Saratoga Daily Notebook

SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2007

by John Mucciolo

My father once told me that Kentucky Derby (G1) winners who run in the

Travers S. (G1) at 1-5 are tough to beat, and my wise old man was correct yet

again as Jim Tafel's homebred champion STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) held off

a stubborn Grasshopper (Dixie Union) to take the $1 million feature on Saturday.

The Carl Nafzger trainee rated in third early, closer to the pace than he

customarily does, and confronted the pacesetter at the head of the stretch, but

he would have no easy run to the wire.

Under a persistent Calvin Borel, Street Sense kept the 9-1 fourth-choice at

bay late while completing the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02 3/5, finishing just a

half-length clear at the wire. The colt added to an already impressive resume,

and seems on target for his year-end goal, the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Grasshopper was more than game in his first graded venture, finishing 10 1/4

lengths clear in second. The Neil Howard charge has put in two fine efforts over

this surface and certainly has a bright future. Helsinki (Distorted Humor) got

third because someone had to.

In the $250,000 King's Bishop S. (G1), Kentucky Derby runner-up HARD SPUN

(Danzig) relished the cut back in distance to outgame First Defence (Unbridled's

Song) to the wire in earning his initial Grade 1 conquer. The Larry Jones

trainee took command turning for home and responded when headed by First Defence,

forging past that rival for the 1 1/2-length score while stopping the teletimer

in 1:22 1/5 for seven-eighths under Michael Pino.

First Defence was 4 1/4 lengths clear in second, trailed by the late-running

E Z Warrior (Exploit).

Michael Tabor et al's LA TRAVIATA (Johannesburg) went to the front early and

was never challenged in a dominant 9 1/4-length victory in the $114,700 Victory

Ride S. (G3). The magnificent Patrick Biancone pupil established splits of :22,

:45 1/5 and :57, prior to completing the six-furlong affair in a sparkling 1:09

3/5 beneath Julien Leparoux.

Half Time Crown (Gilded Time), the 54-1 longshot in the field, ran the race

of her life to garner place honors, while Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal)

was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

Shadwell Stable's SHAKIS (Ire) (Machiavellian) surged through an opening in

the lane and pulled clear to a three-quarters-of-a-length win in the $200,000

Bernard Baruch H. (G2) under Alan Garcia. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, the

seven-year-old saved ground on the rail to the lane prior to putting in his

winning run and stopping the teletimer in a stakes record 1:45 1/5 over nine

furlongs on the firm turf.

Big Prairie (Danzig) was steadied slightly in midstretch but still closed

well enough to grab the place at 22-1. Drum Major (Dynaformer) was good for

third.

Of the 12 races held on Travers Day, seven were contested on the main oval

and five on the weeds. From six dirt sprints, two winners scored in wire-to-wire

fashion, three others pressed the early tempo and one came from well-back early.

The turf racing produced two winners who led at every call, a pair of deep

closers and one pace presser. It was a fair track throughout the signature day

of the meet.

Bill Mott still holds a comfortable edge in the trainer's race with 19 first-place finishers

after saddling a winner on Saturday. Gary Contessa sits next with 11, followed

by Todd Pletcher's 10 tallies. Richard Dutrow has nine while Tom Bush has

accounted for an octet of winners thus far.

Cornelio Velazquez booted a pair of winners on Saturday to pad his lead in

the jockey's race with 37 winners. Kent Desormeaux, who brought in one on this

day, is still clear in second with 32. Garrett Gomez and Javier Castellano count

21 wins to their credit, with Edgar Prado and Ramon Dominguez next with 20.

Horses to Watch

2ND - HE'S SOLID GOLD (Seeking the Gold) encountered a horrific trip in this

one and is surely one to watch in his return. The Nick Zito pupil, who is kin to

a trio of stakes winners, should also appreciate added ground in his second

effort.

10TH - La Traviata is simply brilliant, and the three-year-old miss left me

speechless after her authoritative stroll in this one for Biancone. The

unbeaten, and untested, sophomore filly is poised for many future graded

tallies.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Sunday, August 26

Ten fillies and mares will go postward in Sunday's $250,000 Ballerina S.

(G1). Unbeaten BURMILLA (Strom Cat), the wire-to-wire winner of the Honorable

Miss H. (G2) over this surface, drew the widest post in here for new conditioner

Saeed bin Suroor. The chestnut filly looks like the speed of the race and will

be guided by Rafael Bejarano.

Three-time Grade 1 heroine PUSSYCAT DOLL (Real Quiet) ships in from the West

Coast for conditioner Bob Baffert. The five-year-old owns just one win in 2007

and should appreciate the return to dirt racing. INDIAN FLARE (Cherokee Run), second

in the Honorable Miss, could vie for favoritism for trainer Bobby Frankel. The

bay mare owns three wins at today's seven-furlong distance.

Grade 2 winners MARYFIELD (Elusive Quality), BOCA GRANDE (A.P. Indy), NOTHING

BUT FUN (Dixie Union) and MIRACULOUS MISS (Mr. Greeley), Grade 1 heroine SWAP FLIPAROO (Exchange

Rate), Grade 3 victress BARONESS THATCHER (Johannesburg), as well as listed winner

CHEROKEE JEWEL (Cherokee Run) complete the field.

Sunday's Best Plays

1ST - MEREDITH BEE (El Corredor) made up a lot of ground late in a recent

allowance race at Belmont and should improve in her second start off the shelf.

The Mott trainee posted a trio of good works leading up to this and should be

tough in this average field.

3RD - WAR PASS (Cherokee Run) was very good in his debut and we're expecting

more of the same in here. The Zito pupil drilled a solid half-mile on the

Oklahoma training track in preparation of this start and drew the rail here.

9TH - Multiple Grade 1 heroine Pussycat Doll obviously dislikes synthetic

surfaces, but we're expecting a reversal of form now that the mare is back on

her preferred dirt surface. The bay owns all three of her Grade 1 wins at this

distance and should get a nice trip under Desormeaux.