ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN
FEBRUARY 9, 2005
by James Scully
The Holy Bull S. (G3) highlighted Saturday’s card at Gulfstream Park that
featured five events for three-year-olds. The previously unbeaten HIGH FLY (Atticus)
was favored at 3-5 but suffered a wide trip en route to a third-place finish
behind CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal), who notched his second overall
stakes victory with a 1 1/2-length score.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Closing Argument earned his first stakes win in
the restricted, six-furlong NATC Futurity S. at Delaware Park and was coming off
a second-place finish in the $1 million Delta Jackpot S. in early December. Bred
for speed on both sides of his pedigree, the bay colt certainly ran a big race
going 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, earning a 107 BRIS Speed rating, but the top
three finishers got out on the front end of the Holy Bull and stuck there
throughout.
The March 5 Fountain of Youth S. (G2) is likely next for Closing Argument,
but the $2 million U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2) on March 26 remains a possibility. A
trip to Dubai would take him out of consideration for the Kentucky Derby (G1),
but might prove beneficial given his breeding.
High Fly was in position to take command leaving the far turn but tired late
in his first two-turn effort. He went too wide into the first bend from his
outside post and remained well off the rail throughout, losing valuable ground
that cost him down the stretch. The talented sophomore looked like a monster
when capturing the one-turn, one-mile Aventura S. in his previous outing, but he
was still very light on experience entering the Holy Bull with only three starts
to his credit. High Fly didn’t look like a serious Kentucky Derby candidate on
Saturday, but he’s eligible to bounce back with improved showings for trainer
Bill White in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby (G1).
It’s easy to get too carried away with performances in early February, but a
lot can change over the next three months. In early February of their
three-year-old seasons, Charismatic couldn’t win a $62,500 claiming race and War
Emblem got drubbed when finishing ninth in the Risen Star S. (G3) at 38-1.
DEAREST MON (Maria’s Mon), an impressive Gulfstream allowance winner in his
previous start, ran terrible in the Holy Bull, finishing another 13 1/2 lengths
back of High Fly at the wire.
The Hutcheson S. (G2) was contested at 7 1/2 furlongs Saturday and went to
PROUD ACCOLADE (Yes It’s True), who continued to perform at the highest level in
one-turn events. Trailing the entire field on the far turn, the Todd Pletcher
trainee blew past his rivals down the lane to win going away by 4 1/2 lengths
and recorded a 105 Speed figure. Proud Accolade, who faltered with unplaced
finishes when attempting two turns in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and
Hollywood Futurity (G1), is now four-for-four in one-turn races.
Proud Accolade earned the opportunity to try the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of
Youth and we’ll see if he shows more stamina there.
Futurity S. (G2) winner PARK AVENUE BALL (Citidancer) offered a good turn of
foot to reach the lead in the stretch of the Hutcheson but was no match for the
winner late. He’s eligible to show more off this runner-up finish in his
seasonal bow, but the chestnut is probably more geared toward shorter events.
Fourth-place finisher DEFER (Danzig) was a complete disappointment after
rallying into a prominent position at the top of the lane. He readily gave way
inside the final furlong to finish fourth.
Like Dearest Mon, Defer will need to improve significantly off a very
disheartening performance to be a factor on the Triple Crown trail.
BANDINI (Fusaichi Pegasus) stamped himself as a legitimate Kentucky Derby
contender with a sparkling nine-length allowance victory at Gulfstream Saturday.
Setting the pace from the rail, the Pletcher-conditioned dark bay began to
draw off from his nearest rival on the far turn and accelerated through the
stretch, finishing faster than his counterparts in the Holy Bull three races
later and earning a 103 Speed figure. He was very impressive and will likely
make his stakes bow in either the Fountain of Youth or the Louisiana Derby (G2)
one week later.
