Trip Notes for September 22-23: Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion, and more

Sept. 22

Belmont
Noble Damsel (race 4)

COMMENT: Widener Course was listed as ‘Yielding.’ The Chad Brown turf distaff machine rolls on as Uni easily won for the third time in as many starts this year. She missed some time in the spring when she shipped to Southern California but got sick. After a break she came back to gamely win the De La Rose at Saratoga on Aug. 4 and moved forward to handily win this. In a field reduced to four after a couple, Uni sat last early as Hawksmoor went out to a clear lead, crept closer while staying inside as Thundering Sky engaged Hawksmoor up front, waited behind those two turning for home, came out for room, easily went past those two, drawing clear under a hand ride. She probably doesn’t crack Brown’s first string with Sistercharlie, Fourstar Crook, A Raving Beauty, Off Limits and others, but can obviously do damage in the right spot and something like the Grade 3 Athenia here Oct. 21 could be next. Brown did say he might point to the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar at a mile later this fall. Hawksmoor, a proven Grade 1 talent and coming off a solid second in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga on Aug. 25, went right out to a clear lead, was still clear going down the backstretch, was confronted by Thundering Sky on the turn, actually lost the lead at that point, was still behind that foe at the eighth pole and while no match for the big winner kept on to retake second. The Athenia and/or the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland on Oct. 6 figure on her radar as well. Thundering Sky, second in a Grade 3 main-track sprint at Woodbine on Aug. 26, moved back to turf and chased Hawksmoor from the start, moved up to engage on the far turn, put her head in front of that rival, had no answer for the winner’s charge while still narrowly ahead of Hawksmoor in midstretch but couldn’t rebuff that rival in the final half-furlong. Dream Awhile, also from the Brown barn, was disappointing. After a win in the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth on June 30 and game second to another tough Brown female Elysea’s World in the Grade 3 Matchmaker there June 30, sat third while being a bit rank, continued to fight her rider to the far turn, but came up empty when asked turning for home. Brown said she didn’t care for the soft turf and that might have contributed to her poor outing, though it didn’t help that she was rank.

Belmont
Kelso (race 8)

COMMENT: Patternrecognition capped a big day for trainer Chad Brown (five wins on the card, including the other graded stakes) as he stepped up into graded stakes ranks for the first time. The 5-year-old son of Adios Charlie, coming off a smart 7-furlong optional claiming win at Saratoga on Aug. 11, showed the speed to go right to the lead, set a brisk pace under pressure from No Dozing, dispatched with that foe into the lane, opened up by midstretch while staying on the rail and gamely kept hard-trying Sunny Ridge at bay through the final furlong. This may not necessarily mean he’s ready for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, though they could lean that way. Regardless, he seems a candidate for the Grade 1 Cigar Mile later in the fall. Sunny Ridge, cutting back in distance and dropping after a ninth in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 1, bided his time early, started to advance on the far turn, pitched wider into the lane, finished well but couldn’t quite get to the winner. Timeline, also from the Brown barn and cutting back in distance after a fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Alydar at Saratoga on Aug. 5, sat back just behind Sunny Ridge while saving ground, rallied with that foe much of the way but couldn’t quite keep pace with that rival in the final furlong. Battle of Midway, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner and the heavy favorite off a good second to unbeaten and top-class Catalina Cruiser in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien at Del Mar on Aug. 25, his first start of the year after returning to training after fertility issues at stud, was disappointing as he stalked in third while saving ground, moved to the outside turning for home as if poised to make a run but the run never came.

Charles Town
Charles Town Oaks (race 11)

COMMENT: Late Night Pow Wow continued her love affair with this track, winning for the fifth straight time and pushing her overall record to six wins in seven starts, all over this track. The daughter of Fiber Sonde stalked the early pace set by 6-5 favorite Sower, saved ground while advancing to the far turn, had to check and lost some position on the far turn, got back into stride, angled out and finished resolutely to edge 42-1 shot Chauncey while posting her first graded stakes win. Chauncey, moving back to a sprint after finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at 1 1/16 miles Aug. 18, bided her time early while racing wide, came with a smart run to grab the lead from Sower on the far turn, moved to the inside in the lane and stayed on gamely to miss by just a neck while finishing far clear of the others. Sower, the favorite off a fourth in the Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga on Sept. 2, went right to the lead while setting a solid pace, tried to battle back when hooked into the lane by the top two, proved no match for those rivals but kept on decently to hold third. Bronx Beauty, winner of five of her six starts, four of them stakes including one here Aug. 4, bided her time early, made some headway in the lane but was never really a factor. Sense of Bravery, cutting back to a sprint after a second in the Grade 3 Groupie Doll at a mile at Ellis Park on Aug. 12, stalked in fourth early, made a threatening move going to the far turn but couldn’t sustain it.

