Spotlight Performances

SPOTLIGHT PERFORMANCES

FEBRUARY 17, 2005

by James Scully

Forest Danger has dropped only one race from five career starts (Matt Dean/Equi-Photo) Following the success of retired champion Speightstown, Todd Pletcher appears ready to do some damage in the sprint division once again in 2005 with FOREST DANGER (Forestry). Off since a runner-up finish in the Withers S. (G3) last May, the Grade 3-winning four-year-old returned to the races with a track record performance over optional claiming rivals on Monday at Gulfstream Park, taking a 6 1/2-furlong sprint by 9 1/2 lengths in 1:14 2/5. The bay colt ripped off splits of :22 2/5, :44 4/5 and 1:08 on the front end with John Velazquez and earned a 114 BRIS Speed rating. Forest Danger is the second foal from Grade 2 winner Starry Ice (Ice Age). MUSTANFAR (Unbridled) wasn’t anywhere near his prime when competing in dirt races last spring with fellow three-year-olds and was just starting to put it together when impressively capturing October’s Sycamore Breeders’ Cup (G3) before a fifth-place showing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Last Thursday’s seasonal bow served notice that the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is one to watch in the handicap turf division this season. Reserved at the back of the pack in the early stages, the chestnut came with a strong turn of foot to win a nine-furlong optional claiming event in hand by 2 1/2 lengths. Mustanfar relishes longer distances and could surprise more accomplished stakes horses as he continues to improve. A Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, POTRA FABULOUS (Arg) (Potrillon [Arg]) failed to deliver any top-class performances for Bobby Frankel in six starts last year. She’s back for a second season in America and returned with a fine showing on Friday, closing determinedly to win a tough allowance turf affair at Gulfstream by a half-length. Effective from distances of one mile to 10 furlongs, the six-year-old mare may have needed some time to acclimate to her new surroundings and could be a much better performer in 2005.

BORREGO (El Prado [Ire]) recorded runner-up finishes in the
Arkansas Derby (G2), Louisiana Derby (G2) and Super Derby (G2) last year, but he
hadn’t won since 2003 prior to Friday. The chestnut colt, who returned off a
near four-month freshening in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming event at Santa
Anita, rated patiently off a moderate early pace before moving to the lead in
midstretch and went on to an easy two-length decision over the sloppy track.
Trained by Beau Greely, Borrego is now Big ‘Cap (G1) bound off this
confidence-building score.

On Saturday in Arcadia, California, WOODEN TICKET (A.P. Indy)
captured his career bow for trainer Julio Canani, getting up from off the pace
to win a maiden special weight event by a nose. Off slowly at the start, the
three-year-old colt was also steadied off heels at the quarter pole but would
not be denied. He earned a commendable 90 Speed rating going seven furlongs in
his first start. Wooden Ticket is the second registered foal out of three-time Grade 1
heroine Exotic Wood (Rahy).

GRAND REWARD (Storm Cat) placed in a couple of Group 2 events in
Europe before arriving in trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ shedrow. After finishing a
well-beaten eighth when making his U.S. debut in the Malibu S. (G1) and seventh
in an optional claiming event in late January, the four-year-old finally broke
through with his first victory stateside on Saturday at Santa Anita, taking a
one-mile dirt allowance by four lengths on the front end. Out of champion
Serena’s Song (Rahy) (making him a half-brother to Kentucky Derby [G1] hopeful Harlington [Unbridled]), four-year-old Grand Reward earned a 102 Speed figure
and can be placed on dirt or turf.

At Oaklawn Park Saturday, PROMONTORY (Peaks and Valleys)
improved his career mark to 3-2-1-0 with a one-length allowance score going six
furlongs. The sophomore colt is a half-brother to the four-time Grade 3-winning
sprinter El Cielo and could be headed to stakes competition.

SEMAPHORE MAN (Formal Gold) turned in a nice career bow in Hot
Springs, Arkansas, when crushing his sophomore rivals by 9 1/4 lengths on
Saturday. The first starter out of the stakes-winning Semaphore Ms. (Lost Code), the Kelly
Von Hemel-trained Semaphore Man earned a 95 Speed rating for his impressive
off-the-pace win.

On Sunday at Fair Grounds, FIRE IT UP (Chester House) improved
to two-for-two this year with a head score in an optional claiming turf event.
Trained by Dallas Stewart, the three-year-old colt could have a nice future on
the grass.

Last Wednesday’s program at Aqueduct featured another strong
performance from SALIC LAW (Deputy Commander), who went right to the lead and
ran his allowance rivals into the ground en route to a 6 3/4-length triumph
going nine furlongs. Have to admire how the four-year-old colt has progressed
for conditioner Thomas Albertrani over the last five months, finishing first in
two straight maiden races (DQ’ed from first) before posting a 2-1-0 mark from
last three attempts. Out of 1987 Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Hometown Queen
(Pleasant Colony), who is a half-sister to the tremendous broodmare Viviana (Nureyev),
Salic Law is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Bowman’s Band (Dixieland Band) and
closely related to multiple Grade 2 hero Pollard’s Vision (Unbridled’s Song). He
earned a 103 Speed figure on Wednesday, the first triple-digit Speed rating for
the improving colt.