OAK TREE NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 3, 2008
by Dick Powell
Oak Tree at Santa Anita opened up its first week of racing over the
newly-installed Pro-Ride racing surface. The earth did not spin off its axis,
pigs did not fly and the Mets were eliminated from post season play in the last
game of the season. If you did not know already that they were racing over
Pro-Ride it would have been hard to tell from watching last week’s races. It
performed so well that reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) is now likely to
try for a title defense in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on October 25.
One thing that Pro-Ride did was manufacture a racing surface that was as
brown as dirt. I know it means little, but it was always hard to ignore the
oatmeal-like color of other synthetic tracks. Pro-Ride looks like a dirt track
and performed like one as well.
The feature race on opening day was the Morvich H. (G3) at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the
downhill turf course. Joe Talamo stole it with a masterful front end ride aboard
CALIFORNIA FLAG (Avenue of Flags) for trainer Brian Koriner. Winner of a very
fast five-furlong turf sprint at Del Mar in his last start, the Cal-bred handled
his first try in a graded stakes by gunning to the front, setting punishing
fractions of 42.53 for the half — blistering even if it is downhill — and
maintaining his advantage to the wire to win by three lengths at odds of 22.70
to 1. He now gets an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in four
weeks.
Thursday saw three front-end winners on the Pro-Ride and three others who
were not far back early to win. Favorites won five of the eight races but the
Pick 6 was not hit and a juicy $349,000 carryover was waiting for Friday.
Friday was a day that if you didn’t take a shot in the Pick 6, you probably
are still having pangs of regret. With field sizes of nine, eight, nine, nine,
seven and 11 that yielded winners that paid $16.40, $6.80 (second choice),
$19, $6.60 (favorite), $11.40 and $7.40 (favorite), Friday’s Pick 6 paid a
whopping $244,139. Even five of six paid a generous $1,157.
There was an additional $1,130,058 bet into the pool on Friday and the $2 win
parlay was $36,871. I’m not saying it was an easy Pick Six but it was very
hittable based on the number of possible outcomes and resulting mutuel payoffs.
Pro-Ride once again yielded a variety of winning running styles, with speed
being very effective going two turns. Running times were fast and the turf
favored speed for the third day in a row.
Saturday was one of the best days of racing in non-Breeders’ Cup Santa Anita
history — six Grade 1 stakes that, on their own, without any future Breeders’ Cup
implications, are hugely important in deciding divisional titles.
The 4TH race was the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1) for turfers
going 10 furlongs. A field of six entered the gate and the public had trouble
separating the 9-5 favorite Spring House (Chester House) from Out of Control
(Brz) (Vettori) and RED GIANT (Giant’s Causeway). One thing that I have noticed about
the offspring of Giant’s Causeway is that they get better with age
and Red Giant, now toward the end of his four-year-old campaign, is coming into his own.
Winner of the Fourstardave H. (G2) in his lone 2008 start for Todd
Pletcher, Red Giant was already proven at the Hirsch’s distance with a smashing win at
37-1 in last year’s Virginia Derby (G2) in 1:59 3/5. On Saturday, Johnny
Velazquez stalked a blazing-fast pace of 45.63, 1:08.86 and 1:32.88 to loom
boldly at the top of the stretch behind Out of Control. who had taken over
the lead after making first run. Those two dueled for a while through the
stretch but Red Giant pulled away to win by a head in the sensational time of
1:57.16.
Red Giant has never been farther than 10 furlongs so it will be interesting
to see which Breeders’ Cup race Pletcher chooses for him. He and Velazquez won last
year’s Turf (G1), so we’ll probably see him there.
I was convinced that Hystericalady (Distorted Humor) had a great shot at
ending ZENYATTA’s (Street Cry [Ire]) unbeaten streak. And when Zenyatta started to
display the pre-race antics on the track like she did in the Vanity H. (G1) at Hollywood when Tough
Tiz’s Sis (Tiznow) almost beat her, I was even more
convinced. Speed was doing well on the Pro-Ride and Hystericalady had a huge
pace advantage over it.
But none of that mattered when Mike Smith pushed the button nearing the top
of the stretch and Zenyatta inhaled the field to draw off to a ridiculously easy
3 1/2-length win in 1:40.30 for the 1 1/16 miles. She’s undefeated and, unless she ventures out of her division, she should stay that
way.
I thought Street Boss (Street Cry [Ire]) was vulnerable in the Ancient Title (G1)
and tried to beat him with In Summation (Put it Back) and Idiot Proof
(Benchmark). Tyler Baze had COST OF FREEDOM (Cee’s Tizzy) wide and clear down
the backstretch, surged to the lead turning for home and then held off Street
Boss to win by a half-length in 1:07.53. Claimed for $50,000 two starts back by
John Sadler, Cost of Freedom won a very fast six-furlong sprint at Del Mar in
his next start, earning a career-best BRIS Speed rating of 103. He showed it was
no fluke on Saturday.
