Mr. Commons looks to clip Eagle’s wings in Sir Beaufort

Mr. Commons gets to face fellow sophomores for the first time since his sharp score in the Oceanside (Benoit Photos) Although Monday’s Grade 1 Malibu Stakes is the featured event on Santa Anita’s opening day card, the sophomore turf set will serve up an intriguing clash of its own in the Grade 2, $150,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes. Mr. Commons, who has been holding his own against tough older horses, reverts to his own age group, while the streaking Ultimate Eagle bids for his fifth straight win, and Comma to the Top returns to grass for the first time since his juvenile days. Mr. Commons, a smashing turf maiden winner here in January, was on the Triple Crown trail this spring. Third despite displacing his palate in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, he did not have sufficient earnings to get into the Kentucky Derby, and showed little in the Preakness. Trainer John Shirreffs decided to put him back on the grass in the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar, and Mr. Commons responded with an emphatic victory. The handsome bay appeared to have the Southern California turf series for three-year-olds at his mercy, but his connections preferred to aim a bit higher. Rather than stepping him increasingly up in trip versus his contemporaries, they kept him at a flat mile against his elders, with a view toward the Breeders’ Cup. The plan didn’t result in any wins, but the colt proved himself worthy of the daring strategy.

Mr. Commons ran a winning race in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Handicap, only to
be nabbed by the scrappy veteran Caracortado at the wire. He was second again in
the Grade 2 Oak Tree Mile at this course and distance, where the classy Jeranimo
got the jump on him. Mr. Commons was among those enduring a rough trip in the
Breeders’ Cup Mile, yet was hardly disgraced in fifth. Drawn in post 4 Monday,
he’s eligible to regain the winning thread with regular rider Mike Smith.

It could be argued that Ultimate Eagle benefited from Mr. Commons’ unorthodox
placement. With perhaps his leading rival out of the way, Ultimate Eagle wired
the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby at odds of 34-1 in his stakes debut. The
rapidly-progressing colt was overlooked again in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby,
but meted out the same front-running treatment to rack up his fourth win in a
row, and remain perfect on turf.

Ultimate Eagle, shown beating Venomous and Cozy Kitten (far left) in the Oak Tree Derby, turned up here on an audible (Benoit Photos) The Michael Pender pupil was originally expected to switch to dirt for the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes on January 14. Instead, Ultimate Eagle stays on turf and must spot each of his opponents five pounds as the 123-pound highweight. Martin Pedroza, who has yet to lose aboard the colt, will guide his partner from post 8. Four of Ultimate Eagle’s victims are on a revenge mission. French classic-placed Venomous, a hard-charging runner-up in the Oak Tree Derby, was fifth in the 1 1/4-mile Hollywood Derby, but could relish the cutback in trip. Cozy Kitten was likewise a much closer third in the Oak Tree Derby, but a non-threatening seventh at Hollywood. Irish Art, a too-bad-to-be-true ninth in the Hollywood Derby, was a visually impressive winner of the Uniformity Stakes down the hill two starts back. Thirtyfirststreet has looked exposed since his surprising score in the Lone Star Derby, and adds blinkers in hopes of a turnaround. The presence of Comma to the Top could prompt stalking tactics for Ultimate Eagle. A wire-to-wire winner of the Grade 3 Generous last year in his only previous turf attempt, Comma to the Top might try to seize command early from his inside post 3.

Like Mr. Commons, Comma to the Top went the classic route earlier this year.
The speedy gelding had plenty of graded earnings, chiefly through his victory in
the lucrative Grade 1 CashCall Futurity, and his gallant runner-up effort in the
Santa Anita Derby, defeating Mr. Commons. But his Kentucky Derby experience
turned sour when he trailed home an injured last of 19.

After undergoing surgery for an ankle chip, Comma to the Top resurfaced in
the Grade 3 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes on November 26, but gave way badly and
checked in last. The Peter Miller trainee wheeled right back in a December 11
allowance at Hollywood and looked like his old self, drawing off by 3 1/4
lengths. That smart effort at seven furlongs seemed to set Comma to the Top up
for the Malibu, but he’s opted to stretch out to two turns and tackle turf
instead. Joe Talamo has the return call.

Riveting Reason is another prominent juvenile of 2010 looking to make up for
lost time at three. Twice Grade 1-placed last year, the Myung Kwon Cho colt was
fifth to Comma to the Top in the CashCall. Riveting Reason missed by a nose in
the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on February 12, then headed to the sidelines
for eight months. He’s been well beaten in two races so far in his comeback, but
has been firing bullets of late. First-time blinkers could make a difference.

Rounding out the nine-horse field is Moment of Weakness, who’s slid into the
claiming ranks since his runner-up effort in last year’s Generous and his sixth
in the Oceanside.

Santa Anita ushers in the meet with the $100,000

California Breeders’ Champion Stakes for state-bred or -sired juvenile
fillies. The unbeaten Ismene, who upset prohibitive favorite Sister Moon in the
October 22 Anoakia Stakes, garners top billing in the seven-furlong event. Her
five rivals include Willa B Awesome, third to Charm the Maker and Killer Graces
in the Sharp Cat, and John Sadler’s undefeated stakes debutante Almost a Lady.

Later in the $100,000

California Breeders’ Champion Stakes for state-bred or -sired juveniles,
Sadler holds a strong hand with Stoney Fleece. The hero of the latest running of
the Generous, he reverts to dirt and shortens up to seven furlongs. Generous
fourth Motown Men could regroup in these different conditions. When the pair met
on Santa Anita’s dirt two starts ago, Motown Men finished second, one spot ahead
of Stoney Fleece, in the Cal Cup Juvenile. Also worthy of respect is Passing
Game, two-for-two after circling the field in the Golden Nugget Stakes at Golden
Gate.