ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN
JANUARY 12
Smashing High Fly performance
by James Scully
Saturday’s Aventura S. brought together 12 three-year-olds at a one-turn mile
on the newly configured Gulfstream Park main track and was quickly decided at
the top of the stretch by HIGH FLY (Atticus), who moved to take a clear lead as
he straightened for home and exploded away from his rivals, increasing the
margin to nine lengths at the wire. Trained by Bill White, the Love Oak
Plantation homebred improved to three for three in his career following a 9
1/4-length maiden score and a three-length allowance win in Calder sprints.
Ridden by South Florida’s leading rider, Eddie Castro, the chestnut colt
earned a terrific 109 BRIS Speed rating. He hasn’t been two turns yet and faced
a questionable group of rivals on Saturday, but High Fly was spectacular in his
first step toward the Kentucky Derby (G1).
His sire, Atticus (Nureyev), was a fine performer in Europe, finishing second
in the 1995 French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1), before relocating to the
Richard Mandella shedrow for the 1996-97 seasons. He remained a strong grass
miler in America, winning the Arcadia H. (G2) in a world record 1:31 4/5, but
also showed prowess in dirt routes, taking the 1996 Kentucky Cup Classic (G3)
and romping by three lengths in the Oaklawn H. (G1) the following spring. He
appeared set to become a major handicap performer after the latter, but his
racing career prematurely ended due to an injury.
High Fly’s dam, Verbasle (Slewpy), finished second in the 1990 Matron S. (G1)
and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), both times to champion Meadow
Star, and went on to enjoy success on the grass later in her career for
conditioner Ramon Hernandez, winning a 1 1/4-mile allowance test at Belmont
Park. She’s produced two other stakes winners.
The turf will always be an option for High Fly down the road, but this is the
time for dreaming about the Kentucky Derby.
BANDINI (Fusaichi Pegasus) was another good-looking three-year-old winner at
Gulfstream Park last week, taking a seven-furlong maiden special weight contest
by 4 1/4 lengths on the front end Thursday. Making his second career start, the
Todd Pletcher trainee easily handled the well-regarded runner-up, the Nick Zito-trained
Noble Causeway (Giant’s Causeway), and was confidently ridden through the
stretch by John Velazquez. Bandini earned a respectable 93 Speed figure and is
one to watch for in the future.
Neil Howard unleashed a sharp debut victor on Monday in NEW HAVEN HARBOR
(Boston Harbor), who closed from the back of the pack to win going away by three
lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong event at Fair Grounds. This barn rarely wins first
time out, but New Haven Harbor was raring to go and owns plenty of room for
improvement. Bred for turf or dirt, he figures to get plenty of endurance from
his dam and received a 92 Speed figure.
Two graded races for sophomores will be held on Saturday, the San Rafael S.
(G2) at Santa Anita and LeComte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds. Both are at a mile.