Trip Notes for October 1-2: Awesome Again, Zenyatta, Joe Hirsch Turf Invitational

Oct. 1

Belmont
Joe Hirsch Turf Invitational (race 6)
COMMENT: Several years ago Ectot was among the European elite. With the help of yielding footing and a change of tactics, he turned back the clock to post the upset over Flintshire. In this short field he was sent right out to the lead, was able to set dawdling splits while pressed some by Money Multiplier, and surged clear to win easily. Flintshire went into this the overwhelming favorite for the BC Turf after three romping wins since coming to the U.S. He bided his time early, started to advance on the far turn, made his run into the lane, but was no match for the winner. Besides trying to catch a leader who had it all his way, he may not be at his best on this footing. Twilight Eclipse, third to Flintshire in the Grade 2 Bowling Green and Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga in his last two starts, lagged back with Flintshire, tried to rally with that rival but couldn’t keep pace.

Belmont
Gallant Bloom Handicap (race 7)
COMMENT: Paulassilverlining was fifth in Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga Aug. 27 after five strong outings, but she showed patience and got a muddy track she enjoyed to run her record at Belmont to 3 for 3. She stalked in third as the favorite as Momameamaria went out to a clear lead, moved closer going to the far turn, pitched very wide into the lane, wore down the tiring pacesetter and kept Quezon at bay. Quezon, facing open foes after back-to-back seconds in New York-bred stakes this summer, stalked in fourth, and came with a run to loom a big threat by midstretch. Wavell Avenue, sixth in the Ballerina, sat behind Quezon and ran on decently. Wonder Gal, winner of a New York-bred optional claimer at Saratoga Sept. 2, her first start in seven months, chased the pacesetter from the start, was very wide into the lane, and weakened.

Belmont
Pilgrim (race 8)
COMMENT: Oscar Performance beat maidens by 10 1/4 lengths at Saratoga, and he backed up that big run here with an easy win over yielding turf, stamping himself among the favorites for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. A son of grass champion and top turf sire Kitten’s Joy, he went right out to the lead, setting a modest pace under some pressure from My Bo Chop. Oscar Performance dispatched with that foe on the turn and kicked clear to win comfortably. J. S. Choice, another impressive maiden winner on turf at Saratoga, bided his time while saving ground, angled off the inside for room on the turn, came with a decent run in the lane, and shied from the whip. Kitten’s Cat, another son of Kitten’s Joy and a winner on turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 14, was well back until turning for home and finished well. Bird’s Eye View was fractious in the gate and was scratched on the recommendation of the track veterinarian.

Belmont
Vosburgh (race 9)
COMMENT: Joking, making his first start since taking the Grade 2 True North here June 10, bided his time over the muddy track as X Y Jet set a strong pace under pressure from Green Gratto. Joking started to advance on the turn, swung very wide into the lane, and powered home for the win. Stallwalkin’ Dude, third to A. P. Indian in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga last time out, sat back with Joking early, came with a strong wide run into the lane to grab the lead from Holy Boss, but couldn’t fend off the winner. Weekend Hideaway, coming off a win over New York-bred allowance foes at Saratoga Aug. 22, stalked the pace and kept to his task well. X Y Jet, the favorite, was making his first start since a second in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen March 26 and a subsequent injury. He set a sharp pace under pressure, dispatched with the other speed into the lane, but was pretty much done with more than a furlong to go. He may well have needed this outing after the layoff. Morning-line favorite A. P. Indian scratched.

Belmont
Beldame (race 10)
COMMENT: Forever Unbridled, winner of the Grade 1 Apple Blossom earlier this year, had little trouble proving best as the heavy favorite. She bided her time over the muddy track as Paola Queen set a modest pace under pressure from Off the Tracks, moved easily toward the lead while wide, opened up without really being asked, and won geared down. Tiger Ride, stepping up in class after a second in a stakes at Saratoga Aug. 22, stalked in third, was stuck behind a wall of horses into the lane to midstretch, finally got free, and came with a decent run. Penwith, a Grade 2 winner earlier this year, stalked, and tried to make a run into the lane. Off the Tracks dogged fellow 3-year-old Paola Queen on the lead, was still there into the lane, but came up empty. Paola Queen, winner of the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga Aug. 6, gave way readily. She may want a shorter trip.

Churchill
Ack Ack (race 9)
COMMENT: Last year’s sprint champion Runhappy made his first start of the year, but it was Tom’s Ready who stole the show. Tom’s Ready, a 3-year-old who last ran ninth in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop, bided his time as Runhappy and Mr. Z dueled early, came with his run into the lane, and fended off Iron Fist. Iron Fist sat back just in front of the eventual winner, tried to go with that foe into the lane while a bit further out, and got going well late to cut into the winner’s margin. Schivarelli pressed the pace, dueled with Runhappy turning for home, got the better of that foe into the lane, but couldn’t fend off the top two. Runhappy dueled with Mr. Z, dispatched with that rival on the far turn, but was immediately taken on by Schivarelli. He battled for the lead to midstretch but then weakened. He almost certainly needed this race.

