Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

MARCH 2, 2006

by James Scully

Big 'Cap -- Kentucky Derby (G1) winner GIACOMO (Holy Bull) owns only

two career victories and probably needed a race when third off a near

eight-month layoff in the February 4 Strub S. (G2). Look for an improved showing

in Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita H. (G1). A "non-fig" horse previously,

Giacomo earned career-best BRIS Speed (102) and Late Pace (102) ratings in his

four-year-old debut, and those numbers should only continue to increase as he

rounds into top form. After catching a slow pace (:47 1/5 and 1:11 2/5) in the

Strub, the late-running gray will get a better pace scenario on Saturday. The

extra furlong is another advantage. Giacomo was one-for-five in 2005 and his

Derby win has been labeled a fluke based on his other efforts. He's set to

perform at a much higher level this season.

Expected -- Saturday's Santa Catalina S. (G2) and Fountain of Youth S.

(G2) both look like foregone conclusions with BROTHER DEREK (Benchmark) and

FIRST SAMURAI (Giant's Causeway) towering over the opposition. Hollywood

Futurity (G1) hero Brother Derek defeated Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even) in

the San Rafael S. (G2) last time, but the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner has

been sidelined and no proven three-year-olds will take his place in the Santa

Catalina. Top challengers include maiden winners LATENT HEAT (Maria's Mon) and

POINT OF IMPACT (Point Given). Multiple Grade 1 victor First Samurai won't face

any graded stakes winners at Gulfstream Park. Barbaro (Dynaformer) will bypass

the Fountain of Youth for more training and Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory), who

defeated First Samurai in the Hutcheson S. (G2), will opt for the Rebel S. (G3)

at Oaklawn Park. That leaves GREAT POINT (Point Given), CAN'T BEAT IT (Atticus),

CORINTHIAN (Pulpit) and HEMMINGWAY'S KEY (Notebook) as leading candidates for an

upset. In pursuit of an outcome that lies beyond the realm of normal

expectations, I would take a flier on SACRED LIGHT (Holy Bull) in

the Santa Catalina and FLASHY BULL (Holy Bull) in the Fountain of Youth.

New Orleans native -- Conditioner Bernie Flint earned his 3,000th

career victory on Saturday when his More Than Pretty (More Than Ready) won the

11TH race at Oaklawn Park. A leading trainer at Churchill Downs, Keeneland,

Oaklawn Park, Turfway Park and Ellis, Flint saddled his first winner at Fair

Grounds in 1969 while a detective with the New Orleans Police Department. After

16 years of service, he retired from the police force in 1976 to devote his

attention full-time to horses. Flint, who is known for his physical stature and

affable personality, recorded his first stakes victory that same year and went

on to leave his mark on the Midwestern racing circuits, capturing more than 30

training titles as he won lots of races. The 66-year-old trainer has often

seemed larger than life.

Steve Austin's ride -- They should call him The $16 Million

Horse. He must be part equine, part machine or something magical, otherwise $16

million is ridiculous. We only know that the two-year-old can run really fast

for one furlong. His dam, Magical Masquerade (Unbridled), broke her maiden in

her eighth start and captured only one of 11 attempts while racing in mostly

sprints. Her half-sister, multiple Grade 2 winner Magicalmysterycat (Storm

Cat), was a six-furlong specialist. Sire Forestry was more versatile, but his

best offspring include sprinters Forest Danger and Smokey Glacken. Apparently,

the $16 million horse looks "better, stronger, faster" than the average

sprinter.

Kickback -- Reduced kickback was one of the features touted with Polytrack,

but Saturday's route races at Turfway Park produced a dustbowl effect entering

the first turn. Those clouds were coming from a synthetic surface. I've never

seen kickback like that when watching simulcasts from Lingfield, England, so

perhaps the weather in Northern Kentucky is a factor. How much kickback will

there be in climates like San Diego, San Francisco and Arcadia, California? With

California being in a rush to install Polytrack at every track, little

consideration seems to be given to the respiratory issues associated with

excessive dust on a chemically engineered track. Polytrack might not hold up the

same from setting to setting. Is there any research? The difference between Del

Mar (six furlongs from the ocean) and Santa Anita (next to the San Gabriel

Mountains) can be extreme, and we've seen how Polytrack can play differently

between England and Kentucky.