Trip Notes for October 17-18, 2020: Raven Run, E. P. Taylor, Northern Dancer Turf, and more

Oct. 17

Keeneland

Raven Run (race 9)

COMMENT: Venetian Harbor ran second in her last three starts, but on each occasion she chased home a Grade 1 winner (Swiss Skydiver, Speech, Gamine). She got away from such beasts here, and it paid off as the daughter of Munnings proved a game winner and may have earned a shot at the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint here Nov. 7. She showed her customary speed as she went right to the lead, took some pressure from Reagan’s Edge and Grand Cru Classe to her outside, but was still able to set modest splits, stayed on the rail, rebuffed those two into the lane, came off the rail into the lane as she opened up, and had enough of a buffer to get to the line before a hard-charging Finite who rallied well to her inside. Finite, another daughter of Munnings who was among the division elite last fall/winter before a setback, was a dull 11th on turf in her comeback Sept. 15 at Kentucky Downs, her first start in six months, but back to dirt here with that under her belt the $200,000 filly bounced back nicely as she bided her time early, steadily advanced to the far turn, came with a nice run while seemingly in hand racing inside turning for home, doggedly went after the leader, and finished well but couldn’t quite get to the winner. This was a fine try, so she looks back on her game and maybe she can make some noise in 2021 in a loaded division. Grand Cru Classe, a $335,000 daughter of 3-year-old male champ Bernardini and unbeaten in her first three starts, stepped up in class here and handled herself well as she prompted the pace a couple lanes outside the eventual winner, was still a threat turning for home while wide, gamely chased the eventual winner, but couldn’t get to her. Reagan’s Edge, a decent second to top 3-year-old sprinting filly Frank’s Rockette in the Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont on July 4 and in the Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga on Sept. 5, pressed the pace just outside the pacesetter and eventual winner, was still there turning for home, but was unable to get on terms with the winner and unable to finish with Finite and Grand Cru Classe. Tonalist’s Shape, among the division elite in the winter and spring but coming off a couple not-so-hot outings, was again not as sharp here as she was away slowly, sat well back from the start, was last into the far turn, still trailed the field while wide on the turn, pitched wider still into the lane, made some headway, but was never a factor. Four Graces, winner of four of her first five and then second in the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill on Sept. 4, stalked while inside, was still in the mix going to the far turn, but then gave way.

Santa Anita

Autumn Miss (race 9)

COMMENT: Trainer Craig Lewis, a fixture in the SoCal training ranks for the last four decades, got his 1,000th victory as Warren’s Showtime blasted home for the win. Sent off the 7-10 favorite off a good third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks after taking the lead that day in the stretch before tiring a bit late, she appreciated the class drop and distance cutback as she bided her time early as longshot Quiet Secretary set a fast pace. She remained well back while wide to the far turn, pitched wider still into the lane, still had plenty work to do, but powered home in the final furlong to roll past the leaders and get up for the score. This doesn’t necessarily mean she’s ready for something like the Grade 1 Matriarch, but it shows she can do damage in the right spots. Going to Vegas, a $50,000 claim here June 12, sat third from the start a few lengths off the fast pace, crept closer heading to the far turn, came with a run into the lane, couldn’t quite finish with the winner, but finished gamely to be a close second. Nasty sat second off the pacesetter, took over from that tiring rival into the stretch, showed fight in the lane, but couldn’t quite finish with the top two. Guitty sat well back while saving ground, started to advance on the far turn, angled out for room, moved wider still into the lane, and finished well but couldn’t quite challenge in the final furlong.

Oct. 18

Belmont

Knickerbocker (race 3)

