Trip Notes for October 27-28: Fayette and Autumn Miss

Oct. 27

Keeneland
Fayette (race 9)

COMMENT: Leofric showed his third in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 1 was no fluke as he dropped, caught a wet track he obviously enjoyed and showed heart to gamely prevail. The son of Candy Ride, second in his only prior wet-track start, sat second on the ‘Muddy (sealed)’ track as Prime Attraction set a modest pace, continued to dog that rival to the top of the lane, doggedly went after that foe once straightened away, came up alongside by midstretch and won. Off this a shot at the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill on Nov. 23 could be next. Prime Attraction, invading off a fourth in the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita on Sept. 29, went right to the lead from his rail slot, set a modest pace under pressure from the eventual winner, battled back when that rival came up to his outside to challenge into the lane, fought all the way to the wire while on the rail and just missed while well clear of the rest. The Clark is reportedly on his schedule as well. Nice Not Nice stalked in fourth, made a mild bid turning for home, could never really get involved with the top two but kept to his task to just hold third. Hofburg was the big disappointment. The 8-5 favorite after hinting at top-class ability earlier this year stalked the pace from the start while wide, looked well positioned to be a threat going into the far turn but came up empty thereafter. It’s hard to blame the track surface as his best race was a five-length romp in the Curlin at Saratoga on a sloppy track. There had been talk about the Clark for him had things gone well here, but those plans are tenuous at best after this as it may be back to the drawing board.

Santa Anita
Autumn Miss (race 10)

COMMENT: Toinette was the only horse to have finished in front of top 3-year-old turf filly Rushing Fall when she won a Grade 3 at Churchill, but she was later injured in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, according to trainer Neil Drysdale, and then forced to miss the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks due to illness. She resurfaced here at 100 percent and was up to the task as she proved easily best. She lagged back early as 9-5 favorite Ms Bad Behavior set a solid pace under pressure first form Rayya and Hey Negrita, moved closer going down the backstretch, moved wide on the far turn and into the lane and came home smartly to storm past then-leader Ms Bad Behavior and draw clear in the final half-furlong. She reportedly might target either the Grade 1 Matriarch at a mile (vs. elders) Dec. 2 or the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles (vs. 3-year-old males) Dec. 1. They could also await the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Dec. 29, as that would be another shot at 3-year-old fillies only. Ms Bad Behavior, a sharp rallying second in the Unzip Me on this hillside course Sept. 29, ran well again as she went right to the lead, took pressure from Rayya and Hey Negrita, dispatched with those two turning for home, opened a clear lead as if ready to go on to victory by midstretch but then had no answer for the winner’s charge. Streak of Luck, stepping up in class after two straight optional-claiming wins at a mile at Del Mar on Aug. 30 and here Sept. 28, continued her fine form as she stalked the pace, loomed a threat into the lane, couldn’t finish with the winner but kept to her task well to close the gap on the runner-up. Tesora, invading off a smart win in the Christiecat, a turf sprint stakes, at Belmont on Sept. 7, was slow into stride to be well back from the start, moved to the inside going down the backstretch while remaining well back, then steadied turning for home and never produced a run.