Trip Notes for November 12: Red Smith, Discovery, Commonwealth Turf

Nov. 12

Belmont

Red Smith (race 7)

COMMENT: Bigger Picture, beaten a nose in a Grade 3 at Keeneland last month, powered home to make this his first graded stakes win. Claimed for $32,000 just over a year ago, Bigger Picture bided his time midpack while saving ground as Biz the Nurse set a slow pace. Bigger Picture moved closer going to the far turn, swung out just a bit turning for home to launch his bid, grabbed command by midstretch, and edged clear. Danish Dynaformer, coming off three straight Grade 1 efforts, sat well back until turning for home, swung very wide into the lane, and finished strongly for second. Wake Forest, the heavy favorite off five straight Grade 1 efforts including a third in Woodbine’s Canadian International last time out, sat not too far behind the eventual winner. He swung wide into the lane to make his run, got jostled around some, was able to get back into top gear, loomed a big threat by midstretch, but couldn’t go with the winner and just got nipped for second. Messi sat back and never mustered a run.

Aqueduct

Discovery (race 8)

COMMENT: Sticksstatelydude, second to Texas Chrome in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Sept. 25, went right to the lead from his inside slot, held a narrow advantage over Neolithic through modest splits, had that rival come to him on the turn, battled with that foe to midstretch, and edged clear late. Neolithic, who added blinkers and was stepping up in class after finishing second in an allowance at Belmont last month, dogged the winner from the start and finished clear of the others. My Man Sam got pinched back at the start to be last early, pitched out into the lane, and finished well, but he was doomed the race shape. Adulator, stepping up in class after two sharp seconds against elders in optional claimers at Belmont, stalked in third while saving ground, tried to make a run into the lane, and weakened a bit late to lose third in the final strides. Gift Box, making his first start since running fourth in the Grade 1 Travers, sat midpack, looked briefly menacing when making a run into the lane, but flattened out. Governor Malibu, second in the Empire Classic at Belmont last month, got bumped at the start, bided his time inside, seemed to have plenty of run as he waited for room, but the run never came. Hot Seat was scratched.

Churchill

Commonwealth Turf (race 10)

COMMENT: Hay Dakota picked the right day to run the race of his life and post the big upset. The son of Haynesfield was slow into stride, got pushed out very wide early, and remained wide and in the clear. He pitched out even wider into the lane and finished with a flourish to just get up. Bondurant was also well back early while wide, swung wider into the lane, looked like he might win with a half-furlong to go, but was unable to fend off the winner’s charge. Scholar Athlete, off since running sixth in the Grade 2 Commonwealth Derby at Laurel Sept. 24, set modest splits while taking some pressure from Ikerrin Road, rebuffed that foe into the lane, but couldn’t fend off the top two. Sir Dudley Digges, winner of the Queen’s Plate in Canada but just 1 for 6 on turf coming into this, stalked the pace in fourth, tried to make a run into the lane, and plugged along to be beaten only about a length. One Mean Man, winner of four of his last five including three stakes, sat midpack early, came with a threatening wide run into the lane, but flattened out.