Turf Diary

TURF DIARY

JULY 9, 2009

by

Kellie Reilly

In this issue, we'll review

three sensational front-running efforts, note the shake-up in the mile division,

check in on the three-year-olds, and look ahead to Saturday's Man o' War S.

(G1).

In love with the game:

That front-running magician, PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem), keeps

conjuring up tricks to leave me awe-struck. While his score in the June 13

Monmouth S. showed that he can produce something hidden up his sleeve, his

course record-shattering performance in last Saturday's United Nations S. (G1)

was the equine equivalent of a vanishing act. To be sure, the Mary Hartmann

trainee was expected to execute his heck-bent-for-leather strategy in the United

Nations, but after his desperate scrape in the Monmouth, who could have imagined

that none of his UN rivals would even get within shouting distance?

Let's compare and contrast

the two victories at the Jersey Shore. In the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth, Presious

Passion set fast fractions on a course listed as good -- :23.04, :46.31 and

1:11.13 -- while maintaining a lead that fluctuated between three and 5 1/2

lengths. The chestnut gelding gave every impression of treading water on the far

turn, came back to the field, was passed by a surging PROUDINSKY (Ger) (Silvano

[Ger]), knuckled down along the inside, fought back to regain the lead, and held

on by a nose from the rallying BANROCK (Go for Gin). Behind by a length

when Proudinsky got the mile in 1:35.30, Presious Passion completed 1 1/8 miles

in 1:47.32. The Monmouth was a supremely gutsy display, a case study in the

high-hearted enthusiasm of a horse who loves his job.

Although the UN once more

showcased his exuberant galloping style, it revealed much more: raw speed

aligned with enough stamina to last the 1 3/8-mile distance at a scorching pace.

Presious Passion, the defending UN champion, tore off at a far faster clip than

he had done in the Monmouth. Even allowing for the fact that the course was firm

this time, he blazed away through an unimaginable pace -- :45.20, 1:09.81 and

1:34.67 -- with a margin ballooning to 20 lengths. Presious Passion should have

crumpled into a rubbery heap at some point, but he kept on through 1 1/4 miles

in 1:59.07 and finished in a course-record 2:10.97. Moreover, he did not simply

shave, or cut, or trim, English Channel's mark of 2:12.89 set in the 2007 UN;

Presious Passion hacked it to pieces with a battle-axe.

Just as Presious Passion's

UN was poles apart from his Monmouth, so was it vastly different from his

victory in the 2008 UN, when he slogged through yielding ground and hung on by a

neck. Ranking as a two-time winner of the UN has increased his stature in a

significant way. Only serious animals win this race twice; there are no slouches

on a list that comprises Round Table (1957, 1959), Mongo (1962-63), Noble Dancer

(GB) (1978-79), Manila (1986-87), Sandpit (Brz) (1995-96) (when it was known as

the Caesars International), and English Channel (2006-07).

The pressing question, of

course, is can he possibly pull off such a hair-raising stunt at another venue,

especially the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Santa Anita? UN runner-up

LAURO (Ger) (Monsun) was steadily gaining on him at the end, diminishing

the winner's margin to two lengths. Does that imply that Presious Passion would

be a sitting duck in midstretch at the Breeders' Cup? His next couple of targets

will go some way toward answering that question.

Lauro, who had finished

fourth in the Dixie S. (G2) and seventh in the Manhattan H. (G1), put forth

easily his best effort of the season. The German drew 4 1/2 lengths clear of

BRASS HAT (Prized) and SPICE ROUTE (GB) (King's Best), who virtually

reprised their finish from the Louisville H. (G3). Lauro's smart effort should

not be overlooked; he smashed the course record too, after all.

Jazz improv: Even

before MONTEREY JAZZ (Thunderello) ran his rivals off their feet in

Saturday's American H. (G2) at Hollywood, I was very happy that trainer Craig

Dollase chose to keep him on the turf, instead of venturing onto the Cushion

Track for Sunday's Triple Bend H. (G1). Monterey Jazz looked sensational in his

course record-setting allowance romp last time out on the grass, and rather than

cut back in trip to face sprinters on synthetic, he deserved the opportunity to

meet a few top-tier rivals at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Monterey Jazz treated them

just like his hapless allowance opponents -- with utter disdain. There was one

subtle, but perhaps significant, difference between the two. In the allowance,

the dark bay went straight to the front and rattled off quick splits; in the

American, he let STORM MILITARY (Arg) (Bernstein) lead through the

opening quarter, before smoothly moving to the front himself. Once in control,

Monterey Jazz opened up on his pursuers, but he was not running off through

ridiculous fractions. He was dictating through a half in :47.72 and six furlongs

in 1:10.99.

So why was Monterey Jazz

six lengths in front, if he weren't bowling along in Presious Passion-style

splits? The answer may involve Storm Military, who would eventually fade right

out of the picture and wind up a tailed-off last, suggesting that something was

definitely amiss. He was never going to beat Monterey Jazz in any event, but an

in-form Storm Military would have been able to keep closer tabs on him early.

