Spotlight Performances

SPOTLIGHT PERFORMANCES

DECEMBER 9

by James Scully

This column gives us the opportunity to highlight some

performances each week that didn't receive much attention.

At Hollywood Park Sunday, KIRKENDAHL (Menifee) remained unbeaten

with a strong 3 1/2-length victory over optional claimers. The Kentucky-bred

two-year-old easily broke his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in mid-November going 6

1/2 furlongs, recording an 88 BRIS Speed rating, and improved upon that

performance here, earning a 102 Speed figure. Kirkendahl came home very quickly

Sunday (12 seconds) while completing the six-furlong test in 1:08 2/5. The Ted

West-trained colt is bred for a route on both sides of his pedigree and is

headed for stakes company.

CHIPS ARE DOWN (Distorted Humor) was another good-looking

two-year-old winner last week at Hollywood, taking a 1 1/16-mile allowance by

three parts of a length on Friday. The promising Spanish Chestnut (Horse

Chestnut [SAf]), who broke his maiden impressively in his debut at Keeneland and

then finished second in the Lone Star Juvenile, was loose on the lead down the

backstretch, but jockey Rene Douglas and Chips are Down were able to collar the

pacesetter by the top of the stretch and out-dueled that rival down the lane.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the dark bay winner was coming off a commendable

runner-up allowance performance to Texcess (In Excess [Ire]), who captured the

$1 million Delta Jackpot in his next start, and now owns a 2-2-0 mark from his

last four starts. Chips Are Down may continue to show more in the future as he

is pointed toward the Triple Crown and is yet another up-and-coming son of

Distorted Humor to watch for next year along with the undefeated sophomore

Commentator, who might prove to be the nation's best sprinter in 2005.

At the Big A, LUCKY GAMBLE (Dove Hunt) made short work of five

allowance rivals on Saturday when winning an allowance by 4 1/2 lengths and

earned another big Speed rating of 107, which followed figures of 102, 103, 103

and 102 in his previous four outings. He's been facing stakes horses like Fall

Highweight H. (G3) winner Thunder Touch (Gulch), Primary Suspect (Hennessy) and

All Hail Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) in his previous allowance starts and is ready

for black-type events himself. Frank LaBoccetta Jr. conditions the Florida-bred

three-year-old.

BANK AUDIT (Wild Rush) has really come to hand for trainer

Gregory Martin in her last two starts, following a nine-length victory over the

Aqueduct main track with a 3 3/4-length tally over allowance opponents on the

inner track Sunday. Rated in last during the early stages, the sophomore filly

started her drive on the far turn and blew past the leaders into the stretch,

completing six furlongs in 1:11 and earning a 103 Speed rating. Claimed for

$65,000 in July, Bank Audit returned from a freshening last month with

much-improved form.

Grade 2 hero CANDID GLEN (El Gran Senor), a seven-year-old

veteran, returned to the races following a 16-month absence last Thursday at

Fair Grounds and turned in a fine winning performance going about 7 1/2 furlongs

on the grass. A two-time stakes victor over the weeds in New Orleans, Candid

Glen drew off late for a 1 1/2-length decision and received a triple-digit Speed

rating in a start he figured to need off the shelf. It was a very encouraging

performance for his connections.

HYMN OF LOVE (Ire) (Barathea [Ire]) earned her first U.S.

victory at Calder on Monday, easily defeating a solid group of allowance foes in

a 1 1/16-mile turf affair. Now trained by Christophe Clement, the Irish stakes

winner is likely headed back to stakes company off this strong performance. Hymn

of Love finished fifth to Soviet Song (Marju), who was voted the Top Older horse

in Europe in 2004, in her last European start in May and needed her first race

in the United States when finishing a close fourth in Calder's Soft Parade S.

prior to this start. She showed her class with the facile three-length score on

Monday and could be a top performer in the filly and mare turf division next

season.