THOROUGHBRED BEAT
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2005
by James Scully
Afleet absence – AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) is out for the rest of
the summer, leaving a major void in the three-year-old ranks. The Preakness (G1)
and Belmont (G1) winner would’ve probably dominated his next three starts in the Haskell (G1), Travers (G1) and Super Derby (G2),
and his absence creates the opportunity for some wild results in those races. Saturday’s Jim Dandy
(G2) proved to be no shocker as FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor) romped by 5 1/4 lengths,
but the Todd Pletcher runner was the lone speed and facing no graded stakes winners.
He’ll face a completely different scenario in the Travers at short odds.
The best upcoming race for three-year-olds is the match-up between LOST IN THE
FOG (Lost Soldier) and BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto) in the King’s Bishop S. (G1) on
the Travers undercard.
Jersey Shore – Monmouth Park will host Sunday’s $1 million Haskell and
Roman Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus) is the likely favorite. One of the top-ranked
Kentucky Derby (G1) candidates prior to being derailed by physical problems in
March, the Bob Baffert charge returned from a lengthy absence to beat Flower
Alley in the Dwyer S. (G2) last out in early July. He’s formidable, but the pick
here is the razor-sharp PARK AVENUE BALL (Citidancer), who loves Monmouth Park
and exits a sharp 6 1/4-length score over the track in the Long Branch Breeders’
Cup (G3).
Divine perfection – DIVINE PROPORTIONS (Kingmambo) remained unbeaten
with a stellar two-length victory in Sunday’s Prix d’Astarte (Fr-G1) at
Deauville, her ninth-straight win, and the three-year-old filly will take on
male rivals next in the August 14 Prix Jacques le Marois Haras de
Fresnay-le-Buffard (Fr-G1) at Longchamp. Trained by Pascal Bary, the five-time
Group 1 winner has been dominant in every start and is being
pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
Chicago drift – PERFECT DRIFT (Dynaformer) lacked room on the far turn
while being steadied behind horses before finally slipping through a small seam
to daylight in upper stretch and cruised to a track-record performance (1 3/16
miles in 1:54 1/5) in Saturday’s Washington Park H. (G2) at Arlington Park. An
earner of more than $3.4 million, the six-year-old gelding was winless in 2004
and owned only a grass allowance win this season prior to Saturday, but he had
been remarkably consistent, hitting the board in eight of his previous nine dirt
starts with the lone exception being a fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic
(G1). Perfect Drift didn’t beat much on Saturday, but trainer Murray Johnson got
the classy veteran a confidence-building run and his charge will head to Del Mar to
take on Lava Man (Slew City Slew) and Surf Cat (Sir Cat) in the Pacific Classic
(G1). Those horses have run big races at Hollywood Park this summer, but we’ll
see how they fare at Del Mar.
Juveniles – HENNY HUGHES (Hennessy) will scare off rivals in the
August 27 Hopeful S. (G1) following his dynamic performance in last Thursday’s
Saratoga Special (G2). Sold for a reported $4.3 million following his 15-length
triumph in the Tremont S., the unbeaten two-year-old cruised to a 3 3/4-length
win at Sarotoga, earning a 103 BRIS Speed rating. “He could be anything. He
could be the next Secretariat,” an elated Patrick Biancone said. Henny Hughes
looks special and will only have to travel seven panels in the Hopeful, but two
turns is a big question with his speed-laden pedigree. FOLKLORE (Tiznow) did her
two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winning freshman sire proud one day earlier
with a victory in the Adirondack S. (G2). Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Folklore
looks like a young filly who will love more ground.
Darkhorse – Front-running horses had the advantage in Saturday’s dirt
races at Saratoga and Desert Breeze (Deputy Minister) was forwardly placed from
the get-go in the 8TH race, a 1 1/8-mile allowance for three-year-olds. The
Pletcher-trained colt disposed of Spanish Mission (Coronado’s Quest) and then
withstood a strong late run from A.P. ARROW (A.P. Indy), who was outrun early
and traveled wide into the stretch before kicking it into gear with a furious
late rally that fell a neck short. The improving D. Wayne Lukas trainee earned a
career-best 105 BRIS Late Pace rating, and A.P. Arrow, who broke his maiden at 1
1/4 miles, is a threat to put it all together at long odds in the 10-furlong
Travers.
Seaside – Saturday was Julio Canani Day at Del Mar as the Peruvian
native swept both stakes on the program, winning the San Clemente H. (G2) with
Shining Energy (Rahy) and the Wickerr H. with Tsigane (Fr) (Anabaa). The
flamboyant 66-year-old conditioner is always a major factor at Del Mar,
capturing the John Mabee H. (G1) earlier this meet with Amorama (Fr) (Sri Pekan), whose
only U.S. wins have been Grade 1 victories at Del Mar, and three of the last six runnings of the
Eddie Read H. (G1). He’s the only trainer to sweep the three-race series of turf
races for three-year-olds twice at Del Mar, accomplishing the hat trick with
Blackdoun (Fr) (2004) and Ladies Din (1998).
Spa – I suggested last week that Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez
wouldn’t runaway with the trainer and jockey titles for the third-straight year
at Saratoga. A correction is in order. Pletcher and Velazquez are the most
dominant coupling in horse racing today. Pletcher is like Dale Baird in his
hey-day at Mountaineer, and Velazquez compares to Russell Baze in Northern
California. When coupled together, this duo is unstoppable in Saratoga Springs,
New York, winning at about a 96.7 percent clip during the first week. When will
they cool down?