Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

APRIL 5, 2007

by James Scully

Desert delight -- INVASOR (Arg) (Candy Stripes) keeps rolling. Now

11-for-12 in his career, he returned to the site of his only career setback, Nad

al Sheba, and dramatically captured Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup

(UAE-G1), putting away an ultra-game PREMIUM TAP (Pleasant Tap) in deep stretch

for the 1 3/4-length decision. The match-up between Invasor and the previously

unbeaten DISCREET CAT (Forestry) didn't materialize when the latter showed up

completely flat, racing in last the entire way, and they simply swapped roles

from last year's U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2), when Invasor's fourth wasn't indicative

of his talents. The Horse of Year has won six straight, and Invasor could make

his next start for Kiaran McLaughlin in the June 30 Suburban H. (G1).

Clark winner -- Premium Tap proved to be an apt substitute for a flat

Discreet Cat, setting the pace and gamely dueling with Invasor into the stretch

before grudgingly giving way late, and he's going to be a major force in the

U.S. handicap division this year. The John Kimmel-trained horse earned his first

stakes win last summer at Belmont and captured the Woodward S. (G1) two starts

later at Saratoga. Following a third in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Premium

Tap romped in the Clark H. (G1) at Churchill Downs, beating a good field by a

resounding margin. Horse of the Year Saint Liam also won the Clark a couple of

seasons back, but the North American Graded Stakes Committee surprisingly

downgraded the event to a Grade 2 in 2007.

No respect -- Just like the Clark, the Arkansas Derby doesn't get any

respect. The $1 million race has produced dual classic winners Smarty Jones and

Afleet Alex in the last few years, and the 2006 winner, Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr),

is the highweight and likely favorite in Saturday's Oaklawn H. (G2). Somehow,

the nine-furlong event remains regulated to Grade 2 status. The Arkansas

Derby must need to produce a Triple Crown winner before it belongs on the same level

with the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Roxy King -- Saturday's Santa Anita Derby is a longshot to have any

influence upon the Kentucky Derby. Doug O'Neill has three graded winners in his

Southern California barn this year -- Great Hunter (Aptitude), Notional (In

Excess [Ire]) and Cobalt Blue (Golden Missile) -- but all of them will make

their final prep elsewhere. He'll instead send out likely favorite LIQUIDITY (Tiznow), who exits

a sixth in the Louisiana Derby (G2). The Todd Pletcher-trained KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations) is the class of the field,

opening this year with a sharp win in the Hutcheson S. (G2), and the multiple

Grade 2 victor rates top billing in this corner with his speed.

Grade 1 winners -- Two of America's best turf horses, ASHKAL WAY (Ire)

(Ashkalani) and VACARE (Lear Fan), made their seasonal debuts at Gulfstream Park

on Sunday. Ashkal Way wasn't ready for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill

Downs, but the powerful finisher ended last year on a strong note, capturing

the Bernard Baruch H. (G2), Kelso Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and Citation H. (G1) in

succession. The five-year-old gelding will be pointed toward this year's Mile at

Monmouth Park. Ashkal Way opened 2007 with a hard-fought victory in the Lure S.,

netting a 109 BRIS Late Pace rating. Vacare kicked off her four-year-old

campaign with a smart one-length score in the Magna Distaff S., remaining

unbeaten while making her first start for Christophe Clement. Now five-for-five

overall, Vacare earned her first stakes win in the Pucker Up S. (G3) in

September and concluded her sophomore season with a half-length tally in the

Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1), defeating an outstanding

field at Keeneland. She's going to meet up with champion Wait a While (Maria's

Mon) eventually.

Brilliant sophomore filly -- MAGNIFICIENCE (Stormy Atlantic) couldn't

be more exciting. The Bruce Headley-trained dynamo made her second career start

in Sunday's Santa Paula S. (G3) and drew clear to a five-length decision with

breathtaking ease, passing the six-furlong mark in 1:08 before completing 6 1/2

furlongs in a stakes record 1:14 3/5. A smashing 6 1/2-length maiden winner,

Magnificience registered a 105 Speed rating in the Santa Paula, and she

"couldn't blow out a match" afterward, according to Headley. Out of a Fappiano

mare, it will be very interesting to see how far the three-year-old will go.

Headley believes she'll run long, and Magnificience looks well-suited for the

one-mile Acorn S. (G1) at Belmont on June 9. The spectacular filly could put on

quite a show in the Big Apple.

Derby fresh -- CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch) is ready for the Kentucky

Derby (G1). He's never raced past 1 1/16 miles, but he doesn't need Saturday's

nine-furlong Wood Memorial (G1). The smallish colt will be ready for the first

leg of the Triple Crown off a two-month layoff. Trainer Todd Pletcher knows the

decision-making will be questioned, but he says his horses run better fresh. Two

months won't matter. This is great. Circular Quay is a top Derby

contender. He captured the Louisiana Derby (G2) under a hand ride, earning a

whopping 105 BRIS Speed rating, and he likes Churchill Downs, winning his first

two starts under the Twin Spires and finishing second in the Breeders' Cup

Juvenile (G1). Circular Quay will be the perfect gauge for the latest training

trend. If he wins the Run for the Roses, more trainers can begin approaching the

Kentucky Derby like Aidan O'Brien does the English Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1). The

idea of three prep races will be old school.