Santa Anita
FrontRunner (race 6)
COMMENT: Gormley easily won his debut Sept. 4 at Del Mar. Here he was asked to face proven stakes foes and route for the first time – and he was up to the task, helped by a stellar ride by Victor Espinoza. The son of Malibu Moon went right to the lead from his rail slot, was able to set dawdling splits, rebuffed a challenge from Straight Fire into the lane, and kept Klimt at bay in the final furlong. Klimt, the heavy favorite off a win in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, got shuffled back to lose position early, steadily advanced, and made a nice run while trying to catch a fresh runner. Straight Fire, second in the Del Mar Futurity, stalked the pace, made a menacing move into the lane, but couldn’t keep up and finished third. This may have exposed him as a sprinter. Secret House was declared a non-starter because the gates opened while his rider was off.

Santa Anita
Awesome Again (race 7)
COMMENT: California Chrome, coming off a win in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 20, shot right out to the lead from his rail draw, set a strong pace under constant pressure from Dortmund, dispatched with that foe into the lane, and cruised home under wraps. Yes, Arrogate was huge in the Grade 1 Travers, and he’ll need every bit of that performance and then some to handle California Chrome in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Dortmund pushed California Chrome through strong splits, was still on his hip turning for home, and finished much the best of the rest. Win the Space stalked in third, was no match for the top two, but plugged along to hold the show.

Santa Anita
Rodeo Drive (race 8)
COMMENT: Avenge notched her third straight win and punched her ticket for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. After two dull sprints to start this year she beat optional claimers routing at Del Mar July 24 and then just held on to win the Grade 2 John C. Mabee there Sept. 4. Here she went right out to the lead in the bulky field, set modest splits while holding a narrow lead over East Coast raider Zipessa, rebuffed that foe into the lane, and stayed on to win. Zipessa made a couple runs at the winner but couldn’t get to her. Elektrum, second in this race last year, bided her time as usual but never mustered a run. Sobradora Inc., fifth in the John C. Mabee, lagged back and never made a move in a disappointing run.

Santa Anita
Zenyatta (race 9)
COMMENT: Stellar Wind chased Beholder and outdueled that multiple champion in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar July 30. She showed that was no fluke. She kept Beholder in her sights from the start, continued to press that gal through a strong pace, moved up to duel with her into the lane, and got the better of her by midstretch. Beholder set a strong pace while pressured by Stellar Wind, battled back when hooked by that foe into the lane, and was much the best of the others. She’s now lost three straight, and you wonder about two things: that maybe she’s lost a half-step, and that maybe she’s better stalking the pace. Vale Dori was slow into stride, edged closer going to the far turn, but was no match for the top pair.

Santa Anita
Chandelier (race 10)
COMMENT: Trainer Bob Baffert was going to send Noted and Quoted to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Alcibiades Oct. 8 after she was fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante, but he left her here and the result was a Grade 1 win. The daughter of The Factor dogged pacesetter With Honor, finally got the better of her by midstretch, and kept her at arm’s length to the line. She’s surely one of the ones for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies next month. With Honors, winner of her first two races, both turf routes, took pressure from Noted and Quoted through modest splits, rebuffed that foe to midstretch, and was much the best of the rest. Zapperkat, a daughter of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper who was surprisingly favored off a debut sprint win at Del Mar Aug. 20, lagged well back, and made a strong move into the lane. Champagne Room stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home and finished evenly. American Cleopatra, a full sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, pressed the pace in third while wide, was still there turning for home, but then gave way.

Oct. 2

Belmont
Miss Grillo (race 5)
COMMENT: Facing some Euro raiders and stakes winner Coasted, the maiden New Money Honey validated trainer Chad Brown’s confidence in her and stormed home to win. New Money Honey sat fourth as Joust set a dawdling pace, came wide to launch her run at the top of the lane, and powered past her rivals to win going away. Rymska, coming off two wins in France including over males last time out, sat second pressing Joust, moved up to challenge that foe into the lane, took the lead by midstretch, but had no answer for the winner’s charge. Coasted, rallying winner of the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga last month, sat third just behind Rymska while saving ground, loomed a threat inside into the lane, but flattened out. Create a Dream, an English raider who was fourth to Brave Anna in a Group 3 last time out June 17 and now in the Brown barn, stumbled badly at the start, bided her time toward the back, swung out into the lane and couldn’t get involved. Dancing Waves, an invader from Ireland also now in the Brown barn, broke slowly to be last, remained inside, and never made a move.

Santa Anita
John Henry Turf Championship (race 6)
COMMENT: After winning the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, Ashleyluvssugar confirmed he is the West’s top turf distance horse. He sat second off clear early leader El Huerfano, had no trouble reeling in that tiring longshot on the far turn, opened up into the lane, and withstood the charge of several rivals. Texas Ryano, third to Ashleyluvssugar in the Del Mar Handicap, lagged well back to the far turn, swung wide into the lane, and finished strongly to nip Twentytwentyvision for second. Twentytwentyvision stalked in fourth, and came with a run into the lane to briefly appear a threat to the winner. Metaboss, second in the Del Mar Handicap, sat last to midstretch and finished well. Flamboyant, eighth in the Del Mar Handicap, lagged back and never made a move. To show you how competitive this race was, just 3 1/4 lengths covered the top eight finishers.