Three-year-old & Up Diary

THREE-YEAR-OLDS & UP DIARY

JULY 25, 2007

by James Scully

Trainer Mike Mitchell moved SUN BOAT (GB) (Machiavellian) to a synthetic

track three starts back, winning a $40,000 claiming event at Hollywood Park on

May 13, and the five-year-old gelding has experienced a remarkable turnaround in

form as a result. After recording a pair of unplaced finishes in his first two

starts this year on dirt and turf, Sun Boat was claimed for $50,000 by Mitchell

from an eighth-placed effort at Santa Anita in mid-April. He finished second by

a nose at 25-1 when making his stakes debut in the Californian S. (G2) two starts later over the Cushion Track, and improved off that effort in Saturday's San

Diego H. (G2) on Del Mar's Polytrack.

Sun Boat rated in last through the opening six furlongs before exploding off

the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, inhaling eight rivals to win going

away by a length as the 6-1 fourth choice with Michael Baze. He registered a 98

BRIS Speed rating for the one-length decision, with an eye-popping 125 Late Pace

number to his credit. Despite the complete improbability a few months back, Sun Boat must

now be considered a top contender for the $1

million Pacific Classic (G1) on August 19.

Defending champion LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew) and Hollywood Gold Cup (G1)

runner-up A. P. XCELLENT (A.P. Indy) will both be on hand for the 1 1/4-mile

event, and Mitchell can also point BIG BOOSTER (Accelerator) toward the Pacific

Classic. Claimed for $62,500 earlier this year at Gulfstream, the six-year-old

gelding found new life when switching to the synthetic track at Hollywood two

starts back, winning an allowance/optional claiming event before finishing third

by three-quarters of a length in the Hollywood Gold Cup. It will be interesting

to see if Big Booster continues to thrive, like his stablemate, when trying the Polytrack.

BUZZARDS BAY (Marco Bay), the 3-2 favorite, disappointed after setting the

pace in the San Diego, fading to eighth, and Strub S. (G2) winner ARSON SQUAD

(Brahms) also didn't run well, checking in a well-beaten seventh as the 7-2

second choice off a 5 1/2-month layoff

The July 14 Swaps Breeders' Cup S. (G2) at Hollywood featured the return of

Santa Anita Derby (G1) hero TIAGO (Pleasant Tap), who was last seen finishing

third in the Belmont S. (G1). The John Shirreffs runner rated a few lengths off

the pacesetter before launching his bid turning for home. He encountered traffic

trouble in midstretch, but Mike Smith deftly guided the bay colt through a small

hole along the rail and Tiago stormed to the wire, quickly drawing clear for a 2

1/2-length score.

The Pacific Classic remains an option for the improving sophomore, but Tiago

will likely wind up in the $1 million Travers S. (G1) on August 25. His first

career came via disqualification in late January, and Tiago was a 29-1 outsider

in a less-than-stellar edition of the Santa Anita Derby. But that effort has

proven to be no fluke. He impressed onlookers with a strong gallop out following

a seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and was easily best of the rest in the

Belmont. The Southern California shipper will be a much more formidable foe when

shipping east again next month.

Saratoga kicks off its meet this week, and Saturday's $750,000 Whitney H.

(G1) looms as a big race for the older horse division. FLASHY BULL (Holy Bull)

and MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades), the one-two respective finishers in the

Stephen Foster H. (G1), will be top contenders in the nine-furlong event, and

LAWYER RON (Langfuhr), PAPI CHULLO (Comeonmom) and SUN KING (Charismatic) will

add further depth to what promises to be a good race, but the big story is BRASS

HAT (Prized). 

The six-year-old gelding keeps coming back from serious, career-threatening

injuries, and the Grade 1 winner didn't appear to have skipped a beat when

returning from a near 13-month layoff in a July 8 allowance/optional claiming

event, gamely winning by a head while setting a new track record for 1 1/16

miles at Churchill Downs. We'll see if Brass Hat can make it two in a row in his

New York debut.

Our next installment will be in two weeks.