The top two finishers in this allowance event left a favorable impression and
both own an attractive pedigree for classic races. Runner-up VITRUVIAN (Lemon
Drop Kid) uncorked a furious rally from 11th place on the backstretch to reach
second midway on the far turn. He tired a little late but still finished 7 3/4
lengths clear of third in his first dirt start since breaking his maiden by 10
3/4 lengths at Belmont in October. The Bobby Frankel trainee owns plenty of room
for improvement.
QUREALL (Yes It’s True) proved best in a seven-furlong allowance contest
earlier on the card, but the Ed Plesa Jr. runner came out in the stretch, bumped
another contestant for no reason, and as a result was disqualified to second.
AROUND THE CAPE (Carson City), who was not interfered with, was moved up to
first in his first attempt against winners. The first-place finisher and
eventual winner are both nice colts, but neither appears geared toward longer
distances.
SURVIVALIST (Danzig), who was placed second after finishing third, did get bumped
soundly after moving into contention in the stretch drive. He probably wasn’t
advancing strongly enough at the time to win, but the incident did knock him off
stride and this effort will be a solid building block for the well-bred colt to
build upon. The Shug McGaughey representative broke last over the speed-favoring
Gulfstream strip and closed resolutely while wide leaving the far turn. Off
since an 8 1/2-length maiden score at Belmont in early October, Survivalist
needed this start and will probably appreciate stretching out in distance.
NOBLE CAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway), a $1.15 million yearling purchase, earned
his first victory Saturday following a pair of runner-up finishes in maiden special
weight events. Stretching out to nine furlongs for trainer Nick Zito,
the chestnut came up the rail to gain the advantage in upper stretch and drew
clear by two lengths at the wire, earning a 101 Speed figure. Noble Causeway
finished second in his previous outing to Bandini and could go straight to
stakes company in his next start.
Santa Anita hosted the 1 1/8-mile Sham S. on Saturday and GOING WILD (Golden
Missile) led wire to wire, outlasting maiden PAPI CHULLO (Comeonmom) by a
length. The D. Wayne Lukas representative has now won two straight stakes,
taking the six-furlong San Miguel in his previous start, but his 99 Speed rating
marks a regression from the triple-digit figures that he earned in his previous
two outings at six furlongs. Going Wild is bred for a route and could continue
to improve, but it was difficult to get excited about this performance given the
competition and slow final furlong.
Saturday’s WEBN S. serves as a prep for the March 26 Lane’s End S. (G2) and
Turfway Prevue S. victor SNACK (Afternoon Deelites) turned in another fine
effort at the Florence, Kentucky, track, displaying tremendous acceleration to
rally from last to first in about an eighth of a mile. He turned for home in
complete control and galloped to the finish line three lengths the best under
jockey Ramsey Zimmerman. Snack, who owns an appealing pedigree for the turf,
has looked good in both starts this year and will be tested for class and
stamina in the future.
MALIBU MOONSHINE (Malibu Moon), winner of December’s St. Nick S. at Charles
Town in his previous race, picked up where he left off at two with a 1
3/4-length tally in Saturday’s one-mile Miracle Wood S. at Laurel Park. Trained
by the King (Leatherbury), the Florida-bred sophomore offered another
eye-catching move to overhaul his rivals but probably didn’t beat much. He was a
badly beaten fifth when stretching out to a route last November for the Laurel
Futurity (G3) and may not want much more ground than a mile presently.
A trio of stakes with Triple Crown implications are on tap this weekend. On
Saturday, Fair Grounds will offer the Risen Star S. (G3), with HARLINGTON
(Unbridled), STORM SURGE (Storm Cat) and ICED OUT (Comic Strip) among the top
contenders for the 1 1/16-mile event, and the Whirlaway S., which features the
return of GALLOPING GROCER (A. P Jet), will be held over the inner track at
Aqueduct. Sunday’s seven-furlong San Vicente S. (G3) will take place at Santa
Anita and marks the seasonal debuts for Grade 2 winners ROMAN RULER (Fusaichi
Pegasus) and CONSOLIDATOR (Storm Cat).