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THREE-YEAR-OLDS & UP DIARY AUGUST 6, 2008 by James Scully It wasn't pretty, but BIG BROWN (Boundary) needed it. He had to win Sunday's Haskell Invitational (G1). And while he wasn't the same Big Brown we witnessed earlier this year, winning was all that mattered. With the 1 3/4-length decision, there's optimism for the future. Big Brown raced only three times before winning the Kentucky Derby (G1), and the grueling Triple Crown series takes a toll on lightly raced horses. It exacted a heavy price upon CURLIN (Smart Strike), who brought only three starts into the 2007 Derby before heading through Baltimore and Long Island in the five-week endurance test. Curlin faced better company when checking in third behind Any Given Saturday and Hard Spun in last year's Haskell, but he still didn't show up with his best at Monmouth Park that afternoon. The well-built chestnut performed at a much higher level when capturing the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in his next two starts. Don't put similar improvement past Big Brown. He didn't bring his "A" game on Sunday, but he was all heart through the stretch. The once-beaten colt appears to have put the Belmont S. (G1) experience behind him. Big Brown took a big step back at Belmont Park in the final leg of the Triple Crown, but he's headed in the right direction following the Haskell. Of course, there's more than one way to look at it. Critics will argue that we've seen the best of Big Brown; he's not the same horse without steroids and will never run back to his spectacular efforts in the Derby and Preakness (G1). Who was he facing on Sunday? COAL PLAY (Mineshaft) was exiting a third in an allowance/optional claiming event at Monmouth and had dropped his last two stakes attempts by 41 1/2 lengths. He had no business putting a scare into Big Brown. Similar to stablemate Da' Tara (Tiznow), Coal Play's effort is difficult to explain. He ran so much better than ever before. Da' Tara posted a 5 1/4-length upset in the Belmont and finished last in the Jim Dandy S. (G2) next out. Perhaps Coal Play won't be so much of a flop in his upcoming starts, but he still has much to prove. Big Brown's connections remained committed to the Breeders' Cup, but the Classic (G1) and Turf (G1) are both options. The strapping bay would have to deal with a synthetic surface that that he's never raced over in the Classic, but he's proven on turf, breaking his maiden by 11 1/4 lengths last summer at Saratoga. On Monday, his connections announced their intention to point toward a turf race in September. With Curlin's connections exhibiting an aversion toward the prospect of racing over an unknown Pro-Ride surface in the Classic, a return to the grass at Santa Anita remains an option. The prospect of the two best dirt horses meeting in the 1 1/2-mile Turf at Santa Anita is a potential PR nightmare for the Breeders' Cup. It's a situation that could get very interesting over the next couple of months. Big Brown received a 110 BRIS Speed rating for his Haskell effort, equaling a career-best in the Florida Derby (G1). The Haskell didn't answer every question, but it served as a good starting point for his fall campaign. Veteran Pundit: COMMENTATOR (Distorted Humor) made short work of his 10 rivals in the Whitney H. (G1) on July 28, surging off the far turn to win in hand by 4 3/4 lengths, and there was an 8 1/2-length difference between runner-up STUDENT COUNCIL (Kingmambo), who at least performed commendably from off the pace, and third-placer GRASSHOPPER (Dixie Union), who led up a band of stragglers who were no factor whatsoever. He didn't beat the best company, but Commentator looked awesome doing it, earning an excellent 109 BRIS Speed number. The New York-bred deserves plenty of praise. Trainer Nick Zito will likely keep Commentator at two turns for his next start, but, with the exception of Saratoga, the seven-year-old gelding does his best running in one-turn events. He's more of a candidate for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (if it was run over dirt) than the Classic, and I'd be surprised to see him wind up at Santa Anita in late October. The Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct in late November is a perfect target at the end of the season. Macho Breakthrough and Fire Starter: MACHO AGAIN (Holy Bull) and PYRO (Pulpit) were no match for Big Brown this spring in the Triple Crown races, but they're looking like more dangerous adversaries following the Jim Dandy S. (G2) on July 27. Preakness runner-up Macho Again didn't enjoy the cleanest trip, altering course to the outside for the stretch run en route to the half-length decision, and Pyro suffered a more eventful journey, racing at the back of the pack after missing the break over the speed-favoring track. Macho Again kicked on strongly after turning for home and dug in late to repulse the late surge of the runner-up, recording his first graded stakes win in the process. He was slow to come to hand earlier this year for Dallas Stewart, dropping into a six-furlong allowance in late February to gain a confidence-building win, and didn't get much out of a seventh-place effort over Polytrack in the Lane's End S. (G2) in early March. The gray colt's fortunes began to change in the Derby Trial S., where he posted a game half-length