Trip Notes for Septenber 23-24: Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion, Kelso, and more

Sept. 23

Belmont
Noble Damsel (race 3)

COMMENT: Off Limits stepped up in class and stepped up her game, notching her first graded stakes win and putting herself among the turf distaff armada from trainer Chad Brown’s barn (Lady Eli, Dacita, Sea Calisi, Antonoe, Grand Jete, Roca Rojo, Rainha Da Bateria, Elysea’s World). From her outside post in the small field Off Limits bided her time at the back of the pack as Sassy Little Lila broke well and went right to the lead, taking early pressure from Celestine. Sassy Little Lila soon moved off to a clear lead setting a strong pace as Off Limits sat back. Off Limits began to advance going to the far turn without being urged, swung wide into the lane and blasted home to go past her rivals, drawing clear for an impressive win, posting a stakes record in the process. The Grade 3 Athenia here Oct. 28 could be next, though the way she’s progressing a race like the Grade 1 Matriarch at this same mile trip at Del Mar later this fall could be on her radar. Sassy Little Lila was gallant in defeat, setting a strong pace while taking pressure, rebuffing a big challenge from Time and Motion turning for home but was then no match for the winner. Celestine dogged ‘Lila from the start, looked in trouble when then losing position and dropping back some going to the far turn but got going again when asked into the lane doggedly kept to her task to finish just behind ‘Lila while also no match for the winner. Time and Motion stalked the pace, loomed a big threat turning for home as she ranged up alongside Sassy Little Lila but was unable to keep pace with that rival and flattened out a bit in the lane.

Belmont
Kelso (race 9)

COMMENT: On paper Sharp Azteca appeared to have a distinct speed advantage and that’s the way it played out on the track as he proved a prompt 1-2 favorite and now goes to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile as one of the main protagonists. He broke well and went right to the lead, took significant pressure from Bird Town to his outside who pushed him through solid splits, dispatched with that foe turning for home, opened up into the lane and didn’t really have a nervous moment thereafter. Divining Rod, fourth in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga Aug. 26, stalked the pace, came with a smart wide run through the lane, couldn’t close the gap on the winner but was much the best of the others. The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is a possibility for him though trainer Arnaud Delacour has said he’s not sure if Divining Rod is as effective around two turns, which the mile would be at Del Mar. He could instead point for the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in the fall, a race in which he was a superb second last year. Tom’s Ready was devoid of speed, as is his custom, was still last turning for home before putting in a decent rally to get third, though he was never a danger to the top two. Tommy Macho sat back with Tom’s Ready and rallied with that rival while further outside, but like ‘Ready was never on the radar of the top two.

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Parx
Gallant Bob (race 9)

COMMENT: Coal Front, a $575,000 son of Stay Thirsty, showed big potential winning his first three starts before finishing a modest fifth in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Aug. 26. However, that experience and a class drop here got him back on track. He broke alertly to go right out to the lead, took immediate heavy pressure early from Aquamarine who dogged him to the top of the lane through brisk splits. The two were joined by American Pastime on their outside into the lane but Aquamarine then fell away as Coal Front gamely rebuffed American Pastime all the way to the line. Unfortunately, he exited the race with an injury (non-displaced condylar fracture of his right fore) so his career may be in jeopardy. American Pastime, coming off a big optional claiming win at Del Mar, showed he was ready for graded stakes ranks as he was a bit slow into stride early to be midpack, made a smart wide move to challenge Coal Front and Aquamarine turning for home, doggedly kept after Coal Front all the way to the line though he just couldn’t quite get to him. He finished far clear of the rest. Petrov, part of the 4-5 favored entry with the winner coming off a big allowance win at Saratoga Aug. 4, stalked in fourth while saving ground, came off the inside into the lane as he tried to make a run, was no match for the top two but kept on decently for third. Excitations, second to Coal Front in the Grade 2 Amsterdam at Saratoga July 29, broke quite slowly to be well back early and never made a move.

Parx
Cotillion (race 10)

COMMENT: It Tiz Well very much flattered Elate who whipped her by over five lengths in the Grade 1 Alabama as she came back to post a mild upset here over multiple Grade 1 winner Abel Tasman. The $230,000 daughter of Arch broke smartly to be just behind early pacesetter Lockdown, pulled back a bit going down the backstretch and to the far turn while wide and in the clear, was asked to go after the leaders into the lane, closed well to go past battling leaders Abel Tasman and Lockdown, drawing clear late. Abel Tasman, coming off consecutive Grade 1 wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn and CCA Oaks, bided her time early from her outside post, moved to the inside going into the backstretch, came with a sharp sudden run to challenge going to the far turn, very much as she’d done when winning the CCA Oaks, engaged then-leader Lockdown into the lane, was getting the better of that foe but then couldn’t outfinish the winner. That strong midrace move wasn’t by design, according to her connections. Trainer Bob Baffert said she’s developing a habit of getting rank and rider Mike Smith said she basically ‘ran off’ with him. Considering that, her outside post and the fact she made that move while inside on a day when the outside lanes may have been best this was still a pretty good run. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff figures next for these two, though it’s questionable if they’re up to the challenge presented by top elders Stellar Wind and Forever Unbridled, not to mention emerging classmate Elate. Lockdown, sixth in the Grade 1 CCA Oaks, surprising went right to the lead, set a modest pace, battled back gamely when hooked by favored Abel Tasman into the lane, still had her head in front of that rival at the eighth pole, couldn’t finish with the winner and weakened just a bit in the final half-furlong to end up third. Salty, third in the CCA Oaks, was well back early after a sluggish start, made some headway in the lane but was never a factor.

