Trip Notes for October 24-25, 2020: Sword Dancer, Forego, and more

Oct. 24

Santa Anita
Sen. Ken Maddy (race 8)

COMMENT: Biddy Duke always had speed but the daughter of Bayern has added some patience and stamina as she notched her first stakes win here. Claimed for $40,000 here May 23, she’s been super since, including two wins on Del Mar dirt this summer. She stepped up in the Unzip Me on this course at this trip Sept. 26, pressed the pace after a troubled start and stayed on for third. With no such early trouble here she stepped up her game, using her speed and courage to prevail. She shot right out to a clear lead, set a brisk pace as Jo Jo Air chased her, looked in trouble when Jo Jo Air came up alongside into the lane, but battled back to just get to the line before Jo Jo Air. She runs as well on dirt as she does on turf so that gives them options with her. Jo Jo Air, a stakes winner on Del Mar Turf July 24 before finishing sixth in a stakes at Pimlico Oct. 1 when she caught yielding turf, bounced back on this firm ground. She broke sharply from her rail slot just inside of Biddy Duke, dueled early with that rival, soon took back to relinquish pacesetting duties to ‘Duke, came off the rail to move closer outside Biddy Duke turning for home, challenged that foe in earnest into the lane, battled to the wire but just missed. An Eddie Surprise, making her first start since winning a restricted stakes on this course at this trip Feb. 17, bided her time a couple lengths behind Jo Jo Air while a few lanes off the rail, moved up on the far turn to get abreast of Jo Jo Air into the lane to loom a big threat, but couldn’t quite sustain her run in the lane. Aqua Seaform Shame broke through the gate prior to the start, got reloaded, and broke well to sit outside of An Eddie Surprise down the backstretch. She remained a few lengths back while a few lanes off the rail, started to advance turning for home, ducked toward the inside into the lane, loomed a threat by midstretch but couldn’t sustain her bid. Magic At Midnight, unbeaten in her four starts but trying stakes ranks for the first time, sat a few lengths off the lead while saving ground, moved up nicely on the far turn inside of An Eddie Surprise, stuck to the rail into the lane but was unable to do enough to be a factor in the final furlong.

Oct. 25

Belmont
Athenia (race 9)

COMMENT: Tapit Today has been knocking on the door with three straight solid Grade 3 tries. The daughter of Tapit finally had her day in the sun as she rallied to prevail. From her far outside post she showed enough speed to stalk pacesetter Mitchell Road while a few lanes off the rail, launched her challenge into the lane while wide, gradually reeled in leader Mitchell Road inside the furlong the pole and edged away in the final yards. Mitchell Road, second in the Grade 3 Ladies Turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 12 (Tapit Today was third), set a modest pace while holding the fence, battled back when confronted by the winner in the stretch and only relented in the final half-furlong. She’s Got You, coming off a rallying stakes win at Monmouth Sept. 26, was devoid of speed to be last early, came off the inside on the far turn, pitched wider into the lane, finished well but couldn’t quite get to the top pair. Call Me Love, the favorite off a fifth in the Grade 1 Diana, raced with the eventual winner from the start while inside that foe, had to wait for room turning for home, found a seam, loomed a threat into the lane but flattened out. Sweet Bye and Bye, third in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel here Sept. 26, chased pacesetter Mitchell Road, crept closer going to the far turn to loom a threat but came up empty.

Santa Anita
Goldikova (race 9)

COMMENT: Maxim Rate continued her superb form (three wins, two seconds in last five starts) as she notched her first Grade 2 victory. The $235,000 daughter of Exchange Rate, shortening up after a second in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at 1 1/4 miles here Sept. 26, bided her time early in fifth after a slow start, advanced on the far turn, stayed wide for clear sailing turning for home, surged to the lead into the stretch, opened up and didn’t have a nervous moment thereafter. She’s effective from this mile trip to 10 furlongs and this race is often a springboard to the Grade 1 Matriarch, held this year at Del Mar Nov. 29. Of course, that race routinely comes up brutally tough. Zee Drop, shortening up after looming then hanging a bit in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 John C. Mabee at Del Mar Sept. 5, sat back, not far behind Maxim Rate. She remained there to the far turn, didn’t accelerate as early or as strongly as ‘Rate but got going once straightened away in the lane and finished well to get second, though she was never really a danger to the winner. Tonahutu, fourth in the Rodeo Drive, chased pacesetter Raymundos Secret, moved up to challenge outside that rival into the far turn, fought with ‘Secret into the lane, was no match for the winner when that rival stormed past, kept on decently but then couldn’t quite stay with Zee Drop in the final half-furlong. Raymundos Secret, the heavy favorite, having won three of her last four including the John C. Mabee last time out, stumbled at the start but recovered quickly to go right out to a clear lead. She set strong splits taking some pressure from Tonahutu, was challenged to her outside by that rival turning for home, couldn’t stay with that foe, had no answer when the winner blew past and tired a bit in the final furlong.