Weekend Takeaways: It's too soon to judge Chasing Yesterday

Chasing Yesterday, the debut winner who's a half-sister to American Phaorah, ran seventh as the favorite Saturday in Saratoga's Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes.

But while the performance may not have been flashy like her maiden race, it’s worth giving the 2-year-old filly another chance.

"She was fine, but she lost a shoe and had to deal with a lot -- poor thing," said trainer Bob Baffert. "She struggled, and when they struggle with the track, they just (don't) bring their 'A' game."

The Spinaway marked only Chasing Yesterday’s second start and first outside of Baffert's California base. With jockey Mike Smith getting the return call, she took plenty of dirt. The duo swung wide to find running room but couldn't make up ground.

"She got behind and she had never been in that situation," Baffert said. "It was asking too much from her right now, I guess. We're just going to freshen her up and she'll bounce back."

If you can scratch a line through the Spinaway, Chasing Yesterday’s debut performance suggests she has more than what she showed at Saratoga.

Mott has multiple Breeders' Cup Classic options

Already a Grade 1 winner on turf, Yoshida took advantage of a wide open, 14-horse Woodward Stakes and defeated the favorite, Gunnevera. It was Yoshida’s first start on the main track, and he showed no problem with the kickback as he emerged from the field with his white face covered in dirt.

Trainer Bill Mott already had two Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders in mind. Yoshida adds to an interesting mix.

First there was Hofburg, who broke through in the Curlin Stakes following a third-place effort in the Belmont Stakes. The chestnut Tapit colt missed the Travers due to a fever but is expected to run next in the Pennsylvania Derby. Then came Elate, a top-class filly who seems to love the mile and a quarter distance. She finished second in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign last out after Abel Tasman stayed up following a claim of foul.

Now, Yoshida looks like another potential Classic option, and this year’s Classic could be the year to take chances with Triple Crown winner Justify retired. Yoshida has proven himself at the 1 1/8-mile distance, but has only stretched out to 10 furlongs once, finishing fifth in the 2017 Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

Debutante winner questionable stretching out

Bellafina deserves to be a top name among West Coast juvenile fillies. She won both the Grade 2 Sorrento and Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante by 4 ¼ lengths. But, as the distances get longer, Bellafina will have a couple questions to answer.

It’s the question all 2-year-olds must answer as they mature. While both stakes wins were visually impressive, the numbers in the Del Mar Debutante tell a different story. Bellafina raced to a 94 Beyers Speed Figure in the six-furlong Sorrento, the second highest figure of all 2-year-olds this year through Sept. 1, and jockey Flavien Prat geared down to a hand ride in the final strides. Stretching out to seven furlongs in the Del Mar Debutante, Prat pumped on Bellafina to the wire and her Beyer dropped to 75. It was also the slowest edition of the race, with a final time of 1:25.51 over a fast track. She ran the final furlong in a slow 14.75.

Should she run back in the Grade 1 Chandelier Sept. 29, she’ll have to stretch out to 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Bellafina will also have to show more as she approaches the finish line at these longer distances and not regress in speed numbers again.

Dream Tree is the real deal

It’s unclear where she’ll head next, but Dream Tree made an impressive return in the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes Sunday at Saratoga. She is now undefeated in five starts.

The 3-year-old filly looked like a top contender for trainer Bob Baffert early this year. She won the Grade 1 Starlet at 2 before coming back this year to win the Grade 2 Las Virgenes. She even held off Midnight Bisou in her first two starts.

The Starlet is the longest Dream Tree has ever raced at 1 1/16 miles, and she’s clearly been successful sprinting, with the Prioress at six furlongs. Whether she stretches out again or not, Dream Tree looks like she could add some fun to the 3-year-old filly division this fall. Although it’s tough to judge Dream Tree’s ideal distance off a seven-month layoff, she was very impressive sprinting and remaining in those races would keep her away from Baffert’s star in the Distaff division, Abel Tasman.