Trip Notes for October 17-18: Athenia, Raven Run, Canadian International, and more...

Saturday, October 17

Belmont - Futurity (race 3)

COMMENT: Annual Report, a son of Grade 1 winner Harlan’s Holiday, cost $600,000 at auction and now we know what the fuss was all about. A romping winner of his debut at Parx Sept. 20, the colt backed it up here, stamping himself one to watch. He got squeezed back at the start to be last early as Manhattan Dan zipped off to a clear early lead. He was asked to get more involved, started to advance, swung wide into the lane, lugged inward while making his run, carrying rival King Kranz inward a couple lanes, grabbed the lead by midstretch and edged clear. King Kranz is a maiden, but came into this off a third, narrowly beaten by two very promising runners. From his rail slot he lagged back early, sitting just in front of the eventual winner. He came with a run into the lane, was carried inward by Annual Report but never lost his action, and finished far clear of the rest. Manhattan Dan, who broke his maiden on turf at Saratoga and was third in a Grade 2 turf stakes at Woodbine last month, to battle back when hooked by the top two into the lane, and just held third.

Belmont - Athenia (race 9)

COMMENT: Stellar Path had flashed promise since coming from Europe with a stakes win at Aqueduct in April, a Grade 3 third at Monmouth and stakes third at Woodbine this summer. But she took a step forward and did even better here, notching her first U.S. Grade 3 win. From her rail draw she saved ground while sitting midpack, came through a seam along the rail to grab the lead by midstretch, and outfinished fast-closing longshot Wiener Valkyrie for the win. English import Wiener Valkyrie lagged well back early while saving ground, angled out for room coming into the lane and finished strongly. Lady Lara, coming off a second in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at a mile here last month, was slow into stride to be last early, started to edge closer going to the far turn, finished full of run but just ran out of ground. Coffee Clique, a Grade 1 winner and a tepid 3-1 favorite, sat midpack but never mustered a run. It’s possible her best days are behind her as she’s now just 1 for 7 this year. Tango Time, so impressive beating allowance foes at Saratoga Aug. 29 in her second U.S. start after coming from Ireland, sat well back and never mustered a run.

Keeneland - Raven Run (race 9)

COMMENT: Sarah Sis led the field in earnings coming into this race but that didn’t carry much weight with players as she was sent off at 17-1. She sat second as 3-2 favorite Bar of Gold shot out to a clear lead while setting a solid pace. Sarah Sis made her run at that gal into the lane, got the better of her inside the final furlong, and edged away. Bar of Gold, favored off seconds to top 3-year-old filly sprinter Cavorting in the Grade 1 Test and Grade 2 Prioress, battled back when hooked by the winner but couldn’t keep pace. I’m a Looker, coming off an eighth in the Grade 3 Dogwood at this trip at Churchill Sept. 19, lagged back early, made a smart wide run to reach contention, and missed second by a nose. Irish Jasper, impressive earlier this year when winning the Grade 3 Miss Preakness and Grade 3 Victory Ride, sat back, got shuffled further back on the far turn, and was unable to get involved.

Hawthorne - Hawthorne Derby (race 8)

COMMENT: Lucky Lindy hadn’t won in three turf tries (though he’d run well with two seconds and a third). After an easy win in a Grade 3 on Woodbine’s Polytrack Sept. 20 he continued his good form here and notched his first grass win. He sat back early as Flashy Jewel set a strong pace pressured first by Chip Leader and then by Mission Drive. Lucky Lindy started to advance as Mission Drive took over on the turn, made his run while still inside, swung out into the lane, surged past his rivals and won going away. Saham, coming off a win in the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup on the Churchill Downs turf last month, was just behind the winner early, didn’t accelerate as quickly but got going into the lane to get up for second. Nun the Less, seventh to Saham as the 2-1 favorite in the Jefferson Cup, came with a threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain it and lost second in the final strides. Nucifera, who showed talent in Europe before coming to the U.S. and running third in a Saratoga turf stakes Aug. 31, lagged well back between horses, was in tight going to the far turn, and fell. He did get up and leave the course under his own power. One Go All Go, who would have been one of the favorites, scratched.