Besides trying to beat Zenyatta on Saturday, I also tried to beat STARDOM
BOUND (Tapit) in the Oak Leaf S. (G1) for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16
miles. There was talk about her being kicked by a pony the day before, and with
her one-dimensional come-from-behind running style I thought she was beatable on
the Pro-Ride.
Once again Stardom Bound broke slow, raced at the back of the pack and made
her customary late run to win easily by 3 1/2 lengths over early leader Palacio de
Amor (Dixieland Band). She’s handled big fields like she’ll face in the
Breeders’ Cup, and with a win over the track she’ll be a legitimate favorite.
Velazquez and Pletcher struck again in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) when WAIT A WHILE (Maria’s Mon) overcame post
10 and won by three parts of
a length as the even-money favorite. She is now three-for-three on the Santa
Anita lawn.
The Goodwood S. (G1) was the final Grade 1 stakes race on Saturday and it
was a real scramble. With a field of 10, the public made WELL ARMED (Tiznow)
the 17-10 favorite, but sent off five other runners at single-digit odds. Well
Armed just missed in the Pacific Classic (G1) going longer and had a win at course
and distance last February in the San Antonio H. (G2). Aaron Gryder was
back in the irons for Eoin Harty and he gave him a perfect ride to win by a
length over Tiago (Pleasant Tap) in the time of 1:47.11. Don’t know if he can
get 10 furlongs in the Classic (G1), but Well Armed will have a lot to say about
how the race is run and certainly has enough tactical speed to keep Big Brown (Boundary) honest on the lead.
Sunday had a pair of graded stakes. First up was the Oak Tree Mile (G2) on
the turf, which was won by HYPERBARIC (Sky Classic) in the good time of 1:33.62
despite a slow first half of 47.81. The 8-5 favorite with Garrett Gomez, he has
enough gate speed to avoid the expected traffic jam in the big field going into
the first turn of the Mile (G1).
The Norfolk S. (G1) was the final Grade 1 of the weekend, and amazingly
the California bettors ignored their juveniles and went with Saratoga maiden
winner Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor), who was making his second career start.
Not only did they ignore Midshipman (Unbridled’s Song), who won the Del Mar
Futurity (G1) in his last start, but also STREET HERO (Street Cry [Ire]), who was third in
the Futurity and has a terrific stretch-out pedigree.
Regal Ransom chased a fast pace set by Del Conte (Point Given) before running
into inside traffic nearing the stretch. He faded to eighth. Rallying from a
stalking position, Street Hero was able to get first run and hold off a
wide-trip Midshipman to win by three parts of a length.
Track Stats:
Overall: 15 winning favorites in 46 races – 32.6 percent
Pro-Ride: 11 winning favorites in 34 races – 32.3 percent
Turf: 4 winning favorites in 12 races – 33.3 percent
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (9/24)
5TH – HOIST THE SAIL (Mizzen Mast) added blinkers for the first time and set
fractions of 44.84 and 1:09.02 before being run down in a seven furlong $25K
claimer. Looks like he might have a home on Pro-Ride.
6TH – SMOOTH AND SAVVY (Petionville) rallied some in a slow-paced, nine-furlong turf event. He’s been stuck at this level for a while but might move up
if they run him back at a mile, which should get a faster pace.
Thursday (9/25)
8TH – PROMISE ROSE (Rio Verde) rallied from far back to get third from post
11 going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Pro-Ride behind a front-end winner.
Friday (9/26)
1ST – GOOCH’S DREAM (Decarchy) was forced to gun from post one and contested
a hot pace before weakening in the stretch. Had never shown that kind of speed
and should be watched next out from a better post.
7TH – PORTO SANTO (Fr) (Kingsalsa) had no shot behind a runaway front-end winner
who was allowed to set a slow pace going a mile but still rallied nicely for
second.
8TH – BEENCAUGHTCHEATING (Lord Carson) showed good speed at Fairplex last out
but ran into trouble going six furlongs here when stuck down on the inside.
Saturday (9/27)
1ST – CAYAMBE (Helmsman) showed high speed in his first start off the claim
by Ben Cecil off a 10-week layoff.
2ND – JOKING SAM (Johar) rallied nicely for second from post 12 going a mile
on the turf despite being five wide on the first turn.
6TH – Street Boss couldn’t make it three straight Grade 1 stakes
wins when second in the Ancient Title, but showed his customary
rally and should be tough in the Sprint (G1).
8TH – BLACK MAGIC MAMA (Black Mambo) didn’t run bad as a maiden in the Oak
Leaf and rallied for fourth from post 10.
Sunday (9/28)
6TH – STORM SEIGE (Storm Creek) showed good speed in a race where the first
three finishers closed from left field.