Trip Notes for October 26, 2019: Bold Ruler, and more

Oct. 26

Belmont
Bold Ruler (race 8)

COMMENT: An attack of colic kept Maximum Security from the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby after his smart Grade 1 Haskell win and also kept him from targeting a Breeders’ Cup race. And there had to be concerns how and if he’d come back after the colic attack. Well, he dispatched with any worries as he fairly easily dispatched with his rivals here, showing he was indeed back on track. From his rail slot he broke well and went right to the lead, took pressure from True Timber to his outside while setting a solid pace, held a narrow lead on the fence to the midpoint on the far turn, was then asked for run, kicked clear and kept to his task to keep hard-trying Tale of Silence at bay in the final half-furlong. Certainly the inside was best this day but it didn’t matter as he would have won regardless. Off this either the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Nov. 29 or Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Dec. 7 are reportedly next. Tale of Silence, fourth in the Grade 2 Kelso here Sept. 2, bided his time early while saving ground, advanced while staying inside on the far turn, remained on the rail as he ran on well in the lane to get second, though he was never really a big danger to the winner. The Cigar Mile could be on his radar as well. True Timber, second in this last year, pressed the winner from the start to his outside, tried to turn up the head turning for home, couldn’t stay with the winner but kept on for third. The Cigar Mile may be next for him as well as he was a good second in that last year. Prince Lucky, the second choice in the wagering after a good second in the Kelso, stalked in fourth, moved up wide on the far turn and into the lane to loom a threat but was fairly one-paced thereafter.

Keeneland
Fayette (race 9)

COMMENT: Rain left the main track listed as sloppy but that didn’t matter in the least to Tom’s d’Etat, who cruised home an easy winner. The 3-2 favorite after a good fourth in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga Aug. 31, the 6-year-old son of Smart Strike broke well, showed speed to dog early pacesetter Mr Freeze, hounded that rival through solid splits, engaged that foe on the far turn, finally got the better of him by midstretch, opening up in the final furlong to win clear. A shot at the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Nov. 29 is likely next, according to trainer Al Stall Jr. Mr Freeze, smashing winner of the Grade 3 Ack Ack at Churchill Sept. 28, broke well to go right to the lead, set a solid pace under pressure from Tom’s d’Etat to his immediate right, continued on while pressured by that foe, battled back when hooked turning for home, was still locked in battle with that rival to midstretch but then couldn’t stay with him in the final furlong, still ending up far clear of the rest. This was still a fine try and the Clark could be on his docket as well. Bal Harbour, a strong second in the aforementioned Woodward last time out, showed speed to stalk the pace while sitting out wide, remained wide as he moved closer going into the far turn, kept to his task thereafter but was no threat to the top two while ending up well ahead of the others. Tenfold was a bit disappointing again. After winning the Grade 3 Pimlico Special he was no factor in three subsequent graded stakes and no factor again here as he was away slowly, sat toward the back from the start, made a mild move into the lane as if he might get a minor award but soon flattened out. Mocito Rojo, the Midwest dynamo who won 17 of 25 including the Grade 3 Lukas Classic at Churchill last time out Sept. 28, chased the pace from the start while wide, stayed wide on the far turn, moved wider out still into the lane and came up empty.

Santa Anita
Autumn Miss (race 7)

COMMENT: Keeper Ofthe Stars was far from disgraced when fourth in both the Grade 2 San Clemente and Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. She returned to her Golden Gate base and whipped allowance foes Sept. 20. They again shipped south, shortened her up in trip a bit and it paid off as she got her first graded stakes win. The daughter of champion sprinter Midnight Lute was midpack from the start as Giza Goddess set a sharp pace under pressure from Raymundos Secret, remained midpack to the far turn, came out into the lane and finished strongly to roll past Giza Goddess inside the eighth pole and draw clear. There really isn’t anything for her out West until the Lady of Shamrock here at this same trip Dec. 26. Giza Goddess, making her first start since winning the Blue Norther on this course at this trip Dec. 30, went right to the lead, got to the rail from her outside post, took heavy pressure from Raymundos Secret to her outside, gamely rebuffed that rival to midstretch but then couldn’t fend off the winner, who stormed past to her outside. Mucho Unusual, winner of the aforementioned San Clement before fading to seventh in the Del Mar Oaks, appreciated the distance cutback as she rebounded with a better effort, sat back just behind the eventual winner, remained there to the far turn, didn’t start her run as early or as strongly but found her best stride late to get up for third. Hidden Message, the favorite off a sharp rallying second in the Del Mar Oaks, her U.S. debut, sat well back from the start while inside saving ground, remained well back to the far turn, came out into the lane, was pushed wider out still as the field spread, got going late but was too late. This trip might be short of what works best for her, at least at this level. Raymundos Secret, romping winner of three of four, her lone loss coming when eighth in the Del Mar Oaks, pressed Giza Goddess from the start from her outside post, continued to dog that rival to the top of the lane and to midstretch before tiring some. Great Sister Dane, winner of three of her last four at Gulfstream including a stakes last time out Sept. 28, stalked in third from the start, was still in stalking position to the far turn but was unable to muster the necessary run to get involved.