Bits and Pieces according to ZATT

At 11-10, Masochist was supposed to be the one to beat in the Grade 1 Triple Bend, but watching the seven furlong affair unfold, I was in awe of how thoroughly dominating he was. The Ron Ellis trainee won by 3 ¼ in a blistering 1:20.25, but that only begins to tell the story. Tyler Baze was sitting on a powder keg every step of the way in the lightly raced five-year-old, and only needed to tap the button to get the job done easily against a solid field. Call me the master of hyperbole if you must, but it was one of the most impressive sprinting performances I’ve seen in a long time. The gelding is not Breeders’ Cup nominated, so we’ll have to wait and see if his connections want to roll the dice with a supplement, but after watching the Triple Bend, I am convinced that he is the best sprinter in the land.

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I think it was Hulk Hogan who first said American Pharoah Mania is running wild. Yesterday was another great example. Three weeks removed from his Belmont win to sweep the Triple Crown, fans packed Santa Anita yesterday largely to see the Zayat Stables’ star make an appearance. For all those who said the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years would only matter for the sport of horse racing for a few days, before fans moved on, I continue to say you are dead wrong. Attendance for the Gold Cup in 2015 was up 75% from last year. American Pharoah is a superstar in every possible way, and he has brought new fans to our sport, and he has reinvigorated enthusiasm for fans we already had. No one horse can turn around an industry, which will never be what it once was, but don’t tell that to American Pharoah, because he is giving it a heroic try.

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Sticking with yesterday’s big day at Santa Anita -- poor Hoppertunity. Long in the shadow of horses like California Chrome and Shared Belief, the four-year-old son of Any Given Saturday finally had the chance to get that signature win yesterday in the Gold Cup. Credit to Hard Aces, who ran a big race, but Hopper was best. He lost by the width of a fingernail, after going way wide spinning out of the far turn, while the winner saved every inch of ground, shooting through on the rail. Oh well. The best horse does not always win in horse racing.

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I’m not sure there is a better 3yo filly on the dirt than Include Betty. She really was left with no chance in the Kentucky Oaks, but still has already won four times this year, including the Suncoast, Fantasy, and the Grade 1 Mother Goose. Maybe one day the underrated filly with the huge late run will get the respect she deserves.

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Just in case you missed it, Jack Hobbs won the historic Irish Derby at The Curragh for fun yesterday. In five lifetime races, the John Gosden trained colt now has three dominant wins, with two second place finishes. Clearly he is one of the best young turf horses in the world. As good as he has looked in the Irish Derby, and each of his three victories for that matter, he really was no match for another runner from his own yard in the other two starts. In both the Epsom Derby and the Dante Stakes, the son of Halling was spanked by the unbeaten Golden Horn. Begging the question -- just how good is Golden Horn? One thing's for sure, John Gosden is loaded for bear this year. I hope we see the Breeders’ Cup regular at Keeneland this fall with one of these monsters.

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I got a kick out of the hard earned win by Fanticola in yesterday’s Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita. She’s no world beater, but after two straight agonizingly tough defeats most recently, the consistent five-year-old mare was due for something good to come her way.

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Bent on Bourbon is now a graded stakes winner after his easy victory in the Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows. The lightly raced son of Arch has now won three straight, having come in off maiden and allowance victories at Churchill Downs. This summer emergence in his sophomore season reminds me of another Churchill based colt who was not rushed along, and started to put things together at the same time of his career back in 2009. I’m pretty sure that son of Arch went on to big things before he was done. For Bent on Bourbon, last night was easy, and he certainly looked like a colt with a big upside. Don’t Blame me if the Bourbon Lane runner wins something huge in the future.

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Remember the ‘14 Travers? Sure you do -- Tonalist was bet down to 5-2, but weakened just a bit down the lane to finish third, while the unheralded V.E. Day came with a big late run to nip his stablemate Wicked Strong at odds of nearly 20-1. These two are another collision course, this time in Saturday’s historic Suburban Handicap. Also at ten furlongs, this third meeting between the two, (Tonalist won the Jockey Club Gold Cup, while V.E. Day was bothered badly and finished fifth), will take place at Belmont Park, which is Tonalist’s favorite track. This time Tonalist will be significantly lower than the 5-2 he was in last year’s Travers, and it will be V.E. Day’s job once again to pull the upset. You know what? I have big respect for Tonalist, but I think the Jimmy Jerkens trained Travers winner is sitting on a big one, and just may pull the trick again.

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OK, I admit it … It’s been years since I’ve been to Ellis Park, and I cannot wait to get back. Pea Patch or Bust!