Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2005

by James Scully

Afleet absence - AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) is out for the rest of

the summer, leaving a major void in the three-year-old ranks. The Preakness (G1)

and Belmont (G1) winner would've probably dominated his next three starts in the Haskell (G1), Travers (G1) and Super Derby (G2),

and his absence creates the opportunity for some wild results in those races. Saturday's Jim Dandy

(G2) proved to be no shocker as FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor) romped by 5 1/4 lengths,

but the Todd Pletcher runner was the lone speed and facing no graded stakes winners.

He'll face a completely different scenario in the Travers at short odds.

The best upcoming race for three-year-olds is the match-up between LOST IN THE

FOG (Lost Soldier) and BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto) in the King's Bishop S. (G1) on

the Travers undercard.

Jersey Shore - Monmouth Park will host Sunday's $1 million Haskell and

Roman Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus) is the likely favorite. One of the top-ranked

Kentucky Derby (G1) candidates prior to being derailed by physical problems in

March, the Bob Baffert charge returned from a lengthy absence to beat Flower

Alley in the Dwyer S. (G2) last out in early July. He's formidable, but the pick

here is the razor-sharp PARK AVENUE BALL (Citidancer), who loves Monmouth Park

and exits a sharp 6 1/4-length score over the track in the Long Branch Breeders'

Cup (G3).

Divine perfection - DIVINE PROPORTIONS (Kingmambo) remained unbeaten

with a stellar two-length victory in Sunday's Prix d'Astarte (Fr-G1) at

Deauville, her ninth-straight win, and the three-year-old filly will take on

male rivals next in the August 14 Prix Jacques le Marois Haras de

Fresnay-le-Buffard (Fr-G1) at Longchamp. Trained by Pascal Bary, the five-time

Group 1 winner has been dominant in every start and is being

pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

Chicago drift - PERFECT DRIFT (Dynaformer) lacked room on the far turn

while being steadied behind horses before finally slipping through a small seam

to daylight in upper stretch and cruised to a track-record performance (1 3/16

miles in 1:54 1/5) in Saturday's Washington Park H. (G2) at Arlington Park. An

earner of more than $3.4 million, the six-year-old gelding was winless in 2004

and owned only a grass allowance win this season prior to Saturday, but he had

been remarkably consistent, hitting the board in eight of his previous nine dirt

starts with the lone exception being a fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic

(G1). Perfect Drift didn't beat much on Saturday, but trainer Murray Johnson got

the classy veteran a confidence-building run and his charge will head to Del Mar to

take on Lava Man (Slew City Slew) and Surf Cat (Sir Cat) in the Pacific Classic

(G1). Those horses have run big races at Hollywood Park this summer, but we'll

see how they fare at Del Mar.

Juveniles - HENNY HUGHES (Hennessy) will scare off rivals in the

August 27 Hopeful S. (G1) following his dynamic performance in last Thursday's

Saratoga Special (G2). Sold for a reported $4.3 million following his 15-length

triumph in the Tremont S., the unbeaten two-year-old cruised to a 3 3/4-length

win at Sarotoga, earning a 103 BRIS Speed rating. "He could be anything. He

could be the next Secretariat," an elated Patrick Biancone said. Henny Hughes

looks special and will only have to travel seven panels in the Hopeful, but two

turns is a big question with his speed-laden pedigree. FOLKLORE (Tiznow) did her

two-time Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winning freshman sire proud one day earlier

with a victory in the Adirondack S. (G2). Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Folklore

looks like a young filly who will love more ground.

Darkhorse - Front-running horses had the advantage in Saturday's dirt

races at Saratoga and Desert Breeze (Deputy Minister) was forwardly placed from

the get-go in the 8TH race, a 1 1/8-mile allowance for three-year-olds. The

Pletcher-trained colt disposed of Spanish Mission (Coronado's Quest) and then

withstood a strong late run from A.P. ARROW (A.P. Indy), who was outrun early

and traveled wide into the stretch before kicking it into gear with a furious

late rally that fell a neck short. The improving D. Wayne Lukas trainee earned a

career-best 105 BRIS Late Pace rating, and A.P. Arrow, who broke his maiden at 1

1/4 miles, is a threat to put it all together at long odds in the 10-furlong

Travers.

Seaside - Saturday was Julio Canani Day at Del Mar as the Peruvian

native swept both stakes on the program, winning the San Clemente H. (G2) with

Shining Energy (Rahy) and the Wickerr H. with Tsigane (Fr) (Anabaa). The

flamboyant 66-year-old conditioner is always a major factor at Del Mar,

capturing the John Mabee H. (G1) earlier this meet with Amorama (Fr) (Sri Pekan), whose

only U.S. wins have been Grade 1 victories at Del Mar, and three of the last six runnings of the

Eddie Read H. (G1). He's the only trainer to sweep the three-race series of turf

races for three-year-olds twice at Del Mar, accomplishing the hat trick with

Blackdoun (Fr) (2004) and Ladies Din (1998).

Spa - I suggested last week that Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez

wouldn't runaway with the trainer and jockey titles for the third-straight year

at Saratoga. A correction is in order. Pletcher and Velazquez are the most

dominant coupling in horse racing today. Pletcher is like Dale Baird in his

hey-day at Mountaineer, and Velazquez compares to Russell Baze in Northern

California. When coupled together, this duo is unstoppable in Saratoga Springs,

New York, winning at about a 96.7 percent clip during the first week. When will

they cool down?