Monday Afternoon Notes
– Steve Davidowitz recommends keeping distance notes for your Breeders’ Cup handicapping (DRF+); he’d probably recommend trip notes as well. You’ll want to refer to those when considering Greg’s Gold’s chances in the Sprint. Here’s a horse whose credentials trumped those of the other four starters in yesterday’s Ancient Title Handicap at Santa Anita, what with his multiple triple-digit Beyers and graded stakes wins, yet he finished second by 3/4 of a length to G3 Jersey Shore winner Idiot Proof. Give the credit to jockey David Flores for his shrewd riding from the start. As they raced down the backstretch, Flores positioned Idiot Proof in the clear outside while boxing the 3-5 favorite on the rail behind pacesetter Bordonaro, and he didn’t let up until the field was well into the stretch, leaving Victor Espinoza and Greg’s Gold hard-pressed for running room until the final yards, when Greg’s Gold found space to split rivals and displayed a strong turn of foot that could have gotten him the win, if only he’d had another sixteenth. “I think he probably would have won,” said trainer David Hofmans after. “I wished [Espinoza] would have gone wide, but he said he never had a chance to go wide” (DRF). Nice work by former jockey turned ESPN commentator Jerry Bailey during the post-race interview when he got Flores to admit that Idiot Proof was the second best horse in the race.
Second best or not, Idiot Proof had the advantage and made it to the wire in 1:07.57, a record on Santa Anita’s new Cushion Track. The Ancient Title was one of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge races and Idiot Proof now has a guaranteed spot in the Sprint starting gate at Monmouth, scene of the six-furlong Jersey Shore, in which the colt also set a record and earned a Beyer of 113. He may have been just about the only Challenge race winner who didn’t have enough BC points and actually needed the win to get in.
– Espinoza and Flores were mixing it up in the Lady’s Secret as well, with Flores on the front-running Hystericalady and Espinoza parked on the outside with Tough Tiz’s Sis, who ran down the favorite to win by a head. Tough Tiz’s Sis is another Challenge winner not Breeders’ Cup eligible, and her connections will have to decide soon if they’ll supplement her to the Distaff. “I think today was her breakout race,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “Right now we just have to wait a week and think about it. We have some bragging rights for a while, so we’ll let her decide” (Blood-Horse).
– After a dismal sixth place finish in the Oak Tree Mile, Lava Man’s owner Steve Kenly said there was zero chance the six-year-old gelding would go to the Breeders’ Cup. “I can say that with confidence,” he said. “He’s not leaving the state, so the people who don’t want to see him go got their wish. He won’t be going this time” (LA Daily News). Jockey Corey Nakatani made mention of “some issues” after to explain Lava Man’s effort, but had no details. According to trainer Doug O’Neill on Monday morning, Lava Man came out of the race fine and will be pointed to the November 3 California Cup Classic.
– Just throw out Majestic Warrior’s perplexing performance as the even-money favorite in the Champagne on Saturday. Trainer Bill Mott reports that a full examination post-race revealed nothing amiss and that the colt is still being considered for the Juvenile (NY Daily News).