COMMENT: Originally scheduled for Oct. 12 but moved to this day (weather). Inner course was listed as yielding. Devamani had been knocking on the door this year with a number of stakes placings, but the son of Dubawi broke through in smart fashion to earn his first stakes win. Claimed for $62,500 at Saratoga in August 2019 and switched to the Chad Brown barn this winter, the 6-year-old gelding stalked in third as En Wye Cee went out to a clear lead while setting a slow pace, remained there while saving ground, came off the inside some turning for home, burst through between horses into the lane, grabbed the lead by midstretch, and edged clear. Olympico made it a Brown exacta as the 5-year-old gelding, a Grade 3 winner in his U.S. debut in May 2019 and second in this race last year, bided his time early, sitting last from the start, saved ground as he remained at the back of the pack, came out into the lane to start a run, finished with interest, and while no threat to his stablemate winner kept on well for second. En Wye Cee, a good third in his only prior turf start and coming off a romping optional-claiming win in a race washed off the turf at Saratoga on Aug. 29, went right out to a clear lead, was able to dictate the tempo through slow splits as he saved ground, battled back when hooked into the lane by Breaking the Rules to his outside, continued to rebuff that foe, but had no answer when the winner blew past in midstretch and then couldn’t quite finish with Olympico to his outside. Breaking the Rules, the slight 2-1 favorite off a fourth in the Lure at Saratoga on Sept. 7, chased the pacemaker from the start, crept closer outside that rival to ramp up the pressure on the turn, loomed a big threat turning for home, but flattened out when it mattered.

Belmont

Hill Prince (race 9)

COMMENT: Originally scheduled for Oct. 12 but moved to this day (weather). The Widener turf course listed as yielding. Get Smokin went out to a clear early lead in the Saratoga Derby Invitational on Aug. 15 but the distance proved too much. Freshened since and cut back to a mile, this got the son of Get Stormy back on track as he posted a front-running upset. From the rail, he went right to the lead while staying on the fence, set a decent pace under some pressure from Assiduously to his outside, dispatched with that rival turning for home, and opened up into the lane giving himself enough of a buffer to get to the line before hard-charging favorite Decorated Invader to his outside. Apparently this shorter trip is up his alley. Trainer Tom Bush said he’d likely get freshened and target the Gulfstream meet this winter. Decorated Invader, the heavy 2-5 favorite as he also cut back in distance after finishing a good fifth in the Saratoga Derby (beaten less than a length), was a bit slow into stride, settled toward the back toward the inside, bided his time there, started to advance between horses on the far turn, bulled his way through into the lane to get clear sailing, took dead aim on Get Smokin, finished strongly outside that foe, but just couldn’t quite get there in time. Bodecream, a solid third in the Grade 3 Saranac at this same trip at Saratoga on Aug. 29, stalked while inside racing behind Get Smokin, remained there to the far turn, had to wait for room, found a seam, made a mild move into the lane, couldn’t keep pace with the top two, but kept to his task well for third. Assiduously, stepping up in class after a decent third versus optional claimers here July 9, broke well, pressed Get Smokin from the start while on that foe’s right hip, tried to move closer on the far turn, but couldn’t keep pace and gave way.

Woodbine

Northern Dancer Turf (race 5)

COMMENT: Turf course listed was good. Say the Word has really blossomed. After posting a 51-1 upset over optional claimers on turf at Saratoga on Aug. 14, he came here for the Grade 3 Singspiel on Sept. 19 and finished well for third. Well, he took another move forward, and the result was his first graded stakes win. From his rail slot he settled at the back of the pack while inside, got off the inside but remained well back into the backstretch racing just behind Sir Sahib who was to his inside as Admiralty Pier set a slow space, continued at the back going to the far turn while a couple lanes off the rail, moved wide on the turn to start his run, was wider still into the lane, and finished resolutely to get up for the score while outfinishing Sir Sahib who rallied just behind to his outside. Sir Sahib, second in the aforementioned Singspiel, sat well back early while inside, racing with the eventual winner to his outside, was in a bit of a box much of the way, was able to get off the inside turning for home, pitched widest of all as he followed Say the Word on the far turn and into the stretch, and rallied well just outside and behind that rival to get up for second. Admiralty Pier, trying this much longer trip for the first time after finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile here Sept. 19, broke very sharply, went right out to a clear lead, was able to get over to the inside from his outside post with that sharp break, set a modest pace, came under pressure turning for home when challenged by a couple rivals, looked in deep water when challenged by a few to his right, but battled on gamely to reacquire third at the wire. All things considered, this was a fine first try at this longer trip. Count Again, winner of the Singspiel, stalked the pace a few lanes off the rail, seemed a big eager as he pulled some down the backstretch, remained just behind and outside pacesetter Admiralty Pier and pacepresser Peace of Ekati, moved up easily on the far turn outside those two, took the lead into the lane seemingly well in hand, but couldn’t sustain his run in the final half-furlong.

