Trip Notes for October 21-22: Raven Run and Dowager
Oct. 21
Keeneland
Raven Run (race 9)
COMMENT: Miss Sunset showed her quality out West, winning a turf sprint stakes at Santa Anita this winter, a turf route stakes at Golden Gate in the spring and most recently two dirt sprint stakes at Del Mar this summer. She showed here she could take her show on the road as she gamely beat a tough bunch in her first start out of California. The daughter of Into Mischief showed good speed to dog pacesetter and fellow Southern California raider Chalon from the start, pushed that gal through strong splits, doggedly kept after her into the lane, had to work hard in the final furlong, but finally pushed past for the win. Chalon, coming off a sharp second in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America vs. elders here Oct. 7, showed her customary fine speed, took pressure from the start from the eventual winner, gamely kept that foe at bay to midstretch but finally relented in the final half-furlong in a fine try. Torrent, shortening up after a fifth in the Remington Park Oaks to last year’s 2-year-old filly champ Champagne Room at Remington Park on Sept. 24 (her first start in five months), bided her time early, made a smart early move to stalk the top two by the far turn, gamely kept after those two through the lane, was able to close the gap but just couldn’t quite get to them in a fine try. Tequilta, a sharp winner of the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks and 3 for her first 4 at this 7-furlong trip, bided her time early, came with a smart run in the lane to close the gap, though she was never really a danger to the top two. Nonna Mela, second in the Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga on Sept. 3, sat midpack from the start but was basically one-paced throughout and unable to threaten. Classy Tune, third to Miss Sunset in Del Mar’s CERF Stakes on Sept. 4, was away a bit slowly to be toward the back early, steadily advanced while wide, but could never get involved. Pretty City Dancer, good enough last year as a 2-year-old to be a Grade 1 winner and then Grade 2-placed earlier this year, stalked in fourth, was still there to the far turn but then gave way. This made for a sixth straight not-so-hot outing and you wonder if it’s time to go back to the drawing board with this $825,000 daughter of Tapit.
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Oct. 22
Keeneland
Dowager (race 8)
COMMENT: Apple Betty has been knocking heads with some of the best of the division (Sea Calisi, Quidura, Hawksmoor, Suffused). After getting used up on the pace in the Grade 3 Waya at this same trip at Saratoga on Aug. 5 when fading to fourth, she showed more patience and the result was a smart win. Instead of going to the lead she stalked as Daddy’s Boo set a modest pace. She remained in stalking mode, came with a surge into the lane, quickly opened up a big lead and cruised home without any real worries in the stretch. Promotional, third in a tough optional claimer at Saratoga on Aug. 12 (to Off Limits, who came back to win a graded stakes), bided her time well back while saving ground, commenced a smart run on the turn to quickly reach contention, was no match for the winner but ran on well for second. Lottie, favored off a second ahead of Apple Betty in the aforementioned Waya and then fifth in Grade 3 Glens Falls at Saratoga on Sept. 2, lagged back not far in front of Promotional, pitched out into the lane, came with a smarty run to look briefly threatening, couldn’t sustain it enough to threaten the winner and then couldn’t fend off Promotional for the place. Grateful, second in the Glens Falls, sat midpack, came with a threatening wide run on the far turn but couldn’t sustain her bid when it mattered.