GULFSTREAM PARK NOTEBOOK
APRIL 8, 2005
by Dick Powell
When Nick Zito finally gets inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s
Hall of Fame, this year’s Florida Derby (G1) will be on the resume of his many
accomplishments. After going 0-for-16 in prior editions, Zito outdid himself by sweeping the first two places in this year’s
renewal. Had he entered all five of his three-year-olds, Zito probably would have swept the
top five spots.
The official charts for Saturday say it was cloudy and 87 degrees, but by the
12TH race the temperature was only 68 degrees and very windy. Not the kind of
conditions that lead to fast running times. There were also a few showers during the
day, making it very hard to compare running times. The track itself was
probably faster at the end of the day than it was at the beginning, but the
adverse weather conditions more than made up for it.
With the Kentucky Derby (G1) five weeks after the Florida Derby, this was
the last prep race for many of the entrants. In today’s scared new world of
racing, to have another prep race between now and the first Saturday of May
violates a code for horsemen that seem to be sworn to running their horses as
little as possible. Thus, it seems like this year’s renewal of the Florida Derby
was a very legitimate race with little chance of anyone saving themselves for
the next prep or worrying about having enough time to recover from this race and
the Kentucky Derby.
Zito took over the training of HIGH FLY (Atticus) before his last start and
the colt won the Fountain of Youth (G2) in a game effort over Bandini (Fusaichi
Pegasus) by a diminishing three parts of a length. Bandini was forced to miss this
year’s Florida Derby with a hoof bruise and Todd Pletcher is now pointing for
the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland next week. The only other real competition for
High Fly last Saturday appeared to be from his stablemate Noble Causeway (Giant’s Causeway), who
was making his stakes debut and desperately needed a top finish to earn enough
graded stakes earnings to qualify for the Run for the Roses. Bettors made High
Fly the 6-5 favorite and Noble Causeway the 3-1 second choice.
As expected, B. B. Best (Yes It’s True) gunned to the front with Jorge Chavez
and dared the field to run with him. Vicarage (Vicar) was expected to keep him
company on the lead, but he hit the gate at the start and wound up chasing the pace
in fourth while wide. Jerry Bailey got High Fly away in good order and took up a
close tracking position in second off of B. B. Best’s flank.
Chavez drilled his colt through a first quarter in :22.94 and a half in
:45.89. Bailey seemed to have him measured throughout and was paying more
attention to anyone who might come up on the outside and mount a challenge.
Mighty Mecke (Mecke)
tried to press three wide as the field went into the far turn, but Bailey would
let out a notch each time and maintain his position behind Chavez, who hit the
six-furlong mark in 1:09.92.
Loping along in hand under Edgar Prado was Noble Causeway, who was saving
ground throughout, but Prado had to make a quick decision on the far turn,
either stay on the rail and risk not getting through or swing wide to get clear while
losing ground. Before he ran up on a wall of four horses, Prado took the
overland route and made an impressive outside move. As the field turned for home,
Bailey made his move on High Fly, who was able to get by a game B. B. Best with a
furlong to go and take the lead.
Prado had Noble Causeway in a sustained drive with left-handed urging and it
looked momentarily like he might get by High Fly, but he was not able to cut into the lead and
had to settle for second place. High Fly won it for Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak
Plantation and justified her decision to switch the horse from Bill White to Zito. The son of Atticus earned $600,000 for the win and goes to Kentucky
as one of the favorites.
Noble Causeway showed he can compete in top company and should improve by
leaps and bounds off this performance. He had to swing extremely wide showed acceleration and athleticism
when asked by Prado, attributes that will
come in handy in a big field at Churchill. And with two of his entrymates owning
good speed, Noble Causeway should get some help on the front end at Churchill
Downs.
Todd Pletcher is not eligible for the Hall of Fame this year and with the
Museum’s 25-year rule, his induction is still a long way off. But Saturday was
also a career day for the former D. Wayne Lukas assistant as Pletcher pulled off an
interesting hat trick of stakes victories on the undercard.
Pletcher has become so good as a trainer that he cannot be typecast. He’s
dangerous at any distance with any age group on any surface. On Saturday, he
sent out HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval) to win the Orchid H. (G2) for
fillies and mares going a mile and a half on the turf. Ridden to perfection by
John Velazquez, the four-year-old miss sat behind a very slow pace while saving ground and exploded
in the lane when clear on the outside.
Later in the day, Pletcher won the Pan American H. (G2) for older males
going the same 1 1/2-mile distance on turf with NAVESINK RIVER (Unbridled), who ran
down the defending champion Quest Star (Broad Brush) as the 2-1 second choice.
Once again, Velazquez saved ground before moving to the outside for his
move. When the running got serious, he had a ton of horse underneath him. Must be
nice.
