THOROUGHBRED BEAT
FEBRUARY 2, 2006
by James Scully
Sizzling Stoops — Comparisons to Lost in the Fog (Lost Soldier) have
already begun. DA STOOPS (Distorted Humor) was one of the top performers in
Saturday’s Sunshine Millions program at Santa Anita, winning the six-furlong
Dash S. by 7 1/2 lengths. After breaking a step slow from the rail, the
three-year-old colt rushed up to contest the lead and had a head in front
through a quarter-mile in :21 1/5. He appeared relaxed while quickly drawing
clear, covering the opening half-mile in :43 2/5, and continued to fly through
five furlongs in :55 2/5. Under a calm Victor Espinoza, the Bob Baffert trainee
cruised under the finish line in 1:08 4/5. Da Stoops was exiting a 8 3/4-length
win in the California Breeders’ Champion S., turning seven furlongs in 1:21.63,
.01 seconds slower than all-out Proud Tower Too (Proud Irish) in the Malibu S.
(G1) later on the card, and earned his second straight 107 BRIS Speed rating.
Lost in the Fog, who kicked off his championship campaign with a 4 1/2-length
Dash score at Gulfstream Park, earned a 106 Speed rating last year. Da Stoops
defeated a more accomplished group of rivals and was just as impressive.
Fortune — At Gulfstream, HOUSE OF FORTUNE (Free House) put on quite a
show in the Sunshine Millions Distaff S., closely stalking the pace in fourth
around the first turn and effortlessly blowing by past her challengers into the
lead on the backstretch. Grade 1 winner Dream of Summer (Siberian Summer) tried
to go after her on the far turn, but the Ron McAnally-trained mare was just
getting warmed up. House of Fortune dropped it into another gear and stormed
into the stretch with a daylight advantage, romping to the wire in spectacular
fashion to record a 6 1/2-length decision. Winless from her first eight starts
in 2005, House of Fortune recorded a pair of runner-up finishes last fall before
capturing the restricted Cat’s Cradle S. in early December. The five-year-old
mare continued to show more on Saturday, earning a 103 Speed rating, and has
never been better. She looks poised for a big season.
Younger sibs — SHAKESPEARSISTER (GB) (Chester House) and RIVER STREET
GB) (Machiavellian) own the bloodlines to be special and each left a favorable
impression last week. Out of 1991 Flower Bowl H. (G1) and E.P. Taylor S. (G2)
queen Lady Shirl (That’s A Nice), Shakespearsister is a half-sister to
Shakespeare (Theatrical [Ire]), winner of last year’s Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
Invitational (G1) and one of the top-rated turf horses entering 2006. The
four-year-old filly, who made her fourth career start on Friday for Bill Mott in
an entry level turf allowance at Gulfstream, offered an excellent turn of foot
on the far turn to reach the lead in upper stretch and drew clear to win by two
lengths. River Street, who hails from 1985 Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) winner Helen
Street (GB) (Troy) and counts 2002 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) and Stephen Foster
H. (G1) conqueror Street Cry (Ire) as a full brother, easily captured her career
bow last Friday at Aqueduct for Darley and trainer Thomas Albertrani, closing
from off the pace to win going away by 4 3/4 lengths. The four-year-old filly
owns a bright future if she can stay healthy.
Donn — We’ll get a look at some of the handicap division’s premiere horses
in Saturday’s $500,000 Donn H. (G1). MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades), who closed
out 2005 with victories in the Discovery H. (G3) and Clark H. (G2), is the top
draw, and he’s slated to renew his rivalry with SUAVE (A.P. Indy), who won the
Saratoga Breeders’ Cup H. (G2), finished second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)
and was beaten only three lengths in fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1)
before dropping a head decision to Magna Graduate in the Clark. Belmont S. (G1)
runner-up ANDROMEDA’S HERO (Fusaichi Pegasus) exits a smart score in the Fred W.
