Oak Tree Notebook

OAK TREE NOTEBOOK

OCTOBER 3, 2008

by Dick Powell

Oak Tree at Santa Anita opened up its first week of racing over the

newly-installed Pro-Ride racing surface. The earth did not spin off its axis,

pigs did not fly and the Mets were eliminated from post season play in the last

game of the season. If you did not know already that they were racing over

Pro-Ride it would have been hard to tell from watching last week's races. It

performed so well that reigning Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike) is now likely to

try for a title defense in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on October 25.

One thing that Pro-Ride did was manufacture a racing surface that was as

brown as dirt. I know it means little, but it was always hard to ignore the

oatmeal-like color of other synthetic tracks. Pro-Ride looks like a dirt track

and performed like one as well.

The feature race on opening day was the Morvich H. (G3) at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the

downhill turf course. Joe Talamo stole it with a masterful front end ride aboard

CALIFORNIA FLAG (Avenue of Flags) for trainer Brian Koriner. Winner of a very

fast five-furlong turf sprint at Del Mar in his last start, the Cal-bred handled

his first try in a graded stakes by gunning to the front, setting punishing

fractions of 42.53 for the half -- blistering even if it is downhill -- and

maintaining his advantage to the wire to win by three lengths at odds of 22.70

to 1. He now gets an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in four

weeks.

Thursday saw three front-end winners on the Pro-Ride and three others who

were not far back early to win. Favorites won five of the eight races but the

Pick 6 was not hit and a juicy $349,000 carryover was waiting for Friday.

Friday was a day that if you didn't take a shot in the Pick 6, you probably

are still having pangs of regret. With field sizes of nine, eight, nine, nine,

seven and 11 that yielded winners that paid $16.40, $6.80 (second choice),

$19, $6.60 (favorite), $11.40 and $7.40 (favorite), Friday's Pick 6 paid a

whopping $244,139. Even five of six paid a generous $1,157.

There was an additional $1,130,058 bet into the pool on Friday and the $2 win

parlay was $36,871. I'm not saying it was an easy Pick Six but it was very

hittable based on the number of possible outcomes and resulting mutuel payoffs.

Pro-Ride once again yielded a variety of winning running styles, with speed

being very effective going two turns. Running times were fast and the turf

favored speed for the third day in a row.

Saturday was one of the best days of racing in non-Breeders' Cup Santa Anita

history -- six Grade 1 stakes that, on their own, without any future Breeders' Cup

implications, are hugely important in deciding divisional titles.

The 4TH race was the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1) for turfers

going 10 furlongs. A field of six entered the gate and the public had trouble

separating the 9-5 favorite Spring House (Chester House) from Out of Control

(Brz) (Vettori) and RED GIANT (Giant's Causeway). One thing that I have noticed about

the offspring of Giant's Causeway is that they get better with age

and Red Giant, now toward the end of his four-year-old campaign, is coming into his own.

Winner of the Fourstardave H. (G2) in his lone 2008 start for Todd

Pletcher, Red Giant was already proven at the Hirsch's distance with a smashing win at

37-1 in last year's Virginia Derby (G2) in 1:59 3/5. On Saturday, Johnny

Velazquez stalked a blazing-fast pace of 45.63, 1:08.86 and 1:32.88 to loom

boldly at the top of the stretch behind Out of Control. who had taken over

the lead after making first run. Those two dueled for a while through the

stretch but Red Giant pulled away to win by a head in the sensational time of

1:57.16.

Red Giant has never been farther than 10 furlongs so it will be interesting

to see which Breeders' Cup race Pletcher chooses for him. He and Velazquez won last

year's Turf (G1), so we'll probably see him there.

I was convinced that Hystericalady (Distorted Humor) had a great shot at

ending ZENYATTA's (Street Cry [Ire]) unbeaten streak. And when Zenyatta started to

display the pre-race antics on the track like she did in the Vanity H. (G1) at Hollywood when Tough

Tiz's Sis (Tiznow) almost beat her, I was even more

convinced. Speed was doing well on the Pro-Ride and Hystericalady had a huge

pace advantage over it.

But none of that mattered when Mike Smith pushed the button nearing the top

of the stretch and Zenyatta inhaled the field to draw off to a ridiculously easy

3 1/2-length win in 1:40.30 for the 1 1/16 miles. She's undefeated and, unless she ventures out of her division, she should stay that

way.

I thought Street Boss (Street Cry [Ire]) was vulnerable in the Ancient Title (G1)

and tried to beat him with In Summation (Put it Back) and Idiot Proof

(Benchmark). Tyler Baze had COST OF FREEDOM (Cee's Tizzy) wide and clear down

the backstretch, surged to the lead turning for home and then held off Street

Boss to win by a half-length in 1:07.53. Claimed for $50,000 two starts back by

John Sadler, Cost of Freedom won a very fast six-furlong sprint at Del Mar in

his next start, earning a career-best BRIS Speed rating of 103. He showed it was

no fluke on Saturday.