Santa Anita - Autumn Miss (race 8)

COMMENT: Belle Hill, the top 3-year-old filly at Emerald Downs this summer, tried turf for the first time here. She got a great trip stalking as Dreamologist set a sharp pace, moved up with Paulina’s Love to take over turning for home, and got the better of her in the final half-furlong. Paulina’s Love dogged Dreamologist through fast splits, moved up with Belle Hill, and couldn’t quite keep up late. Singing Kitty, the slight favorite off a win in the Unzip Me down the hill here Sept. 26, broke slowly, sat well back early, started her run going to the far turn and finished with good energy. Dreamologist, a front-running maiden winner on turf at Del Mar Sept. 4, set fast splits under some pressure from Paulina’s Love and wilted. This may have been a bit too much too soon, though it’s far too early to give up on her.

Sunday, October 18

Belmont - Matron (race 4)

COMMENT: Pretty N Cool flattered the West Coast 2-year-old filly form. Second to Songbird in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante, she shipped here and proved best. She went right out to the lead, took pressure immediately from Constellation, had to battle hard when that gal challenged turning for home, and edged away late. Constellation, third to the East’s best fillies Rachel’s Valentina and Tap to It in the Grade 1 Spinaway, hounded the winner from the start while on her inside, moved up to challenge turning for home, was still fighting for the lead to midstretch but couldn’t keep pace late. Tonasah stalked the pace and made decent headway late, though she never seemed a danger to the top two.

Keeneland - Dowager (race 8)

COMMENT: Kitten’s Point won the Grade 3 Bewitch on this course at this trip in the spring, and confirmed her affinity for this place today. Favored off a stakes win at Parx, she sat midpack as longshots Naples Gold and Honey Lake volleyed for the early lead. Kitten’s Point moved closer between horses turning for home, went after leader Ceisteach, collared her by midstretch and drew away late. Ceisteach stalked the pace, moved to the lead turning for home, couldn’t keep pace with Kitten’s Point, but stayed on to hold second. Moderniste, who had been off her game for some time before winning a stakes at Kentucky Downs last month, sat midpack, made a wide run into the lane to challenge Ceisteach, and stayed on well for third. Miss Chatelaine, coming off a win at Belmont last month, lagged back and could make only modest headway.

Woodbine - E. P. Taylor (race 8)

COMMENT: European shipper Curvy, fifth as the favorite in Belmont’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl Oct. 3, won here despite more than a bit of trouble. First off, she broke slowly to be well back early. She was boxed in on the far turn when trying to start her run, found room when straightened away, and came home strongly for the win. She led a European exacta. Talmada, Group 2 placed in England and coming off a stakes win there, was just behind the winner early, tried to move with that foe while wide, and stayed on well to get second. Rosalind set a modest pace, opened up some into the lane, still had the lead by midstretch, and lost second by a neck in the final strides. Strut the Course, the best of the local contingent, was far back early, ran into a wall of traffic coming into the lane, and finished well while following the winner home. With clear sailing she might well have challenged that foe. Yaazy, a well-respected French raider, stalked the pace, loomed a threat into the lane but couldn’t sustain her bid.

Woodbine - Canadian International (race 9)

COMMENT: Ryan Moore won the E.P. Taylor on Curvy and won this with Cannock Chase. Cannock Chase, coming off a romping stakes win in England last month, sat toward the back as Triple Threat set a dawdling pace. He steadily advanced, swung out into the lane and blasted home to win going away. Up With the Birds returned to top form as he stalked the pace, moved up to challenge for the lead into the lane, was immediately confronted by Cannock Chase, and held second from hard-charging Sheikhzayedroad. Sheikhzayedroad, who won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer here 13 months ago, was last early but not far from the leaders. He swung out into the lane, and finished full of run. Kaigun stalked the slow pace, moved up to challenge into the lane, had the lead in midstretch, but then found the top three and the final furlong too much to handle. Danish Dynaformer, so impressive romping in the Breeders’ Stakes here Aug. 16 but who sixth in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer here last month, sat back and was unable to mount a bid. Interpol, who came into this red-hot having won the Grade 2 Sky Classic at 21-1 here Aug. 16 and the Northern Dancer at 10-1 here Sept. 13, sat midpack and never mustered a run.