Laurel
De Francis Dash (race 10)

COMMENT: Originally scheduled for Sept. 15 but rescheduled due to Hurricane Florence. Switzerland may have punched his ticket to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint as the son of Speightstown used his speed and proved an easy winner. Coming off a fifth in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga on July 28, he broke sharply from his rail slot, went right to the lead, took immediate pressure from longshot Colonel Sharp, got the better of that foe turning for home, opened up a big lead while holding the fence and had little trouble keeping hard-trying Laki at bay through the final furlong. Of course, the Breeders’ Cup waters will be much deeper. Laki, winner of the Polynesian here Aug. 12 (via disqualification after losing by a nose to Lewisville), stalked in fourth, remained midpack to the far turn, came with a decent run in the lane and while never really a threat to the winner kept on well for second. Sweetontheladies was a bit rambunctious in the gate, got away slowly to be last early, was still well back into the lane but finished decently for third. Lewisfield, disqualified from a stakes win here Aug. 12, sat midpack and was basically one-paced throughout. Always Sunshine, winner of the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga on Aug. 10, chased the early pace while well off the rail, remained wide on the far turn and had nothing to offer thereafter.

Parx
Gallant Bob (race 9)

COMMENT: Main track listed as ‘Fast’ but seemed to be playing awfully slow (good older horse Aztec Sense went 1 1/16 miles in just 1:45.97 in a stakes in day’s prior race), with the outer lanes playing much more favorably. Firenze Fire didn’t exactly get such an ideal trip from his outside post but may have punched his ticket to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (though the Dirt Mile could also be in play) anyway. A romping winner of the Grade 3 Dwyer (at a mile) at Belmont on July 7 and then third in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens (7 furlongs) at Saratoga on Aug. 25, actually moved toward the inside after the break to chase clear early pacesetter Forced, moved off the inside while moving into contention going into the far turn, grabbed the lead at the quarter pole, looked in trouble when passed in midstretch by Whereshetoldmetogo, battled back bravely inside that foe who actually savaged him nearing the wire and gamely prevailed. While he’s been going longer than the 6 furlongs of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, note he won his first two starts at 5 furlongs and 6 furlongs. Whereshetoldmetogo, coming off three straight wins, the last two being stakes at Laurel, was also drawn outside (just inside the eventual winner), stalked while wide, moved up to challenge for the lead with the eventual winner on the turn, put his head in front by midstretch, actually reached over to savage Firenze Fire late and lost a narrow decision. Seven Trumpets, second to ‘Fire in the Dwyer and then second ahead of that rival in the Jerkens, broke a step slowly, raced with Whereshetoldmetogo while staying inside, tried to make a run at the top two on the turn and into the lane, couldn’t quite keep up but stayed on gamely for third. Engage, fourth in the Jerkens, stalked in fourth, moved closer between horses on the turn, was in a bit and forced to steady but was unable to get going again in the lane. Earned Success, a $350,000 son of Horse of the Year Mineshaft and a winner of three of four, steadied out of the gate to get away poorly, was last going to the far turn and unable to get involved. Forced, making his first start since a game second to Engage (beaten a nose) in the Gold Fever at Belmont on May 13, shot out to a clear early lead, but soon relinquished pacesetting duties and gave way. War Giant, romping winner of his last three at Gulfstream including the Carry Back last time out June 30 and making his first start for trainer Jorge Navarro, broke well to chase the early pacesetter from the start but soon gave way.