decision that earned him a career-best 103 BRIS Speed rating, and Macho Again then finished second at Pimlico. His Belmont effort was a dud, but Macho Again is now back on the upswing for Stewart. He could continue to show more in the Travers S. (G1) on August 23. Pyro also has a lot going for him. A visually impressive winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Risen Star S. (G3) earlier this year, the Steve Asmussen trainee went off form after finishing a lackluster 10th over the Polytrack in the Blue Grass S. (G1). That effort basically rules out the Breeders' Cup Classic. After turning in a dismal eighth in the Kentucky Derby, Pyro rebounded with a 1 3/4-length victory in the Northern Dancer S. (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 8. The dark bay colt owns good tactical speed, so the bad start in the Jim Dandy cost him severely. He managed to offer a terrific rally, just missing on the wire after making up several lengths late, and Pyro netted a respectable 101 Speed rating. He's the one to beat in the Midsummer Derby. Mambo -- For the second straight year, Neil Howard is making a splash with an unheralded three-year-old at the Spa. In 2007, Grasshopper turned heads when rolling to a six-length allowance score prior to a gutsy runner-up effort to Street Sense in the Travers, and MAMBO IN SEATTLE (Kingmambo) is this year's attraction. The Churchill Downs-based colt brought a two-race winning skein over allowance rivals into the Henry Walton S. on the Jim Dandy undercard, and the bay colt displayed a lot of courage in holding off You and I Forever (A.P. Indy) for the neck decision. Mambo in Seattle, who now shows a 7-4-2-0 mark, registered a career-best 101 Speed rating. He'll be tested for class in the Travers next time out, but there's a lot to like about the up-and-coming colt. West Virginia Glory -- Lael Stables' READY SET (Touch Gold) rallied to the lead in upper stretch and proved to be a resilient winner in Saturday's West Virginia Derby (G2), repulsing a dramatic bid from longshot WEB GEM (Fusaichi Pegasus) to prevail by a head. The improving colt may continue to be a factor in lucrative events like the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) and Indiana Derby (G2) for Michael Matz in the coming months, but he's not ready for Grade 1 rivals at this stage of his career. His 95 Speed rating was on par with previous in-the-money efforts in the Barbaro S. (G3) and Floor Show S. Web Gem, another three-year-old from the Zito stable, nearly upset the apple cart at 24-1 in the West Virginia Derby. The maiden winner brought poor form into the 1 1/8-mile event, dropping six career attempts versus allowance rivals and recording unplaced finishes in two previous stakes starts. The one-run closer benefited from a wicked early pace that doomed fourth-placer CHEROKEE ARTIST (Cherokee Run) and ninth-placer RECAPTURETHEGLORY (Cherokee Run). Z FORTUNE (Siphon [Brz]) had no excuses, checking in eighth following a one-paced effort. Henry: Miler HENRYTHENAVIGATOR (Kingmambo) made it interesting in July 30 Sussex S. (Eng-G1) at Goodwood, but the sterling sophomore got the job done by a head for Aidan O'Brien, remaining perfect in his fourth start of the season -- all Group 1 victories. Winner of the English (Eng-G1) and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1), the Ballydoyle colorbearer now will be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Classic. He's got the class to be a serious factor against what might be a less-than-stellar field, but it begs the question as to why Coolmore insists on pointing milers toward 10-furlong races in America. The ill-fated George Washington (Ire) didn't deserve his fate at Monmouth Park last fall, but he wasn't suited to 1 1/4 miles either and competed in back-to-back Classics. O'Brien is adept at stretching out a horse's stamina -- he did so in superb fashion with Duke of Marmalade (Danehill) in the 12-furlong King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1) recently -- but he faces a tall order with Henrythenavigator, who has never been past a mile. Up Next -- With the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) removed from consideration, Curlin is now scheduled to return to the dirt in the Woodward S. (G1) at Saratoga on August 30. His main competition in that spot figures to be Metropolitan H. (G1) hero DIVINE PARK (Chester House). The $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) will be contested on August 24, and Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) winner MAST TRACK (Mizzen Mast) will be one of the top contenders. The likely pacesetter figures to be closely tracked by WELL ARMED (Tiznow), who returned off a freshening to post a smart 1 1/4-length decision in the San Diego H. (G2), and the classy turf performer OUT OF CONTROL (Brz) (Vettori) remains a possible wildcard for Bobby Frankel if not entered to the Arlington Million (G1) this Saturday. Student Council will be looking to pick up all the pieces in Del Mar's centerpiece event. The defending champion captured the Pimlico Special H. (G1) three starts back, finished a solid third in the Hollywood Gold Cup and second in the aforementioned Whitney. He could be hard to deny once again. We'll review both races plus the Travers in our next installment.
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