Even after sweeping Grade 2 events going 12 furlongs on the turf, Pletcher’s
best training job may have come in the Artax H., a long sprint
for older horses. VALUE PLUS (Unbridled’s Song) was an immensely-talented
juvenile for Pletcher two years ago. One of the more impressive first-out maiden
winners at Saratoga, he never lived up to his promise despite running second in
last year’s Florida Derby. He was big, fast and handsome, but never seemed to
finish his races strong enough to be a major horse.
On Saturday, Value Plus showed his usual speed down the backstretch while
pressing the pace three wide. He loomed boldly at the top of the stretch but
unlike in many of his recent starts, he continued on with good energy and won by
four lengths, covering the 7 1/2-furlong distance in 1:28.42. Left in his wake
were four graded winners, so it looks like the gray may be finally ready to
live up to his potential.
In main track races going two turns in the last two weeks, four of seven were
run by horses that were either first or second after a quarter of a mile.
In main track races going one turn, 38 of the 68 (56 percent) winners were
either first or second after a quarter of a mile. This was true in all one-turn
races right up to a mile and continued the trend we saw in week 11 when horses
forwardly placed in the early going owned a better chance at winning.
On the turf going two turns, only 11 of 37 (29 percent) winners were either
first or second after a quarter of a mile. In week 12, the rail was set at 72
feet and in week 13 it was set at 84 feet except for Thursday when it was set at
24 feet. There were four turf sprints run in the last two weeks and three of
them were won gate to wire. All races were run on a course listed as firm.
When you handicap Gulfstream, just imagine it is pouring rain. Bet speed on
the main track and closers on the turf.
HORSES TO WATCH
Sunday (3/27)
4RD – MUTAMAYYAZ (Nureyev) opened up an eight-length lead after a mile going
12 furlongs and tired late in the drive.
6TH – MASTER COMMAND (A.P. Indy) rallied for third in only his second career
start and should improve even more when stretched out to two turns.
9TH – EDGE SWEEP (End Sweep) chased the speed from the rail going a mile in
a very fast time and should improve off her second start in over 18 months.
Monday (3/28)
6TH – SOCIAL SECURITY (Notebook) had no shot chasing the runaway speed and
then had to change directions in the deep stretch.
8TH – PRETTY POSSIBLE (Langfuhr) had traffic problems in the early going and
wound up racing wide. She still finished full of energy in her second turf start.
Wednesday (3/30)
6TH – BARADORE (Barathea) looked like a winner in her second American start
before being bumped in the stretch and forced to rally on the inside.
Thursday (3/31)
4TH – MORALAP (Catienus) lost all chance behind a runaway winner when she
ran into traffic at the top of the stretch and had to steady.
5TH – BIRDIES SECRET (Cimarron Secret) was bumped and steadied at the start
and ran gamely from that point on.
7TH – THUNDER AGAIN (Thunder Gulch) couldn’t overcome the outside post and
slow pace and was forced to rally wide.
Friday (4/1)
2ND – PUCHUNGO (Swiss Native) showed little last out going a mile but
ran well here after stumbling badly at the start, rushing up to contest a very
fast middle pace.
9TH – CONSTANCY (Sky Classic) was an even third in her first start in 126
days and should move forward next out.
Saturday (4/2)
1ST – KELLY K’S PLEASURE (Kelly Kip) is a speedball who was not able to
make the lead and then ran into traffic while making a move on the far turn.
2ND – DANCETHEBLUES (Citidancer) was stuck in traffic when the winner made
his move and couldn’t recover quickly enough.
7TH – ELLIEONTHEMARCH (Old Trieste) was an amazing second going 12 furlongs
despite stumbling at the start and forced to rally three wide.
8TH – WALL STREET (Fusaichi Pegasus) continues to disappoint and burn money,
but he was bumped around at the start.
12TH – Noble Causeway was forced to rally five wide on the far turn on a
track that was favoring speed. He finished full of run, galloped out strongly
and is on to Kentucky.
13TH – FULL FLOW (Eagle Eyed) recovered well when he was stopped trying to
get through on the inside and finished a game second.
Sunday (4/3)
1ST – BRUSH UP (Broad Brush) was shuffled back on the rail after stumbling
at the start and was then forced to rally three wide.
9TH – DYNANTONIA (Dynaformer) rallied for third behind a slow pace and a
brutal trip. “DYNANTONIA
reserved early, steadied to avoid running up on heels on the first turn, was
steadied twice in traffic on the far turn, steadied again looking for room in
early stretch, rallied to loom a threat at the eighth pole but couldn’t gain on
the top ones late.” Even the official chart comments do not convey how bad a
trip he had.