Trip Notes for October 9, 12, 2019: Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, E. P. Taylor, and more

Oct. 9

Keeneland

Jessamine (race 7)

COMMENT: In the final Win And You’re In event, Sweet Melania punched her ticket to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1 and indicated she could be a big player there. Coming off a sharp second in a stakes at Saratoga Aug. 29 (to Crystalle, who came back to be a sharp second herself in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo at Belmont), she went right up to contest the early pace with favorite Jezebel’s Kitten to her inside, dueled with that foe into the backstretch while setting slow splits, took over pacesetting duties at Jezebel’s Kitten took back while still on the rail, took more pressure from a couple rivals into the far turn while still traveling very comfortably, dispatched with those foes on the far turn, opened up into the lane and blew the race open in the stretch to win in a romp. Witez, a big winner over maidens on Kentucky Downs turf Sept. 8, sat far back from the start, remained there down the backstretch came with a run between horses on the far turn and into the lane, continued to advance between horses once straightened away and finished well to get second, though she was never on the winner’s radar. Ask Bailey, a rallying second in a turf stakes at Kentucky Downs Aug. 31, but no threat to winner Jezebel’s Kitten, was mired with the poor post (No. 13 after the scratch of Soothsaying), broke slowly, sat well back into the first turn and down the backstretch while racing very wide, started to advance going to the far turn while still extremely wide, launched her run on the turn while widest of all, still had just one horse beaten into the lane, but with a clear path down the lane she finished well, though was never a danger to the winner. Jezebel’s Kitten, the 2-1 favorite after winning her first two starts including romping a stakes at Kentucky Downs last time out Aug. 31, broke well, went right up to contest the pace with Sweet Melania while holding the rail, dueled briefly with that filly through slow splits, pulled back off that pace battle down the backstretch while staying on the fence, advanced again into the far turn, briefly looked a threat when going after the winner into the lane but flattened out. Diamond Sparkles, a good fourth in the Grade 1 Natalma at Woodbine Sept. 15, was toward the back from the start, was jostled in traffic into the backstretch, remained in traffic to the far turn, came out for room on the turn, pitched wider still into the lane but was unable to make a dent. Indochine, impressive maiden winner at Belmont Sept. 14, lagged back while between horses, remained toward the back while in traffic, started a mild run on the far turn, ran into more traffic, shifted toward the inside into the lane but was unable to get involved.

Oct. 12

Belmont

Sands Point (race 9)

COMMENT: New and Improved looks like one of the wave of coming turf distaff stars for trainer Chad Brown as the $320,000 daughter of Cairo Prince notched her first stakes win. Coming off a troubled fourth in a stakes at Saratoga Aug. 22, she was away slowly here to be last as Souper Escape ran out to a clear lead, remained last to the far turn as ‘Escape set a modest pace, bided her time while saving ground, was urged to get going on the turn, swung very wide into the lane and powered home to gamely prevail. She joins an armada of 3-year-old turf fillies for Brown including Cambier Parc, Café Americano, Regal Glory, Magic Star, Blowout, Dogtag, Catch a Bid, Turf War and others (and don’t forget about Newspaperofrecord, who appeared destined to be the best of the bunch coming into this season). Feel Glorious, third in a stakes here Sept. 14, likewise was slow into stride, sitting at back ahead of only the eventual winner while just a bit off the inside, came with her run into the lane, angled toward the inside once in the straight, came through between horses, grabbed the lead inside the eighth pole but couldn’t withstand the winner’s charge. Romantic Pursuit sat ahead of the eventual 1-2 finishes from the start while a bit wide, moved toward the inside going to the far turn, came back out into the lane, kept to her task to get third though she wasn’t really a danger to the top two. Olendon, another of the Brown contingent who did well in France but has been a bit disappointing here (eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, fifth in the Saratoga Oaks), stalked the pace just off the inside, moved out some for room turning for home, loomed a threat into the lane but flattened out. It might be back to the drawing board with this gal.

Keeneland

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (race 9)

COMMENT: Southern California-based raider Miss Prancealot scratched (to go in an easier spot, the Grade 3 Valley View here Oct. 18). Cambier Parc, a $1.25 million daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, is looking worth the price as the filly, from the ever-potent Chad Brown barn, won two Grade 3s before taking the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks Aug. 17. She notched a second Grade 1 win here, stamping herself the leader of the 3-year-old turf division (with Concrete Rose sidelined by injury). She broke well, pressed early pacesetter Magnetic Charm into the first turn, soon took over pacesetting duties from that rival, set slow splits with that rival keeping close and with stablemate Regal Glory pressing further out, held a narrow lead to the far turn, was then asked for run, opened up some into the lane and kept on smartly to keep her rivals at bay. Maybe she can take up the mantle for Sistercharlie next year. Brown said this would most likely be her last start of the year and that she’s going to “have a great career at 4 and 5.” Castle Lady, invading off a fifth in a Group 1 in England June 21, was midpack early, crept closer going to the far turn between horses, came through between horses into the lane to look a threat to the winner, gamely chased but couldn’t get to her. Princesa Carolina, smart stakes winner at Kentucky Downs last time out Sept. 8, raced with Castle Lady much of the way, didn’t accelerate quite as strongly into the lane as that rival but kept to her task well to just get third. Trainer Ken McPeek said she might target the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita in late December. Cafe Americano, another Brown runner who was a smashing winner of the Grade 3 Pucker Up at Arlington Aug. 10, was slow into stride, pitched very wide into the lane while still well back and finished well, though she gave her stablemate far too much of a headstart and that, plus the slow splits doomed her. She’s still one to watch come 2020. Varenka, a dead-heat winner of the Grade 2 Lake Placid with Regal Glory at Saratoga Aug. 17, lagged back while wide, remained wide on the turn and into the lane, loomed a threat once straightened away but flattened out. Regal Glory, the third Brown runner, stalked the pace while wide, was still in the hunt to midstretch but flattened out in the final half-furlong. Could be she’ll be better going shorter.