With the only other pace

factor in the race effectively bowing out, Monterey Jazz was able to increase

his margin without overtaxing himself or feeling any pressure. He maintained his

relentless gallop, finishing up in 1:46.11, and still held a comfortable 3

1/4-length advantage at the wire. In light of his ability to rate on the front

end, and kick for home before the closers can unwind, Monterey Jazz is poised to

wreak serious havoc. Hopefully his connections will pursue the Breeders' Cup

Mile (G1).

ARTISTE ROYAL (Ire)

(Danehill) ran another better-than-appears race to finish second in the

American, closing furiously from last in the six-horse field. Considering that

he was dropping back in trip, and had no realistic chance of catching Monterey

Jazz, the Neil Drysdale veteran earned high marks for effort here. In contrast,

defending American champion WHATSTHESCRIPT (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB])

ran a bit flat in third. Not only was he unable to challenge the runaway winner,

but he was powerless to resist Artiste Royal's never-say-die rally in the final

furlong.

Mark of the Shoemaker?

Storm Military and Whatsthescript were coming off close third- and fourth-place

finishes in the Shoemaker Mile (G1), a gut-wrenching race that may have taken

its toll. Shoemaker winner THORN SONG (Unbridled's Song) also

disappointed when returning in Saturday's Firecracker H. (G2) at Churchill,

where he enjoyed a daylight early lead before weakening to fourth.

It may not be fair to pin

the blame entirely on the Shoemaker, since Thorn Song had thrown in similar

clunkers before shipping out to Hollywood, but we can't ignore the overall

pattern emerging from the Shoemaker. Note that runner-up HYPERBARIC (Sky

Classic) has not run back yet. The longer recovery time may help him to avoid

the fate of his colleagues from the four-way photo in the Shoemaker.

Damp squib: The

Firecracker should have served as a better gauge of MR. SIDNEY (Storm

Cat), whose victory in a less-than-stellar Maker's Mark Mile (G1) had come on

yielding turf at Keeneland. A couple of promising types in SEASPEAK

(Mizzen Mast) and TIZDEJAVU (Tiznow) showed up at Churchill, along with

course specialist INCA KING (Sir Cat), but so did the rain, and the

course came up yielding. Just as he had done at Keeneland, Mr. Sidney rolled

from off the pace. In the Firecracker, though, the Bill Mott charge was more

decisive and pulled right away to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Inca King. This

could well be a sign that the lightly-raced five-year-old, who was making just

his 10th career start, is still improving. Nevertheless, until Mr. Sidney proves

that he can handle graded rivals on firm turf, the question remains whether he

is simply thriving on the soft. Seaspeak was not disgraced in third, but

fifth-place finisher Tizdejavu ran well below form after looming boldly turning

for home.

Legal eagle:

Canadian champion RAHY'S ATTORNEY (Crown Attorney) may not have been as

visually impressive as Presious Passion or Monterey Jazz on the front end, but

he turned in an excellent effort to break the course record in the June 27 King

Edward H. (Can-G2) at Woodbine. The Ian Black charge got away with a relatively

leisurely first quarter in :24.63. Then familiar foe STERWINS (Runaway

Groom), alive to the danger of letting him go along merrily, advanced to take a

short lead between calls. That little maneuver prompted Rahy's Attorney to

counterpunch. Quickly back in charge, he ratcheted up the pace thereafter and

stayed on strongly to defeat Sterwins by a length.

Rahy's Attorney, who had fired off the mile in

1:32.78, covered nine furlongs in a sprightly 1:44.73. The former course record

of 1:45.20 was established by Canadian champion mare Bold Ruritana in the 1995

King Edward. Whereas Bold Ruritana rallied from off a fierce pace beneath 117

pounds, Rahy's Attorney set his record the hard way, and toted the top weight of

126 pounds to boot. The gelding will be difficult to dethrone in the September

20 Woodbine Mile (Can-G1), whatever path he takes to get there.

Sailor tragedy: We lost a potentially

top-class performer when SAILOR'S CAP (Distant View) succumbed to colitis

X just three days after his handy score in the June 14 Poker S. (G3) at Belmont.

Making his first start since checking in a subpar ninth in the Hollywood Derby

(G1), the Jimmy Toner colt produced a strong charge entering the stretch.

Sailor's Cap swept past a floundering KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) and went on

to defeat a useful yardstick in TAM LIN (GB) (Selkirk) by 1 1/4 lengths.

It was a most encouraging four-year-old debut, promising even more to come from

this talented colt. The division will be the poorer without his presence.

Kip folds: Kip Deville's retreating fourth

as the defending champion in the Poker has caused a tremor in the mile division.