Besides trying to beat Zenyatta on Saturday, I also tried to beat STARDOM

BOUND (Tapit) in the Oak Leaf S. (G1) for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16

miles. There was talk about her being kicked by a pony the day before, and with

her one-dimensional come-from-behind running style I thought she was beatable on

the Pro-Ride.

Once again Stardom Bound broke slow, raced at the back of the pack and made

her customary late run to win easily by 3 1/2 lengths over early leader Palacio de

Amor (Dixieland Band). She's handled big fields like she'll face in the

Breeders' Cup, and with a win over the track she'll be a legitimate favorite.

Velazquez and Pletcher struck again in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) when WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon) overcame post

10 and won by three parts of

a length as the even-money favorite. She is now three-for-three on the Santa

Anita lawn.

The Goodwood S. (G1) was the final Grade 1 stakes race on Saturday and it

was a real scramble. With a field of 10, the public made WELL ARMED (Tiznow)

the 17-10 favorite, but sent off five other runners at single-digit odds. Well

Armed just missed in the Pacific Classic (G1) going longer and had a win at course

and distance last February in the San Antonio H. (G2). Aaron Gryder was

back in the irons for Eoin Harty and he gave him a perfect ride to win by a

length over Tiago (Pleasant Tap) in the time of 1:47.11. Don't know if he can

get 10 furlongs in the Classic (G1), but Well Armed will have a lot to say about

how the race is run and certainly has enough tactical speed to keep Big Brown (Boundary) honest on the lead.

Sunday had a pair of graded stakes. First up was the Oak Tree Mile (G2) on

the turf, which was won by HYPERBARIC (Sky Classic) in the good time of 1:33.62

despite a slow first half of 47.81. The 8-5 favorite with Garrett Gomez, he has

enough gate speed to avoid the expected traffic jam in the big field going into

the first turn of the Mile (G1).

The Norfolk S. (G1) was the final Grade 1 of the weekend, and amazingly

the California bettors ignored their juveniles and went with Saratoga maiden

winner Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor), who was making his second career start.

Not only did they ignore Midshipman (Unbridled's Song), who won the Del Mar

Futurity (G1) in his last start, but also STREET HERO (Street Cry [Ire]), who was third in

the Futurity and has a terrific stretch-out pedigree.

Regal Ransom chased a fast pace set by Del Conte (Point Given) before running

into inside traffic nearing the stretch. He faded to eighth. Rallying from a

stalking position, Street Hero was able to get first run and hold off a

wide-trip Midshipman to win by three parts of a length.

Track Stats:

Overall: 15 winning favorites in 46 races - 32.6 percent

Pro-Ride: 11 winning favorites in 34 races - 32.3 percent

Turf: 4 winning favorites in 12 races - 33.3 percent

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (9/24)

5TH - HOIST THE SAIL (Mizzen Mast) added blinkers for the first time and set

fractions of 44.84 and 1:09.02 before being run down in a seven furlong $25K

claimer. Looks like he might have a home on Pro-Ride.

6TH - SMOOTH AND SAVVY (Petionville) rallied some in a slow-paced, nine-furlong turf event. He's been stuck at this level for a while but might move up

if they run him back at a mile, which should get a faster pace.

Thursday (9/25)

8TH - PROMISE ROSE (Rio Verde) rallied from far back to get third from post

11 going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Pro-Ride behind a front-end winner.

Friday (9/26)

1ST - GOOCH'S DREAM (Decarchy) was forced to gun from post one and contested

a hot pace before weakening in the stretch. Had never shown that kind of speed

and should be watched next out from a better post.

7TH - PORTO SANTO (Fr) (Kingsalsa) had no shot behind a runaway front-end winner

who was allowed to set a slow pace going a mile but still rallied nicely for

second.

8TH - BEENCAUGHTCHEATING (Lord Carson) showed good speed at Fairplex last out

but ran into trouble going six furlongs here when stuck down on the inside.

Saturday (9/27)

1ST - CAYAMBE (Helmsman) showed high speed in his first start off the claim

by Ben Cecil off a 10-week layoff.

2ND - JOKING SAM (Johar) rallied nicely for second from post 12 going a mile

on the turf despite being five wide on the first turn.

6TH - Street Boss couldn't make it three straight Grade 1 stakes

wins when second in the Ancient Title, but showed his customary

rally and should be tough in the Sprint (G1).

8TH - BLACK MAGIC MAMA (Black Mambo) didn't run bad as a maiden in the Oak

Leaf and rallied for fourth from post 10.

Sunday (9/28)

6TH - STORM SEIGE (Storm Creek) showed good speed in a race where the first

three finishers closed from left field.