Turf Diary

TURF

DIARY

JULY 11, 2006

by Kellie Reilly

The early season form has held up well in three recent stakes

around the country, with THE TIN MAN (Affirmed) wiring the American

Invitational H. (G2), MIESQUE'S APPROVAL (Miesque's Son) exploding late

to win the Firecracker Breeders' Cup H. (G2), and ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart

Strike) displaying all of his battling qualities in the United Nations S. (G1).

We've also gotten a glimpse of a possible turf star of the future in sophomore

SHOWING UP (Strategic Mission), while royally bred three-year-old AFTER MARKET (Storm Cat)

has signaled promise.

The Tin Man had not raced since his terrific second to DAVID

JUNIOR (Pleasant Tap) in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) at Nad al Sheba in late

March, but Richard Mandella had him primed for a top effort in the 1 1/8-mile

American. The complexion of the whole race changed, however, with the scratch of

the speedy WILLOW O WISP (Misnomer), who would have ensured a robust

early pace. The Tin Man thus seized the initiative himself, and once the

lovable eight-year-old got away with a tepid half-mile in :47 4/5, it was

curtains for his rivals at Hollywood Park. Perhaps the most inconvenienced was

the classy FOURTY NINERS SON (Distorted Humor), a Grade 1 winner at 1 1/4

miles who really needed a stronger pace to facilitate his kick at this shorter

trip. The Neil Drysdale charge ran pretty evenly in third along the inside in

only his second start of the year. Given the circumstances, I'm not holding this

one against him.

Miesque's Approval continued his remarkable renaissance

in the care of Marty Wolfson, overcoming a few obstacles to land his third

stakes of the season in the Firecracker at Churchill Downs. Although he was the

class of the field, the seven-year-old had three reasons to lose this race: he

was spotting four to seven pounds to his rivals, he endured a wide trip, and he

was involved in a bumping match at the five-sixteenths pole. Moreover, the

decent THERECOMESATIGER (Tiger Ridge) had spurted to a 1 1/2-length

advantage in the stretch. None of that made a bit of difference to Miesque's

Approval. Deploying first-rate acceleration, he mowed down the leader to win

going away by 1 1/4 lengths. For whatever it's worth, the Firecracker was run at

the same course and distance as the November 4 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

The United Nations lived up to its name in a loose sense, as

the 1 3/8-mile contest lured the great turf powers of the East Coast to

Monmouth Park. English Channel (by the way, the only horse to beat Miesque's

Approval this year) worried me shortly after the start, as he tossed his head

and looked as if he would give a reprise of the rankness that cost him in the

Manhattan H. (G1) last time out. On this occasion, though, his anxiety was

short-lived, and he settled into a kind rhythm in fourth. Although CACIQUE

(Ire) (Danehill) stole a march on him when striking the front on the far turn,

English Channel was full of run as he angled out for the drive and always seemed

to have that rival's measure en route to a convincing half-length victory.

Despite the energetic presence of the pacemaker for BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin

Man), the deep closers never got involved. The pace wasn't ridiculously fast,

but it wasn't the kind of crawl that plagues turf marathons either; just a

steady series of nearly 12-second furlongs that was considerably faster than the

pace in last year's UN, which Better Talk Now won. The defending champion just

didn't run his race while checking in fifth.

The UN lacked one top performer who will be sorely missed as he

departs these shores. With the sale of GREY SWALLOW (Ire) (Daylami [Ire])

to Australian interests, we've lost a horse of truly international caliber. I'm

convinced he would have had a lot to say about the UN's outcome. All of that is

moot now, and English Channel clearly holds the position of pro tem leader of

the American turf division.

It's worth remembering that English Channel captured last year's

Colonial Turf Cup S. in dazzling fashion, and we might have found another

budding star in this year's winner, the lightly raced Showing Up. The Barclay

Tagg charge was accomplished on the main track this spring, taking the Lexington

S. (G2) and performing creditably when sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1), a race

that he really didn't have the seasoning to do better in than he did. Both Tagg

and assistant Robin Smullen have observed that the colt's way of going on turf

is markedly better than his action on the dirt, and he

proved it at Colonial Downs. The Turf Cup was run at a dizzying clip courtesy of

tear-away frontrunner KIP DEVILLE (Kipling), so there was no question of

an inconclusive result that can occur with a muddling pace, and Showing Up

swooped to a 3 1/4-length triumph in new course record time of 1:52 4/5 for

the 1 3/16 miles. This was a seriously good performance, especially considering

that the winners of the Palm Beach S. (G3), Crown Royal American Turf S. (G3),

Hill Prince S. (G3), Transylvania S. (G3), Woodlawn S. and Hallandale Beach S.

were all well behind him. As expected, Tagg has opted not to run in Saturday's Virginia Derby (G2), preferring the August 12 Secretariat S. (G1).

After Market didn't put up nearly as riveting an effort when winning

Sunday's Lexington S. (G3) at Belmont Park, nor did he record an eye-popping

time, but the Bill Mott pupil remained unbeaten from three starts, despite the

fact that he clearly hasn't figured out the game yet. The first foal from

multiple Grade 1 heroine Tranquility Lake (Rahy) lugged in badly at the top of

the stretch, so much so that I was surprised there wasn't a stewards' inquiry or

objection. Be that as it may, After Market ran out a deserving winner and

was much the best. Mott said afterward that the colt's "still green." Once he

gets it together mentally, this dark bay with a brawny physique could make quite an impact.