Hooper H. (G3) at Calder, and trainer Nick Zito has another dangerous prospect
in multiple Grade 2 winner PIES PROSPECT (Crafty Prospector). The Donn will mark
the first Grade 1 foray for BRASS HAT (Prized), who continued his remarkable
comeback with a facile 2 1/2-length triumph in the New Orleans H. (G2) last out,
and Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2) hero SUPER FROLIC (Pine Bluff), who finished an
excellent fourth, beaten only 2 3/4 lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic after
stumbling at the start, is scheduled to launch his anticipated 2006 campaign.
Grade 2 victor and Hawthorne Gold Cup runner-up LORD OF THE GAME (Saint Ballado),
who is a half-brother to Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat),
is also expected for the 1 1/8-mile Donn.
Star appeal — Saturday’s Strub S. (G2), which will take place at
Santa Anita and is restricted to four-year-olds, is expected to attract Kentucky
Derby (G1) winner GIACOMO (Holy Bull). Unraced since June’s Belmont S., the John
Shirreffs charge appears to be training forwardly for his return, but the gray
colt remains only a two-time winner. He might need a race off the lengthy
layoff. WILKO (Awesome Again), whose claim to fame is an upset in the 2004
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and Illinois Derby (G2) hero GREELEY’S GALAXY (Mr.
Greeley) both look like risky propositions since neither one has been able to
regain his best form since competing in the Triple Crown. Two contenders on the
upswing are CANTEEN (Fusaichi Pegasus) and HIGH LIMIT (Maria’s Mon). The former
was highly regarded last winter and entered the Arkansas Derby (G2) while
technically still a maiden (he had been disqualified from a victory in his
previous start). Canteen didn’t earn his first official win until returning from
a freshening in late October and then turned in a couple of good allowance
efforts. He was making a winning move in the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup S. (G2)
last time when he was suddenly cut off in midstretch, but the Neil Drysdale-trained
colt altered paths and regained his momentum with a stout finish to miss by only
three parts of a length. Canteen could be sitting on a win Saturday. High Limit
did not go forward in three attempts following his Triple Crown exploits last
year and headed to the sidelines in September for Bobby Frankel. The Louisiana
Derby (G2) winner returned in good order with a narrow win in January’s San
Pasqual H. (G2), holding gamely through the stretch and earning a 102 Speed
rating.
3yo stakes — FIRST SAMURAI (Giant’s Causeway), who distinguished
himself with ultra-impressive conquests in the Champagne S. (G1) and Hopeful S.
(G1), will make his first appearance of the year in Saturday’s Hutcheson S.
(G2). The 7 1/2-furlong event, which shares the three-year-old spotlight with
the 1 1/8-mile Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, won’t be a walkover for the
Frank Brothers-conditioned colt. KEYED ENTRY (Honour and Glory), who improved to
two for two overall with a sharp 5 1/2-length allowance score over the track in
early January, multiple stakes winner BLAZING RATE (Exchange Rate) and the Nick
Zito-trained FABLED (Tale of the Cat) could all make the task difficult for the
favorite. In the Holy Bull, BARBARO (Dynaformer) will make his highly
anticipated dirt debut. The Michael Matz runner has been untouchable in three
grass starts, winning both the Tropical Park Derby (G3) and Laurel Futurity by
large margins. He could face a contingent of lightly raced but promising rivals
that includes HESANOLDSALT (Broad Brush), SUNRIVER (Saint Ballado), HEMINGWAY’S
KEY (Notebook), DOCTOR DECHERD (Louis Quatorze) and ITSALLBOUTTHECHASE (Devil
His Due).
Taco Bell Derby? — Churchill Downs announced that the Kentucky Derby
(G1) will have a sponsor for the first time in 2006, Yum Brands. President Tom
Meeker somehow praised the arrangement, which basically amounts to NASCAR-type
exploitation of the most cherished institution in North American Thoroughbred
racing, but I think that’s a tough position to sell to fans. This is no low-key
sponsorship. Yum Brands, which owns Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John
Silver’s and A&W, will have its logo splashed all over the facility — under the
Twin Spires, on a sign above the starting gate, on the jackets of outriders, etc.
— and the fast-food restaurants are featured prominently in the
logo. Perhaps Pimlico should follow suit with the Golden Arches everywhere as
they run the McDonalds Preakness (G1).