A Look Back at The Spiral & Sunland Derby
Two more Derby preps are in the books as We Miss Artie got up in the nick of time in the Spiral at Turfway Park on Saturday. Out west in New Mexico on Sunday, Chitu had just enough late run to hold off his stablemate in the Sunland Derby. Both races provided exciting stretch runs, but as for producing a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender, I don’t believe we saw one. Here’s my take on what happened in the three year old division over the weekend and what to expect as we move forward…
The Spiral
Heading into this this race I saw it as a two horse affair between Tamarando and We Miss Artie. Well, only one of them showed up as Tamarando didn’t fire and We Miss Artie got up just in time. Moving forward, I am not that high on anyone out of here. The race came back very light in the Beyer department (85), nor was I visually impressed. Here’s a look at the major players and a look to the future…
We Miss Artie – He broke well and tucked inside from his outside post and was about two to three wide into the first turn. He settled nicely into a stalking trip through a quick early pace and raced in the clear still wide on the backstretch. He turned for home about four or five wide and somehow ground out the win. I must admit, I didn’t think he was going to get up in time. I am not sure this win spoke so much for his talent, or the fact that his two targets seemed to hang a bit at the end. Moving forward, I am not too crazy about his chances of winning the Derby. He may just be too slow and he doesn’t seem to like dirt as much as turf and synthetics. I would limit his use to underneath, if at all, at Churchill Downs on May 3rd.
Harry’s Holiday – I was totally shocked by his performance. He was up against it from a pace perspective, and from the replays I watched, I figured he would want no part of the distance. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the fact that Rosie came up to ride. Regardless, I thought he ran a very nice race. He broke sharply and went straight for the front while three wide into the first turn. He dueled for the lead through a quick early pace while staying wide up the backstretch. Turning for home he poked his head in front, but looked to be in trouble from his outside as Coastline looked like he would blow past him in the stretch. To his credit, he found more in the lane and kicked on for home. He looked like a winner, but had victory snatched from him in the last jump. As far as the Derby is concerned I do not think he will handle the distance. Who knows though, he did prove me way wrong today. I consider him a cool horse who I will keep my eye on, but as for the first Saturday in May, I do not think I will be using him.
Coastline – He broke well under his new pilot Stewart Elliott and went up to press the pace while going three wide into the first turn. He enjoyed a beautiful trip just behind the leaders down the backstretch and turning for home I thought he was going to win. I don’t know if chasing a quick pace did him in, the distance, or if it was his game rival Harry’s Holiday who just refused to let him by. Regardless, he doesn’t seem to have that will to win. He may need a cut back to one turn where he earned both of his wins. Going forward, I am a little torn about him. If he makes it in the gate for the Kentucky Derby I would maybe entertain using him underneath, not on the win end though.
Tamarando – He was my top pick in here and I boasted all week about how honest a horse he is and how he always fires. Welp, he laid an egg and did not fire. Hey, these horses aren’t machines and they don’t always run to what it looks like on paper. In this race I saw no excuse for his poor performance today. He broke well and settled back last. He raced inside on the turn and down the backstretch with pace to close into. When the real running started he just never got going, never looked like a winner, and never threatened. Moving forward, he may be worth forgiving as this is only the second time he didn’t hit the board in his career. I think he is a cut below the top of the crop, but he still intrigues me to possibly use underneath in Louisville if he does end up making the field.
As we move forward nobody from the group really caught my eye for the Kentucky Derby, at least on the win end. The four horses mentioned above are the ones I believe we should keep an eye on, if not for the Derby, then maybe down the line. They all seem to have some talent.
The Sunland Derby
It was the Bob Baffert show at Sunland Park as his charges ran one-two with Chitu taking top honors as the 9/5 favorite. While Chitu did dig in to fight on for the score, I am skeptical he will want to go further than today’s distance. Here’s my take on the key players and what to expect from them down the line…
Chitu – Although it did get a little bit hairy at the top of the lane, this favorite got the job done. He bobbled a touch at the start while breaking widest of all and then went up to press. He went three wide into the turn and enjoyed a perfect pressing trip up the backstretch through a quick pace. Turning for home he seemed to be in trouble as Midnight hawk headed him and it looked as though he was done, but he fought on gamely and got the win. While I liked him today, I do not think I will be backing him in the Derby. He did not look like he appreciated the added ground.
Midnight Hawk – As I have said time and time again about this colt, he needs to shorten up. It may sound as though I am bashing him, but actually I quite like him. In my opinion he wants no part of a route of ground, even though he still runs well enough to hit the board. I will be waiting for him to cut back once the Derby fever settles down.
Commissioner – This colt bobbled a bit at the start and then settled at the back of the pack. He enjoyed an inside, uneventful trip and never threatened the top pair while getting up for the show. He would have to show a lot more to make some noise in the Kentucky Derby. I am not that high on his chances.
Global Strike – He was coming into this race off a front running maiden breaking score at Gulfstream over a slicked up track. In this race he was bumped at the start then went two to three wide. He enjoyed a nice stalking trip and made a move around the turn, but flattened out. I wasn’t impressed at all.
Bourbonize – I thought he had a chance in here, but maybe I was a little too optimistic. He broke well, enjoyed an inside stalking trip, and then had nothing. I think I am jumping off his bandwagon for now.
My overall impression of this race is that none of these guys want any more ground. I wasn’t visually impressed with the way any of them were closing. The only one I am going to keep my eye on, in terms of the Kentucky Derby, is Chitu. He has never been out of the exacta and has improved in each start. So while I do have concerns about him getting the distance, he must still be left in the discussion.