins to steady and take up and battled on gamely to just miss. He surely came out in the lane and you could certainly argue it’s tough to see how he wasn’t disqualified and placed behind Stubbins and Cistron. Stubbins, making his first start since a strong rallying fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here Nov. 2, bided his time early in fifth, though not far off the pace while saving ground, came with a nice run on the inside, had to steady when Sparky Ville came out and Wildman Jack came in, veered to the rail and continued on gamely in a fine try. Texas Wedge, winner of his last three turf sprints including the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez here Jan. 1 and a stakes at Gulfstream Jan. 25, stalked the pace toward the outside, remained there to the far turn, loomed a threat while wide into the lane but was one-paced to the line and unable to really threaten the top two. Cistron, coming off a smart win in the Grade 3 San Simeon on this course at this trip March 21, his first start since winning the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on Del Mar dirt last July 27, broke sharply to go right out to challenge for the lead, dueled with Sparky Vile to his inside and Wildman Jack to his outside, was still in the thick of it turning for home at Stubbins joined the fray to his inside, had to steady significantly in the stretch when Wildman Jack drifted inward and Sparky Ville drifted off the rail, losing his action. He wasn’t going to win but the interference surely cost him a better finish. The Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont June 20 could be on his radar, though as noted he’s already a Grade 1 winner on dirt so they could stay in Southern California to defend his Bing Crosby title at Del Mar this summer, or ship to Belmont for the Grade 2 True North June 27. However, trainer John Sadler has mentioned about Cistron moving to a longer trip. With his sprint speed and proven dirt form could that lead to something like the Grade 1 Met Mile at Belmont July 4, especially with the two best milers (Maximum Security, Spun to Run) yet to hit the work tab? He would be an interesting theft play there.

Santa Anita
Charles Whittingham (race 8)

COMMENT: After a game win in the Grade 2 San Marcos here Feb. 1, United shipped to Dubai for the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic but that race was canceled due the coronavirus pandemic. Back to his home turf, the 5-year-old gelded son of Giant’s Causeway was none the worse for wear after logging all those miles as he gamely prevailed. But it wasn't easy. He broke alertly to sit second off longshot pacesetter Synthesis, remained on that foe’s outer hip through modest splits, took over from that tiring rival into the lane, moved to the rail and finished resolutely to nip Rockemperor. This has to rank him with Zulu Alpha and maybe Annals of Time as the top male turf distance runners in the land, though of course we have yet to see what else Chad Brown is ready to unleash. There doesn’t appear anything left for him here this meet and trainer Dick Mandella mentioned possibly going to Keeneland for the Grade 2 Elkhorn at 1 1/2 miles July 12 as his next target. Originaire, stepping up off a monstrous optional claiming win here Feb. 29, sat just behind the eventual winner from the start, remained there throughout just outside that rival, came with a game run into the lane with United on his left and Rockemperor on his right, was bumped and jostled as Rockemperor came inward in midstretch and kept on gamely to end up third. He was awarded second after Rockemperor was disqualified and placed third for lugging in and bumping Originaire in the lane. Rockemperor, a fast-finishing third in the Grade 2 Mervin Muniz at the Fair Grounds March 21 and the slight favorite, bided his time early, though he wasn’t as far back as had been his habit in previous starts, was content to remain there to the far turn, came with a strong wide run into the lane with Originaire to his immediate left and leader United on the rail, came inward some in midstretch but bump and jostle Originaire and kept on strongly to just miss catching United by a nose. Unfortunately, he was disqualified from second and placed third for his antics in the stretch. He figures to return to his New York homebase at Belmont where the Grade 1 Manhattan at this same 1 1/4-mile trip July 4 would surely figure on his radar. Desert Stone, moving to a longer trip after failing to threaten when ninth in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile here March 7, was slow into stride to be last early, remained there to the far turn, swung wide into the stretch and finished with good energy. Had the race been another half-furlong he might well have gotten there.