SPOTLIGHT PERFORMANCES
DECEMBER 30
by James Scully
The spotlight shines in this column on recent performances that may have not
received much attention.
At Calder on Sunday, ANDROMEDA’S HERO (Fusaichi Pegasus) earned his first
career win in impressive fashion, drawing off to a seven-length score over
maiden special weight rivals. Trained by Nick Zito, the chestnut colt was making
his second start after finishing third last month in a maiden event at Churchill
Downs. The two-year-old earned a commendable 93 BRIS Speed rating and showed
good tactical speed from the start, chasing the pace before taking over
approaching the eighth pole. We’re likely to hear much more from Andromeda’s
Hero.
GIVEMEMORE (Brz) (Special Nash [Ire]), a Group 2 and Group 3 winner sprinting
on the turf in Brazil, made her U.S. bow on Tuesday at Calder and gamely got up
for a neck score over sophomore rivals in the My Dear Peggy S., a 6 1/2-furlong
main track event. Now trained by Kenny McPeek, the chestnut filly is still
lightly raced (now owns a 5-4-1-0 record) and was making her first dirt start
here. She earned a 96 Speed figure and owns plenty of room for improvement.
GIGGER (Go for Gin) hails from an outstanding female family (out of Praise,
who is a daughter of Wild Applause) and turned in a very encouraging performance
in his career debut, rallying for neck decision over heavily favored stablemate
Giant Hope (Giant’s Causeway) in this one-mile turf maiden special weight.
Gigger overcame being steadied early and traveled wide into the stretch. He’s a
promising juvenile in the Christophe Clement shedrow.
ALL HAIL STORMY (Stormy Atlantic) is going very well presently for trainer
Allen Jerkens off his wire-to-wire tally in Monday’s Mint S. at Calder. The
sophomore colt earned a 105 Speed figure for his half-length score and appears
set to be a serious factor in the upcoming sprint stakes at Gulfstream Park.
BATTLE HERO (Deputy Minister), a son of the tremendous champion Flanders,
broke through with a 3 1/2-length victory on December 20 at Calder in an
entry-level allowance contest, his first start since last April at Gulfstream.
The Todd Pletcher-trained three-year-old closed from last after a half-mile to
win the 6 1/2-furlong contest going away and may continue to improve.
At Santa Anita on Monday, KIZKA (Danzig) made her career bow in an about 6
1/2-furlong turf maiden special weight race and pulled clear in the stretch for
a two-length triumph. Trainer Richard Mandella likes to give his runners a race
(less than 10 percent win clip with firsters over the past two years) and Kizka
didn’t own much of a worktab. However, the two-year-old filly looked very
precocious here and could be any kind in the future. She’s out of the Group
2-winning Miss Demure (Ire).
WHILLY (Ire) (Sri Pekan), who wasn’t a factor against graded rivals in his
first two attempts in the year, has stepped up his game for conditioner Doug
O’Neill at the end of the season and recorded his second stakes score from his
last three starts when taking Sunday’s Sir Beaufort at Santa Anita. The bay
three-year-old rallied from just off the pace to win by three parts of a length
and recorded another impressive century-topping Speed rating (101). An easy
winner of the Bien Bien S. three back, he was coming off a close fourth in the
Hollywood Derby (G1) and appears set to be a top-class turf miler next year.
RUNNING FREE (Soft Gold [Brz]) took a one-mile allowance event earlier on
Sunday’s program at Santa Anita in front-running fashion, his second straight
turf allowance victory after winning at Hollywood last month. The Kristin
Mulhall-trained sophomore’s Speed figures are increasing as his form improves
(3-1-1 from last five attempts) and it will be interesting to see whether he can
continue to be a serious factor against stakes rivals.
BUCKLAND MANOR (Bien Bien) earned his first win of 2004 when capturing a
Santa Anita optional claiming event on Monday and owns big showings from two of
his last three outings. He finished second by a nose three starts back in the
Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile (G2), finishing ahead of eventual Breeders’ Cup Mile
(G1) winner Singletary (Sultry Song), and didn’t disgrace himself when fifth by
three lengths in the Citation H. (G1) two starts ago. The Paco Gonzalez-trained
gelding is still lightly raced with only 15 career starts and may continue to
show more following this confidence-building score.