THOROUGHBRED BEAT
FEBRUARY 23, 2006
by James Scully
Cat sizzles — SURF CAT’s (Sir Cat) move in Saturday’s San Carlos H.
(G2) was a delight to behold. He launched his rally midway on the far turn and
swept past most of the field while traveling wide into the stretch of the
seven-furlong event. The Swaps Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) victor still had to catch a
very game Major Success (Mazel Trick), who ran big off his victory in the Palos
Verdes H. (G2), and Surf Cat mowed him down, “closing like an express train down
the middle of the track” in the words of Trevor Denman. His figures (116 BRIS
Late Pace rating and 108 BRIS Speed number) validated the visually impressive
performance, and the four-year-old colt established himself as a top contender
for this year’s Met Mile (G1).
Buono Bambina — Bred in Ireland and currently based in the United
States, we’re calling SILVER CUP (Ire) (Almutawakel [GB]) an Italian beauty. She
began her career in Italy two years ago and captured the 2005 Italian One
Thousand Guineas (Ity-G1) before being sent to America. Silver Cup, who turned
in a nice showing when finishing a close third in the Mrs. Revere S. (G2) at
Churchill Downs in November, has improved notably for trainer Patrick Biancone
this season. Overlooked at 16-1 in the nine-furlong San Gorgonio H. (G2) on
January 8, she blew past the leaders in deep stretch to win by a half-length.
Stepping up in class and cutting back to mile in Monday’s Buena Vista H. (G2),
the versatile dark bay filly left no doubt who is the best female grass
performer presently on the West Coast with a convincing score.
Turf fillies — Todd Pletcher holds a strong hand when it comes to
three-year-old turf fillies. J’RAY (Distant View), who is unbeaten in four
attempts since moving to the grass in her second career outing, is already
well-established, winning the Selima S. and Jessamine S. before opening her 2006
campaign with a facile triumph in the Tropical Park Oaks. Stablemate DYNA’S
DESTINY (Dynaformer) is starting to make a name for herself. She notched her
first black-type success in January’s Bedanken S. at Louisiana Downs and
followed with a commendable victory in Sunday’s Gaily Gaily S. at Gulfstream
Park, rallying boldly to win going away under John Velazquez. Dyna’s Destiny is
getting very good on the green.
Frisco — Harry Aleo and Greg Gilchrist are enjoying the ride with
another unbeaten three-year-old, FRISCO STAR (More Than Ready), who improved to
three for three with a 1 1/4-length tally in Sunday’s Novato S. The speedy colt
dueled between horses before asserting himself in the final furlong for the 1
1/4-length decision, and Frisco Star is invoking comparisons to stable star Lost
in the Fog (Lost Soldier), who returned to the worktab earlier this month at
Golden Gate Fields. Both horses were bred in Florida and proved precocious from
the start of their racing careers, but any further comparisons are unfair at
this point. Lost in the Fog captured his first three attempts in sensational
fashion (combined 26 3/4 lengths), with superb Speed ratings of 107 and 106 in
his second and third attempts. Frisco Star broke his maiden by 8 1/2 lengths at
Santa Rosa last August, but his last two victories have come by narrow margins
and netted Speed ratings of 97 and 94. He’s still a very nice colt who could
develop into a high-class performer, but Frisco Star hasn’t displayed the same
brilliance yet of last year’s champion sprinter.
Smart performer — EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck), who broke his maiden
at Churchill Downs last November, has excelled so far during the Gulfstream Park
meeting, winning a turf allowance on opening weekend before taking an
off-the-turf allowance by seven lengths on February 4. The four-year-old has
continued to impress trainer Helen Pitts in recent works and will make his
stakes debut in Saturday’s Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup H. (G1). He’ll be
spotting serious seasoning to his rivals in the 1 7/16-mile turf affair, but
don’t be surprised if the up-and-coming Einstein provides another schooling.
Impending showdown — A premiere match-up between distaffers will take
place March 11. That’s when ROUND POND (A.P. Indy) and HAPPY TICKET (Anet) will
square off in the Azeri Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, the first of two
possible meetings in Hot Springs, Arkansas, between the Grade 1-winning females.
Round Pond, queen of the Acorn S. (G1) and Fantasy S. (G2) last year before
being sidelined, returned to the races with a sharp victory on February 16,
earning a 104 Speed rating. Ballerina S. (G1) heroine Happy Ticket, who
also recorded an excellent second to champion Ashado in October’s Beldame S.
(G1), captured her seasonal bow at Evangeline Downs last Saturday by 5 1/2
lengths and received a 100 Speed rating. The Azeri figures to be quite a dandy,
and the talented gals are expected to continue their rivalry in the $500,000
Apple Blossom H. (G1) on April 8.
Back Sunday — World champion sprinter SILENT WITNESS (El Moxie), who
has been sidelined since capturing the Sprinters S. (Jpn-G1) in early October,
is expected back in Sunday’s Centenary Sprint Cup (HK-G1) at Sha Tin Race
Course. Victorious in his first 17 starts, Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year had his
hopes for a third consecutive triumph in December’s prestigious Hong Kong Sprint
(HK-G1) dashed by a virus and his future appeared in doubt. Silent Witness
reportedly did not train well for Tony Cruz earlier this month, but the
seven-year-old gelding looked much better in a drill last week when finishing up
his last quarter in :21 2/5, according to the South China Morning Post. He’s
sure to generate plenty of fanfare on Sunday.