Woodbine

E. P. Taylor (race 8)

COMMENT: Turf course listed as good after rain Friday. Starship Jubilee is, no doubt, the queen of the Woodbine distaff turf set up to 1 1/8 miles, but had been less effective at this longer 1 1/4-mile trip, including finishing fourth in this last year. However, coming off a dominant win in the 9-furlong Grade 2 Canadian here Sept. 14 she was the 7-2 second choice at this longer trip and showed she can still get it done at the top level going this far. From her tough outside post (race starts on the clubhouse turn so the outer posts are quite disadvantageous) she broke well, went right up to duel early with Red Tea who was on the rail, raced with that rival through slow splits, pulled back some going to the far turn, came again with her run turning for home, swooped past a tiring Red Tea outside that rival, opened up and kept to her task gamely to keep a few hard-trying closers. After this last year she skipped the Breeders’ Cup and went to Florida but she’s so good right now trainer Kevin Attard said the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf might now be “on the table.” Durance, coming off a third in a German Group 1 Aug. 4 and second in a German Group 2 Aug. 31, sat midpack from the start just outside Gaining, started to move closer while outside into the lane, pitched wider still for room, finished well but couldn’t get to the winner while edging Platane for second. Platane, invading off a fifth in a French Group 2, got pushed outward at the start to get away poorly, sat back in seventh behind Durance, remained there to the far turn, got toward the inside to start her run on the turn and into the lane, came through between horses, dropped to the rail to continue his run and finished well, just missing second. Imperial Charm gave the Euros a 2-3-4 finish as coming off a third in a French stakes Sept. 5 she stalked the pace, came with a threatening move into the lane but flattened out in the final furlong. Holy Helena, a top local runner coming off a fourth to Starship Jubilee in the Canadian, got a dream trip stalking the pace, moved closer going into the far turn to be just behind Red Tea, loomed a threat turning for home but flattened out. Red Tea, the tepid 3-1 favorite off a good third in a strong French Group 1, went right to the lead, moved to the rail, raced with Starship Jubilee to her immediate outside through slow splits, opened up some into the far turn but gave way once headed into the lane. There was an inquiry looking into the first turn as Red Tea went right to the lead, moved inward crowding Gaining on the rail, forcing her to check significantly, though Red Tea ended up finishing behind Gaining so there was no change in the order of finish.

Woodbine

Canadian International (race 9)

COMMENT: Turf course still listed as good. Desert Encounter invaded from England to win this last year and he might be even better now as he successfully defended his title. Coming off three straight Group 3 wins in England the 7-year-old gelded son of Halling dwelt at the start to get away last, bided his time at the back of the pack as favored Ziyad set a dawdling pace, remained last, though the slow pace allowed him to still have him well within reach of the leader, was still last into the lane, came off the inside to make his run, burst through between horses and finished gamely for the win. Alounak, fifth in a German Group 1 Aug. 11 and then winner of a German Group 3 Aug. 24, was just in front of the eventual winner from the start, saved ground as he bided his time, came off the inside some turning for home, moved wider out still into the lane, finished well but couldn’t quite outdo the winner. Ziyad, the favorite after a strong second in a French Group 1 June 30 (to Coronet, who came right back to win another Group 1, while beating another Group 1 winner La Ti Dar back into third) and then winning a Group 2 in France (runner-up Soft Light came back to be sixth in the Group 1 Arc de Triomphe), went right to the lead from his rail slot, was able to dictate tempo through very slow splits, still held a clear lead into the lane, battled back gamely when hooked inside the eighth pole but then couldn’t finish with the top two to his outside. Pivoine, second to Desert Encounter in a Group 3 in England last time out Sept. 21 and who shipped to North America two months ago to run fifth behind Bricks and Mortar in the Grade 1 Arlington Million, stalked in third while saving ground, ran into traffic into the lane, found a seam, moved toward the inside and kept to his task well. Nessy, second in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer here Sept. 14, though no threat to top-class international runner Old Persian, stalked the pace to the far turn but came up empty thereafter.