Woodbine

E. P. Taylor (race 7)

COMMENT: Turf course listed was as good. Etoile finished gamely to be second in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly here Aug. 15, but couldn’t quite catch winner Theodora B. who got away with murder upfront. Things went better for Etoile this time as Theodora B. didn’t have things quite so easy on the lead as Etoile got her first win in North America. She broke well and was content to sit third as Theodora B. set a modest pace though this time under pressure from Elizabeth Way. Etoile remained in third while saving ground racing in Theodora B.’s wake as Elizabeth Way continued to apply pressure, moved up easily on the far turn, came off the inside to come alongside Theodora B., challenged in earnest into the lane outside Theodora B., put away that rival and opened up, which gave her enough of a buffer to get to the line before hard-charging longshot Court Return. Court Return, a well-beaten third in the Grade 2 Canadian here Sept. 12, appreciated this longer trip as she lagged back, saved ground to the far turn, came off the inside on the far turn, pitched wider still into the lane, and finished strongly in the middle of the track widest of all but couldn’t quite get to the winner. Secret Message, 10th in this last year, fared better as she sat midpack a few lengths off the lead while a few lanes off the rail, bided her time there to the far turn, pitched out into the lane, and finished decently between horses for third, though she was never a danger to the top two. Theodora B., winner of her last two, both stakes, by controlling things up front, broke well again here, went right to the lead racing along the rail, took pressure from Elizabeth Way who was on her right hip from the start, set a slow pace despite that pressure, had the heat turned up some going into the far turn, soon dispatched with Elizabeth Way, but was immediately confronted by Etoile to her outside. Theodora B. battled back into the lane but tired a bit once headed.

Keeneland

Dowager (race 8)

COMMENT: Blame Debbie, favored after finishing first in two straight first-level allowance races (was disqualified from the first of those two), got away with murder up front and took advantage. The filly broke well going right out to a clear lead, was able to set dawdling splits as Always Shopping sat close, held a narrow lead as Always Shopping ranged up alongside to her right on the far turn, and fought bravely the rest of the way to hold her narrow advantage. Always Shopping, the second choice off a stakes win at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 7, sat second to Blame Debbie from the start, though she didn’t really apply pressure, remained on Blame Debbie’s right hip as that gal set a turtle-like pace, moved up to challenge on the turn, engaged that rival in earnest, battled all the way to the line, but came up just short. With Dignity stalked in third behind the top two, tried to go after those two on the turn, was unable to get on terms with them, but kept to her task to hold third. Siberian Iris stalked in fourth, was still there turning for home, but was unable to make a dent. Certainly the pace scenario left her closing style completely ineffective

Santa Anita

Twilight Derby (race 9)

COMMENT: Smooth Like Strait was the top 3-year-old turfer in SoCal and took his game on the road to the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill on Sept. 5, but he didn’t bring his “A” game as he dueled before tiring to fourth as the 6-5 favorite. Back in his SoCal sandbox, however, the son of Midnight Lute got back on track with a smart victory. His speed again proved key as he was handy enough to sit second from the start stalking longshot pacesetter Dominant Soul through modest splits, crept closer to that foe on the far turn, took over from that tiring rival turning for home, quickly opened up, and stayed on well to keep his rivals at bay in the lane. Surely the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 28 figures on his radar. Scarto, stepping up off two straight smart wins, showed the light has indeed gone on as he ran well again here as stalked in fourth toward the inside, had to steady when in tight going down the backstretch to lose position, got back on track by the far turn, and came with a nice run, though he couldn’t get to the winner. Field Pass, a Midwest raider coming off a solid third in the aforementioned American Turf, broke inward to crowd a few rivals, got straightened, sat midpack into the first turn, moved toward the inside into the backstretch, crept closer heading to the far turn, loomed a big threat into the lane as he rallied with the eventual winner, but couldn’t keep pace with that rival in the stretch and faltered a bit in the final half-furlong to lose second. Farmington Road, another invader who last won a first-level allowance race at Colonial, his first try on turf, was in tight early after the break, finally settled well off the pace while saving ground, came off the inside on the far turn, was still well back into the lane, but finally got going to at least pass a few rivals in the stretch, though he was never a factor.