Thoroughbred Beat

THOROUGHBRED BEAT

MAY 27, 2009

by James Scully

Met shows handicap woes -- Monday's 116th Metropolitan H. (G1)

was symbolic of the older male division this year. BRIBON (Fr) (Mark of Esteem

[Ire]), who earned his first stakes victory in the April 29 Westchester S. (G3),

prevailed as the favorite, edging the hard-knocking Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) by

a half-length, and Driven by Success (Precise End), whose only wins have come

over New York-bred rivals, checked in third. Trainer Robert Ribaudo deserves

kudos for getting the most out of Bribon this spring, but the six-year-old

gelding couldn't hit the board in either the Gulfstream Park H. (G2) or the

Hal's Hope H. (G3) earlier this year. He was lucky to catch a weak field in the

prestigious event.

It's a sad state of affairs in the older horse division. When Nick Zito

removed Commentator (Distorted Humor) from consideration about a week earlier,

the Met Mile was left without any Grade 1 dirt winners. Give Bill Mott credit

for trying in a soft spot with Mr. Sidney (Storm Cat), who was exiting a victory

in the grassy Maker's Mark Mile (G1), but the five-year-old horse couldn't make

the transition and faded to 11th.

Part of the problem is last year's three-year-old crop. Big Brown was a

multiple Grade 1 winner, but he's retired and there are very few four-year-olds

of note with the exception of turf horses. Smooth Air is a solid performer, but

his biggest win to date came in the Ohio Derby (G2) at Thistledown. I'll praise

older horses like Einstein (Brz) (Spend a Buck), It's a Bird (Birdstone) and

Well Armed (Tiznow) for their accomplishments so far this season, and Donn H.

(G1) winner Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great) would be a huge presence if he

wasn't sidelined by an injury, but there is no depth in this division.

The synthetic tracks out west aren't helping. Travers S. (G1) winner Colonel

John (Tiznow) is unraced this year. Multiple Grade 1 hero Tiago (Pleasant Tap)

always seems to be battling minor injuries and finished a disappointing third in

the February 8 San Antonio H. (G2). Who will be running in the Hollywood Gold

Cup (G1)? Unless the landscape changes, none of the older horses in Southern

California look capable of offering a serious challenge in this year's Breeders'

Cup Classic (G1),

Help is potentially on the way from the 2009 three-year-olds. Mine That Bird

(Birdstone), Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker), Charitable Man (Lemon Drop Kid),

Dunkirk (Unbridled's Song), Quality Road (Elusive Quality) and perhaps a few

others will have the opportunity to be a serious factor in Grade 1 events later

this year if healthy, but the jury still remains out as to the overall quality

of this group. I'm optimistic about their chances against older horses.

This year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) will be held at Santa Anita, and we'll

see if American horses can get things turned around over the next five months.

In 2008, European turf horses finished one-two in the Classic as America's top

dirt horse, Curlin, struggled over the Pro-Ride surface. As much as I would hate

to see the Euros dominate again, it remains a distinct possibility. But there's

still a long way to go.

Thorny Shoemaker -- Monday's Shoemaker Mile (G1) featured an upset

from the front-running THORN SONG (Unbridled's Song), who shipped in from

Kentucky for trainer Dale Romans off four consecutive unplaced starts. At least

the gray five-year-old had some back class, winning the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1)

last fall, but Thorn Song finished ninth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at 21-1

odds off his Shadwell score.

The Shoemaker took a hit when Ventura (Chester House) was scratched by Bobby

Frankel. Her absence left multiple Grade 2 winner Whatsthescript (Ire) (Royal

Applause [GB]) as the 6-5 favorite, but the five-year-old came up a little short

in his 2009 debut, finishing about half-length back in fourth. Citation H. (G1)

victor Hyperbaric (Sky Classic) had every chance to get past Thorn Song in the

stretch drive, but he came up a head short in second.

As he's now proved on multiple occasions, Thorn Song is tough on his best

day, but he's far from consistent. He's generally hit-or-miss and didn't rate

among the top turf horses in the Midwest/East Coast based upon his recent

efforts. As a result, his Shoemaker victory doesn't flatter the turf milers out

west.

Seaspeak -- The Dallas Turf Cup (G3) featured an up-and-coming turf

runner in SEASPEAK (Mizzen Mast), who easily dispatched of his five rivals with

a 4 3/4-length decision as the 1-5 favorite. Now two-for-two this season, the

four-year-old colt earned his first official stakes win in the process.

Seaspeak was only a maiden winner when making his stakes debut in the Bryan

Station S. (G3) at Keeneland last October, and the dark bay Kentucky-bred

battled through the stretch that afternoon with the well-regarded Cowboy Cal

(Giant's Causeway) before edging his rival by a neck on the wire. Both runners

appeared to bump each other through the lane, but the stewards sided against

the unheralded Seaspeak and elevated Cowboy Cal to the win. Seaspeak rounded out

his sophomore campaign with a close second in the Commonwealth Turf S. (G3) at

Churchill Downs.

The Ralph Nicks trainee is taking his game to another level this season. He

opened 2009 with a good-looking, 4 3/4-length allowance romp at Churchill on

April 29, and dominated his opposition at Lone Star Park. Seaspeak will be

tested for class in his upcoming starts, but the improving turf horse has

established himself as an exciting prospect for the rest of the season.