Trip Notes for Sept. 6: Ack Ack, Iroquois, Pocahontas, Super Derby and more...

Saturday, Sept. 6

Churchill - Ack Ack (race 4)

COMMENT: Bradester, coming off game seconds in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth on July 6 (to Itsmyluckyday, who just won the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga last week) and the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup on July 27, utilized his speed. The son of Lion Heart went right to the lead, dueled with Right to Vote through fast splits, dispatched with that rival turning for home, was then taken on by Carve, but gamely rebuffed that rival through the lane and was actually edging away in the final yards. The Grade 2 Kelso at Belmont on Sept. 27 may be next, and should all go well there, a shot at the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita could be in the cards. Carve stalked the pace, made a smart run at the winner into the lane and through the stretch, but just couldn’t get to him while much the best of the rest (5 1/2 lengths clear of third). The BC Dirt Mile may also be on his radar. Flashback stalked the pace, made a threatening, wide move turning for home, but couldn’t sustain it. Still, it was just his first try this year, so he’s eligible to improve.

Churchill - Iroquois (race 9)

COMMENT: Lucky Player, a son of two-time champion Lookin at Lucky, showed heart as he helped establish a 1-2 finish for trainer Steve Asmussen. Coming off a game second (beaten just a neck) in the one-mile Prairie Meadows Juvenile on Aug. 9, he pressed the early pace of favorite Mr. Z, moved up with stablemate Bold Conquest to take over from that tiring rival into the lane, looked beaten when Bold Conquest grabbed the lead in midstretch but gamely rerallied to beat that foe. Bold Conquest lagged back, came with a strong run into the lane to grab the lead, looked like the winner but then couldn’t rebuff his stablemate’s game assertion in the final yards. Hashtag Bourbon was quite unlucky. He stalked the pace while inside, waited for room into the lane, never saw it materialize, and only got clear late. Mr. Z set the pace under pressure from the eventual winner and weakened once headed.

Churchill - Pocahontas (race 10)

COMMENT: Cristina’s Journey, coming off a game wire-to-wire debut win at Ellis Park on July 27, again used her speed as she went right to the lead, set modest splits, rebuffed a challenge from favorite Take Charge Brandi turning for home, then opened up into the lane and didn’t really have a nervous moment thereafter. The Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 3 may be next, and should all go well there, maybe a crack at the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. Pangburn lagged back and came with a smart run, though the winner had pretty much already taken care of things. She reportedly will follow a similar path, the Alcibiades and then possibly the Breeders’ Cup. Milehigh Butterfly sat well back, came with a smart, threatening run into the lane but couldn’t sustain it. Take Charge Brandi, the favorite, stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home but then gave way.

Louisiana Downs - Super Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: On paper, Vicar’s in Trouble looked like the class of this race, and that’s the way it worked out on the track. He stalked as Ide Be Cool set a modest pace, bided his time just behind that runner, took over under his own power into the lane and drew off to win with complete authority. This doesn’t mean he’s ready for Shared Belief and California Chrome, or even Wicked Strong and Tonalist, but in the right spot, he can surely do some damage. The Grade 2 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand on Oct. 4 may be next. Declan’s Fast Cat lagged well back early, was still well back turning for home and finished strongly, though he was never on the winner’s radar. Victory Nor Defeat sat midpack and came with a nice run in the lane, though he was never a threat to the winner. Jessica’s Star wasn’t far off the pace, made a mild move turning for home but couldn’t sustain it.

Arlington - Arlington-Washington Futurity (race 8)

COMMENT: Recount couldn’t get to Private Prospect as the 7-10 favorite in the Prairie Meadows Juvenile Mile on Aug. 9, but a return to synthetic (he’d romped in his debut on this track the race prior) did the trick, as the son of Limehouse got his revenge. He went right to the lead, set fast splits while pressured by Private Prospect and gamely kept that foe at bay throughout in a game run. Private Prospect dogged the winner from the start, looked as though he might push past into the lane but just couldn’t quite outfinish that rival in what was still a fine try. One Go All Go stalked the pace and gamely kept after the top two to be a strong third (beaten just two heads). Ike Walker stalked the pace, loomed a threat turning for home while inside but couldn’t sustain his bid.