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HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS MARCH 7, 2008 by Dick Powell Giant's Causeway was a great horse that won six Group 1 stakes wins before going down to a narrow defeat in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). With his record on turf in Europe, his proven ability to run with the best on dirt in America, and with his dam, Mariah's Storm (Rahy), being a multiple Grade 2 winner on dirt in America, Giant's Causeway went to stud with probably more varied credentials than any other son of Storm Cat. His first crop to hit the races wound up with 14 stakes winners and his second crop did so as well. But even though Giant's Causeway is a son of the very precocious Storm Cat, many of his horses took a while to get going. His third crop, now age four, has only had two stakes winners, but he will surely add to that total this year. Last year I noticed this trend and wrote about how many runners sired by Giant's Causeway were winning graded stakes at age five. My Typhoon (Ire) won three graded stakes in 2007 at age five, including the Diana (G1). Naissance Royale (Ire) won the Suwanee River S. (G3) at age five, Giant Wrecker captured the Canadian Turf H. (G3) and Charm the Giant (Ire) won the Wilshire H. (G3) at five. Saturday's Santa Anita H. (G1) drew a full field of 14 and right there staring me at the page was a five-year-old son of Giant's Causeway, HEATSEEKER (Ire). Running at mostly middle distances or long sprints, he was third as a juvenile in the National S. (Ire-G1) in Ireland behind the ill-fated George Washington (Ire). Heatseeker came to Bobby Frankel's barn in 2006, but problems set in. Heatseeker made only one start at three. He started showing talent on the firm turf in Southern California last year and like most California turf horses, tried the synthetic tracks and finished a good second in May behind Big Booster (Accelerator), who just missed in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in his next outing. After a Del Mar meet where he was a good second in a minor stakes on Polytrack, Heatseeker was sold privately and moved to the barn of Jerry Hollendorfer. After a wide seventh in the Morvich H. (G3) on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita in late October, Heatseeker tried nine furlongs on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park in the Native Diver H. (G3) in early December and became a graded stakes winner. This year at five, Heatseeker was third in the San Pasqual H. (G2) and then missed by a head in the San Antonio H. (G2), earning a career-best BRIS Speed rating of 103. Usually horses that run their career-best performance at the age of five are major candidates to regress, or bounce, off that effort. With a younger horse, you could theorize that a new, best effort is the result of some sort of maturation milestone being reached. It's very unusual for a five-year-old to run his best Speed rating by four points and then expect him to come back and do it again. But Heatseeker is a son of Giant's Causeway, and I figured that at 10 furlongs he could surpass his 103, making him a major contender in the Big 'Cap. At the start, Monterey Jazz (Thunderello) gunned to the front and opened up a huge lead. With a first half in :46.89 and six furlongs in 1:10.11, he had a 12-length lead going into the far turn with the rest of the field stretched out more than 25 lengths. Air Commander (Deputy Commander) was tracking in second most of the way and began to eat into Monterey Jazz's margin on the far turn, with the cavalry coming behind him. Rafael Bejarano had Heatseeker in fourth most of the way and around the turn he was running comfortably. Nearing the top of the stretch, Bejarano moved him wide for clear sailing and Heatseeker loomed the main danger for Monterey Jazz, who still had a six-length lead turning for home. As the leader tired, Heatseeker rallied strongly down the middle of the track to take command. The only closer with a chance was Go Between (Point Given), but his late rally fell three-quarters of a length short as Heatseeker won his first Grade 1 stakes. Impeccably bred turf specialist Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill) made a strong rally from the back of the pack to get third after ducking to the inside. Heatseeker's final time for the 1 1/4 miles was a very solid 2:00.42, and he earned a BRIS Speed rating of 105. Unlike some of the one-run closers in the race, he can cruise along and still make a big move when asked. Now that he's shown he can get 1 1/4 miles on a synthetic track, Hollendorfer can map out a plan to have Heatseeker ready for the Breeders' Cup Classic, which will likely be run on a synthetic track at Santa Anita. Those who wax longingly for the good old days of dirt racing in California should be forced to watch replays of Bay Meadows racing last weekend. Just like in Stanley Kubrick's classic, Clockwork Orange, where Alex (Malcolm McDowell) underwent "aversion therapy" with his eyelids taped open, forced to watch films of pillaging until he was sick, the carnage at Bay Meadows was horrifying to witness. After the fantastic success of Golden Gate's inaugural meeting with Tapeta Footings, the switch back to Bay Meadows dirt track has resulted in equine carnage. Here are chart comments from Bay Meadows: Friday Race 3: ACEKINGQUEENJACTEN was hustled along early and led to the turn, was collared mid turn then stopped suddenly after a half mile. Race 6: REAL POSSIBILITY stalked the winner two wide to the second turn, stopped and was eased in the stretch then walked off. I LIKE BLACKHAWKS pulled up on the first turn and was vanned off. Race 7: FLASHING STAR was forwardly placed to the turn, stopped then was eased in the stretch but walked off. Saturday Race 5: BUDDEES ART was sent along and showed the way to the turn, was responding leaving the quarter pole but took a bad step and went wrong, was pulled up and vanned off. Race 8: PURRFECTLY FITTING raced unhurried to the second turn, tried to rally from just off the rail but was pulled up entering the stretch then walked off. Sunday Race 1: NORTHLAND GLORY bobbled a bit at the start then pressed the pace three wide for a half mile, stopped on the second turn then was eased in the stretch but walked off. Race 2: MARKET EXCHANGE dueled outside the winner to the turn, was edging away in the stretch but broke down at the three sixteenths and was vanned off. Race 8: SUPER LIKIT dropped back to the rail to offer a bid at the furlong pole but went wrong in the deep stretch, pulled up lame and was vanned off. Monday Race 8: PERSIAN TELL was finished early and was eased in the stretch but walked off. Criticize California Horse Racing Board chairman Richard Shapiro all you want but the reason for the sudden requirement to switch to synthetic tracks was the carnage at Del Mar in 2006 and a general public still concerned about Barbaro. Unfortunately, Bay Meadows was excused from the requirement and has been granted dates this year while racing on their dirt track. Yes, it was a rush to judgment but it was done for the right reason -- the safety of the horses and riders. It hasn't been a smooth transition to synthetic racing in California, but I would rather see racing canceled than watch what happened at Bay Meadows last weekend.
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