Parx
Pennsylvania Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: West Coast hinted with his big win in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga last month that he might be ready to take control of the 3-year-old male division. He confirmed that suspicion here with an even better performance, easily winning and earning his shot at top-rated elders Arrogate and Gun Runner in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 4. He broke well, volleyed for the lead with Outplay while outside that rival, got the better of him turning for home and then blew the race wide open in the lane, extending his margin to dominate while being geared down in the final half-furlong. Heady stuff. Irap, third in the Travers, confirmed that form with another fine effort as he sat midpack from the start, came with a smart run into the lane, lugged in sharply in midstrech, took an awkward step approaching the wire but kept on to hold second while no threat to the winner. As it turns out, that ‘awkward step’ resulted in a serious injury as he fractured the sesamoid in his left fore. His prognosis is good, but his career is over. Giuseppe the Great, sixth in the Travers, was well back from the start, put in a solid sustained rally while wide to get up for third. Timeline, fifth in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth July 30, seemed in a good spot stalking the pace in fourth while saving ground but failed to produce the needed rally when it mattered. Irish War Cry, fourth in the Haskell, was just behind Timeline from the start, moved earlier than that foe to loom a threat on the far turn but then came up empty.

Charles Town
Charles Town Oaks (race 12)

COMMENT: Tequilita has spent all year facing the best of the 3-year-old filly division (American Gal, Abel Tasman, Salty, Daddy’s Lil Darling, Lockdown, Faypien). She got away from those rivals here and it paid off as she proved smart winner. She got bumped at the break but established position midpack as Astrollinthepark set the early pace. She remained midpack while saving ground as longshot Yorkiepoo Princess assumed pacesetting duties going to the far turn, moved off the inside down the backstretch, made her run into the lane, grabbed the lead by midstretch and edged clear late. Yorkiepoo Princess stalked the early pace, made an early run to grab the lead inside while going to the far turn, tried to battle back when hooked by the eventual winner coming into the lane, couldn’t keep up with that foe but stayed on decently for second. Overture was away slowly to be well back from the start, remained well back to the far turn, pitched out turning for home and into the lane and closed decently, though she really wasn’t a danger to the top two. Shimmering Aspen, the favorite off two big wins at Laurel in recent months and winning five of seven overall, bided her time early, moved closer going to the far turn while wide to briefly appear threatening but then came up empty when it mattered.

Sept. 24

Belmont
Gallant Bloom (race 5)

COMMENT: The big wigs in this division out East weren’t here (Paulassilverlining, By the Moon, Finley’sluckycharm) but this race might still have implications for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint as Highway Star showed she can be a force in the division. Coming off a sharp second to By the Moon in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga Aug. 26 (beaten just a head), she broke well from the rail, got a nice stalking position while saving ground as Lucy N Ethel set a solid pace under pressure from Quezon, got shuffled back some going to the far turn, moved off the inside to follow Carina Mia on the far turn, moved wider into the lane, took dead aim on that rival and ran her down in the final half-furlong. The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 3 figures next. Carina Mia, who was third just a length behind Highway Star in the Ballerina, stalked the pace just to the outside of the eventual winner, came with a nice run into the lane to take the lead, battled back gamely between horses when hooked by Highway Star with a stubborn Quezon on the rail and came up just short. The Breeders’ Cup may be in her plans as well Quezon dogged pacesetter Lucy N Ethel while on the rail, continued on gamely when that foe fell away but couldn’t quite finish with the top two.

Remington
Oklahoma Derby (race 11)

COMMENT: Untrapped had been multiple graded stakes placed but never really had his day in the sun. Until today. The son of Trappe Shot, beaten by a number of these in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, Grade 3 Ohio Derby and Grade 3 Indiana Derby was freshened and turned the tables, posting the 11-1 upset. He showed good speed to pressure early pacesetter Gato Del Oro, pulled back just a bit as then B Squared took over pressuring Gato Del Oro, continued to press the pace in third while having to wait for room, looked in trouble when favored Battle of Midway went past him to take the lead in midstretch but found his best stride to reel in that foe and move past and clear. This could earn him a shot at the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, though he’d be a considerable longshot there. Battle of Midway, romping winner of the Shared Belief at Del Mar Aug. 26, sat midpack between rivals, got bounced around considerably on the first run, finally found room, moved out for a clear path on the far turn, came with a smart run to grab the lead by midstretch but then couldn’t fend off the hard-charging winner. Gato Del Oro, second to ‘Midway in the Shared Belief, went right to the lead, took immediate pressure first from Untrapped and then from B Squared, dispatched with the latter into the lane but was immediately taken on by Battle of Midway, showed courage as he fought back but finally relented in the final half-furlong as he couldn’t keep up with the top two. Colonelsdarktemper, winner of the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Aug. 5 and third in the Grade 3 Smarty Jones at Parx last time out Sept. 4, got bumped going into the first turn as he stalked in fourth, remained there to the far turn, moved closer as if ready to threaten but then flattened out. Girvin, the second choice after winning the Grade 1 Haskell before finishing eleventh in the Grade 1 Travers, bided his time early, looked poised to make a run on the far turn but ran into traffic and had to steady, pitched out wide coming into the lane for clear sailing, made some headway but was no factor. This made for a second straight dull outing after his Haskell win so that may be a sign he’s in need of a break.