Belmont Park
Cotillion (race 10)

COMMENT: Monomoy Girl finished in front yet again in her fifth straight Grade 1 for 3-year-old fillies, but failure to keep a straight path led to her interfering with Midnight Bisou, who was awarded the win after an inquiry. Midnight Bisou, a bit disappointing when a well-beaten third in the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga on Aug. 18, appreciated the distance cutback and got some help from her rival. She bided her time early while staying inside as Jump Ruler set the early pace under pressure from Monomoy Girl, moved closer going to the far turn, angled to the inside on the turn, came with a smart run into the lane, had to steer to the outside when Monomoy Girl veered into the path inside, kept on resolutely and got pushed out wider as Monomoy Girl then drifted out in the final half-furlong to just edge her. The stewards deemed ‘Girl interfered with ‘Bisou and changed the order of finish. Monomoy Girl didn’t lose any of her status as leading 3-year-old filly here despite the disqualification. She dogged early pacesetter Jump Ruler, took over from that gal under her own power going to the far turn, drifted out some as she opened up a clear lead, drifted inward in midstretch as ‘Bisou came at her to her inside, then drifted out again when that rival had moved to her outside, gamely getting to the wire first. Her bobbing and weaving in the lane, however, got her disqualified. Those two finished far clear of the others. It will be interesting to see how these 3-year-old fillies stack up against such top-class elders such as Abel Tasman and Elate in the Grade 1 Breeder’s Cup Distaff. Wonder Gadot, who nearly beat ‘Girl when second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and back in vs. 3-year-old fillies after a dull 10th vs. boys in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 25, stalked in fourth while wide and in the clear, dropped back into the lane, got going again to get up for third but was never a danger to the top two who finished far clear of the rest. Separationofpowers, stretching out after a game win in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 4, stalked the early pace, made a smart move to take the lead going to the far turn but was unable to sustain her run, giving way to just fail to hold third while far behind the top two.

Parx
Pennsylvania Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: A testament to the training ability of Bob Baffert as he brought back McKinzie after a setback and more than six months off to post a smart win. Last seen finishing first in the Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita on March 10 (was disqualified to second for interfering with initial runner-up Bolt d’Oro), showed the speed to stalk as longshot Trigger Warning set a modest pace, crept closer going down the backstretch, took the lead turning for home and gradually extended his margin. He’s obviously back in form so the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic could well be next, though Baffert said if that was too much too soon he could instead await the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill in late November. Axelrod, smashing winner of the Grade 3 Smarty Jones here Aug. 25, bided his time early a couple lengths behind the eventual winner, remained midpack to the far turn, came with a threatening run into the lane, was rebuffed but stayed on decently to finish far clear of the others. Trigger Warning, sixth in the Travers, set a modest early pace, battled back when hooked by the eventual winner turning for home, was unable to keep pace with that foe and the runner-up in the lane but kept to his task decently while holding the fence to keep third. Hofburg, romping winner of the Curlin at Saratoga on July 27 but who then had to miss the Travers after a setback, added blinkers for the first time, was away slowly to be last early, remained well back to the far turn, swung very wide on the turn and into the lane but could make only modest headway while never really a threat. Bravazo, third in the Travers, pressed the early pace, remained close up going into the far turn while racing wide but gave way when it mattered. Instilled Regard, making his first start since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 5 and first start for trainer Chad Brown, was away slowly to be well back early and never made a move in a disappointing effort.

Sept. 23

Belmont
Gallant Bloom (race 8)

COMMENT: Union Strike was a better-than-looked fourth in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 25 as she ran on well despite grabbing a quarter when stumbling at the start. She had no such trouble here and likely made her arrangements to go next in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint after a smart tally. She did break a bit slowly, as is her wont these days, to be behind most of the field early, but wasn’t far off the lead as Kirby’s Penny set a strong pace under pressure from favorite Lewis Bay, remained there going to the far turn, swung to the inside to cut the corner, rallied up the rail to outfinish a game Your Love. The latter stalked, just in front of the eventual winner while a few lanes off the fence, angled wider still turning for home, came with a smart run to challenge for the lead in the lane but couldn’t quite outfinish the winner. Kirby’s Penny, third in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga last time out July 25, went right out to the lead, took pressure first from Lewis Bay, then from defending champ Highway Star, dispatched those two turning for home, opened up by midstretch as if going on to victory but then couldn’t quite fend off the top two. Still There, second in the Ballerina, stalked the pace, was still a threat turning for home but failed to produce the needed punch. Lewis Bay, the favorite off a strong record here and a third in the Ballerina, was the main disappointment as she stumbled at the start, recovered and rushed up to press the issue, was still there on the far turn but then gave way. This likely stamps out any Breeders’ Cup aspirations she may have had.