Handicap Diary

HANDICAP DIARY

APRIL 1, 2005

by James Scully

ROSES IN MAY (Devil His Due) faced an oncoming challenge from
CHOCTAW NATION (Louis Quatorze) at the top of Nad al Sheba’s long stretch on
Saturday night when he suddenly found another gear, quickly accelerating to an
insurmountable advantage and dominating the rest of the way to the wire. The
nearly black horse snapped the first two-race losing streak of his career with a
resounding three-length score in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1),
improving his lifetime mark to 13-8-4-0 with more than $5.4 million in earnings.
He looked impressive doing it.

DYNEVER (Dynaformer) recorded his seventh runner-up stakes
placing when passing Choctaw Nation late, his fifth second-place finish since
his last victory nearly 12 months ago. Seconditis was good for $1.2 million on
this occasion. Grade 2 hero Choctaw Nation ran well in his second start back off
a lengthy layoff and is still lightly raced with only eight career starts. The
other California shippers, CONGRATS (A.P. Indy) and LUNDY’S LIABILITY (Brz)
(Candy Stripes), finished fifth and seventh, respectively.

Roses in May will now get some time off and is expected to
defend his title in the Whitney H. (G1) on August 6.

Reigning Horse of the Year GHOSTZAPPER (Awesome Again) will not
make his five-year-old bow as planned in the April 9 Oaklawn H. (G2) due to
illness. He’s expected to recover soon and will now be pointed toward the Met
Mile (G1) on May 30.

Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) victor FUNNY CIDE (Distorted Humor),
who is unraced since an unplaced finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1),
recorded his fourth workout of the year on Wednesday and could return to the
races in the April 28 Ben Ali S. (G3) at Keeneland.

ROCK HARD TEN (Kris S.) is receiving a respite following his
commendable triumph in the Santa Anita H. (G1) and may re-appear in July’s
Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) for trainer Richard Mandella.