SPOTLIGHT PERFORMANCES
DECEMBER 9
by James Scully
This column gives us the opportunity to highlight some
performances each week that didn’t receive much attention.
At Hollywood Park Sunday, KIRKENDAHL (Menifee) remained unbeaten
with a strong 3 1/2-length victory over optional claimers. The Kentucky-bred
two-year-old easily broke his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in mid-November going 6
1/2 furlongs, recording an 88 BRIS Speed rating, and improved upon that
performance here, earning a 102 Speed figure. Kirkendahl came home very quickly
Sunday (12 seconds) while completing the six-furlong test in 1:08 2/5. The Ted
West-trained colt is bred for a route on both sides of his pedigree and is
headed for stakes company.
CHIPS ARE DOWN (Distorted Humor) was another good-looking
two-year-old winner last week at Hollywood, taking a 1 1/16-mile allowance by
three parts of a length on Friday. The promising Spanish Chestnut (Horse
Chestnut [SAf]), who broke his maiden impressively in his debut at Keeneland and
then finished second in the Lone Star Juvenile, was loose on the lead down the
backstretch, but jockey Rene Douglas and Chips are Down were able to collar the
pacesetter by the top of the stretch and out-dueled that rival down the lane.
Trained by Bob Baffert, the dark bay winner was coming off a commendable
runner-up allowance performance to Texcess (In Excess [Ire]), who captured the
$1 million Delta Jackpot in his next start, and now owns a 2-2-0 mark from his
last four starts. Chips Are Down may continue to show more in the future as he
is pointed toward the Triple Crown and is yet another up-and-coming son of
Distorted Humor to watch for next year along with the undefeated sophomore
Commentator, who might prove to be the nation’s best sprinter in 2005.
At the Big A, LUCKY GAMBLE (Dove Hunt) made short work of five
allowance rivals on Saturday when winning an allowance by 4 1/2 lengths and
earned another big Speed rating of 107, which followed figures of 102, 103, 103
and 102 in his previous four outings. He’s been facing stakes horses like Fall
Highweight H. (G3) winner Thunder Touch (Gulch), Primary Suspect (Hennessy) and
All Hail Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) in his previous allowance starts and is ready
for black-type events himself. Frank LaBoccetta Jr. conditions the Florida-bred
three-year-old.
BANK AUDIT (Wild Rush) has really come to hand for trainer
Gregory Martin in her last two starts, following a nine-length victory over the
Aqueduct main track with a 3 3/4-length tally over allowance opponents on the
inner track Sunday. Rated in last during the early stages, the sophomore filly
started her drive on the far turn and blew past the leaders into the stretch,
completing six furlongs in 1:11 and earning a 103 Speed rating. Claimed for
$65,000 in July, Bank Audit returned from a freshening last month with
much-improved form.
Grade 2 hero CANDID GLEN (El Gran Senor), a seven-year-old
veteran, returned to the races following a 16-month absence last Thursday at
Fair Grounds and turned in a fine winning performance going about 7 1/2 furlongs
on the grass. A two-time stakes victor over the weeds in New Orleans, Candid
Glen drew off late for a 1 1/2-length decision and received a triple-digit Speed
rating in a start he figured to need off the shelf. It was a very encouraging
performance for his connections.
HYMN OF LOVE (Ire) (Barathea [Ire]) earned her first U.S.
victory at Calder on Monday, easily defeating a solid group of allowance foes in
a 1 1/16-mile turf affair. Now trained by Christophe Clement, the Irish stakes
winner is likely headed back to stakes company off this strong performance. Hymn
of Love finished fifth to Soviet Song (Marju), who was voted the Top Older horse
in Europe in 2004, in her last European start in May and needed her first race
in the United States when finishing a close fourth in Calder’s Soft Parade S.
prior to this start. She showed her class with the facile three-length score on
Monday and could be a top performer in the filly and mare turf division next
season.