Turf Diary

TURF DIARY

MAY 9, 2006

by Kellie Reilly

Results from the past two weekends have underscored the depth of

the March 4 Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1). Horses exiting the Kilroe dominated

the San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G2) at Golden Gate Fields and the

Inglewood H. (G3) at Hollywood Park, while Kilroe alumni ran second and third in

the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1) on Kentucky Derby (G1) Day at

Churchill Downs.

Kilroe sixth CHARMO (Fr) (Charnwood Forest [Ire])

justified my faith in him in the San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile. The Julio

Canani charge loped comfortably near the back of the pack in the early stages,

and midway on the far turn, he made a scintillating move on the far outside to

circle the field, while Kilroe runner-up ARAGORN (Ire) (Giant's Causeway)

enjoyed a dream passage along the rail. Despite losing a good deal of ground

coming into the stretch, and again failing to switch leads, Charmo kept up his

relentless momentum and scored a convincing one-length victory over Aragorn. By

turning the tables on that rival, Charmo showed that he's better than his bare

Kilroe result implies. The key difference was the state of the ground: on good

going, like that in the Kilroe, he doesn't have the same electrifying kick that

he produces on firm.

Last year's San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile winner, Castledale

(Ire), used this race as a springboard for success in Hollywood's Shoemaker

Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G1), and Charmo will bid for the same double this year on

May 29.

Kilroe seventh WILLOW O WISP (Misnomer) answered a big

question when capturing the Inglewood in wire-to-wire fashion: it marked the

first time he'd defeated older horses. As good as he looked last year when

racking up victories in the Del Mar Derby (G2), La Jolla H. (G2) and Cinema

Breeders' Cup H. (G3), the Vladimir Cerin trainee had not yet flashed that kind

of ability when venturing outside his own age group. Last December, he was

thrown in against a world-class field in the Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) and found it

all too much, winding up ninth of 10. Willow O Wisp returned to action rather

quickly in January in the Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park, didn't have

the cleanest of trips and checked in last of 12. His Kilroe effort was better,

as he just got tired after setting a pressured pace through demanding fractions.

In the Inglewood, he gunned to the front from the start and was allowed an

uncontested lead through an opening half-mile in :47, then quickened in the

manner of a classy individual to finish the 1 1/16 miles in an excellent 1:39.

Cerin has said that Willow O Wisp is "not the most mentally

stable individual," adding that the bay gelding "likes to live in his own house,

be around his own racetrack, and run."

As long as he remains happy and well in Southern California,

Willow O Wisp is shaping up to be a force in the division.

Kilroe winner MILK IT MICK (GB) (Millkom [GB]) and Kilroe

fourth CACIQUE (Ire) (Danehill) invaded Churchill for the Woodford

Reserve, and they defeated everyone but the ever brave ENGLISH CHANNEL

(Smart Strike). The Woodford Reserve was one of those races that unfolded in

reality as it appeared it would on paper. There wasn't much early pace, English

Channel enjoyed a stalking trip, got first run on the California closers and had

enough left to hold them off for the victory. That simple synopsis doesn't

reflect the terrific virtue displayed by the Todd Pletcher-trained English

Channel, who was bumped hard going into the first turn and then ran his heart

out to get past a stubborn pacesetter in the stretch, only to have Cacique

coming at him late. The little chestnut is one game customer, however, and he

refused to yield, crossing the wire in front by a half-length. Milk It Mick was

a troubled third.

As jockey Garrett Gomez described the winner, "His heart makes

three of him."

English Channel's 2006 form is rock solid. After defeating

subsequent Maker's Mark Mile S. (G2) winner MIESQUE'S APPROVAL (Miesque's

Son) in his first outing of the year, he has now bested those two from the tough

Kilroe.

Looking ahead to Saturday's Jim Murray Memorial H. (G2) at

Hollywood Park, I'm eager to see 2004 Irish Derby (Ire-G1) hero GREY SWALLOW

(Ire) (Daylami [Ire]), who's shipped from Ireland to make his seasonal

reappearance. He's capable of firing fresh, as he did last year when landing the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) against a stellar group. Things never went for him

right after that, and I'm hoping to see the real Grey Swallow take flight here.

He's trained by the wizard Dermot Weld, who knows a thing or two about launching

successful invasions around the globe.