Is a crack opening up? Or is it a random blip on the seismograph? In his

defense, Kip was lugging the top weight of 123 pounds, and perhaps did not enjoy

the soft ground that Sailor's Cap handled so well. The Richard Dutrow charge was

also racing for the first time since flopping in Dubai, but he has run well

fresh before. Of greater concern is that Kip looked overeager early, refusing to

relax and let Tam Lin lead. He was insistent on getting to the front, and that

opening quarter in :23 may have done him in on the soft going. Kip was traveling

well within himself before tiring abruptly, as evidenced by the sudden urgency

Cornelio Velasquez showed turning for home. While Kip has been aggressive in the

past, he became America's top miler only when he learned to harness his speed,

and control his free-running instincts. We'll find out next time if he were just

too fresh off the layoff, or if he's really relapsing into his old habits.

Sophomore scene: Recent Grade 2 events have

featured up-and-comers, while still leaving a few questions unresolved.

FLORENTINO (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) was allowed to crawl along at a snail's

pace in the June 13 Jefferson Cup (G2) at Churchill, and the Darley colt took

full advantage to hold off EL CRESPO (A.P. Indy) and NO INFLATION

(Repriced). The second- and third-place finishers had previously chased GIANT

OAK (Giant's Causeway) in the Arlington Classic, further flattering that

Illinois-bred colt. They may have paid him an even better compliment with a more

honest pace scenario in the Jefferson Cup.

The June 20 Colonial Turf Cup (G2) also witnessed

a slow tempo, although not as funereal as the Jefferson Cup. The deciding factor

here was not the pace, but the front runner's drifting out wide turning for home

and creating a cavernous gap on the fence. The chief beneficiary was BATTLE

OF HASTINGS (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]), who unleashed a sparkling turn of

foot to take command. The chief victim was STRAIGHT STORY (Giant's

Causeway), who was floated out into the center of the course just as Battle of

Hastings rocketed through on the rail. Undeterred, the inexperienced colt

recovered and gave Battle of Hastings a scare late. Straight Story's renewed

surge fell a scant head short. He'd lost quite a few lengths relative to the

winner, and he deserves great credit for nearly erasing the deficit. At the same

time, it must be noted that Straight Story was stalking that slow pace

throughout, but Battle of Hastings had to rally from midpack and showed a very

sharp change of gear to do so.

A pair of upcoming events will help to clarify the

sophomore picture -- Saturday's American Derby (G2) at Arlington, headlined by

Giant Oak, and the July 18 Virginia Derby (G2), marking the stakes debut of

Barbaro's brother NICANOR (Dynaformer), who is two-for-two on the turf

following a June 17 allowance score at Delaware.

Watch list: According to Daily Racing

Form, last year's Secretariat S. (G1) conqueror WINCHESTER

(Theatrical [Ire]) is now in the care of Christophe Clement. He disappointed in

his last two starts for Dermot Weld, the Breeders' Cup Turf and Hollywood Turf

Cup (G1), and has not been seen since. Clement told the DRF that the

four-year-old had some issues over the winter, but would be ready to return to

action at some point this month. Winchester, who has posted four half-mile

breezes at Belmont since early June, proved that he is a horse of the highest

caliber in the Secretariat. If he comes back at anywhere near that level,

Winchester will be an imposing presence this campaign.

The well-related JUSTENUFFHUMOR (Distorted

Humor) extended his record to four-for-four on the turf when rallying to victory

in an allowance/optional claimer at Belmont on June 17. A half-brother to

champion Dreaming of Anna (Rahy) and multiple Grade 2 winner Lewis Michael

(Rahy), the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is out of a half-sister to turf champion

Kitten's Joy (El Prado [Ire]) and multiple Grade 1 turf queen Precious Kitten

(Catienus). Justenuffhumor has earned his way into stakes company, and the DRF

reports that he could make his graded debut in the August 2 Oceanport S. (G3) at

Monmouth.

Man o' War mania: Saturday's Man o' War at

Belmont is shaping up to be a fantastic affair. GIO PONTI (Tale of the

Cat) will step up to 1 3/8 miles for the first time as he faces DANCING

FOREVER (Rahy), GRAND COUTURIER (GB) (Grand Lodge), MIDSHIPS

(Mizzen Mast), MARSH SIDE (Gone West) and international raiders

QUIJANO (Ger) (Acatenango) and CHINCHON

(Ire)

(Marju).

Of the internationals, Chinchon may be the one

most likely to be overlooked, but to me he is also the most intriguing. His

French form may not look exceptional, but his strong fourth to Presvis (Sakhee)

and Viva Pataca (Marju) in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) at Sha Tin two

starts back is world-class form. Trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias had reportedly

expressed globetrotting ambitions for Chinchon some time ago. Chinchon, who is

only a four-year-old, has the potential to become the next Doctor Dino (Fr).

We'll learn Saturday whether he's ready to assume that mantle now, or if he's a

work in progress.

One thing is clear: this edition of the Man o' War

is much deeper than the one Doctor Dino took in 2007, the last running before it

was moved to its present July date. Indeed, Saturday's renewal is a veritable

all-star game, and the winner will probably have to produce a career-best effort

to claim the spoils.

On the horizon: Our next edition will recap

the Man o' War, the Arlington H. (G3) and American Derby on Saturday's Million

Preview Day at Arlington, and the other notable graded stakes action leading up

to the August 8 Arlington Million (G1).