Sunday Night Notes - Dec 4

- When we last left Harlington (Unbridled), the $2.8 million dollar son of Serena’s Song was the even money favorite for the G3 Risen Star, and a rising star on the Kentucky Derby scene. I thought it was astounding that he was 6-5 that day, considering that it was his first stakes try, his first race on a fast track as his two wins came on sloppy tracks, and he had the ten post. He ran an even and wide 6th, and was then taken off the Derby trail. The original plan was to bring him back for the Travers, but instead his next appearance was in the 9th race on the inner track at Aqueduct on Sunday. Also in the field was Golden Man, who in the space of five months, has placed twice in graded stakes on consecutive days, and, most recently, twice for a $40,000 tag; and the steady Crown Point, in-the-money in several stakes this year.

So, while Harlington was the post-time favorite, he was a timid one at 5-2. He was anything but timid on the track though. After being forced to go four wide throughout the second turn, he switched leads in the stretch and swept by the leader Golden Man, winning off by five in a six second final sixteenth. This was a far more professional colt than the one we saw last winter, and I’d expect to see him in some stakes down at Gulfstream.

As you may recall, Scipion took the Risen Star, and using my new found toy, the Cal Racing replay page, I finally watched his debut at Saratoga last summer, and it was every bit as amazing as billed. I particularly liked the part when Tom Durkin noted that “Shipion” couldn’t keep up with the field.

- Our friend Walter pointed out on Saturday that Alfonzo, a three year old half brother to Halfbridled, was making his debut in the 7th that day at Hollywood. Alfonzo was bet to 5-2, but broke slowly and finished 8th. On Sunday at Hollywood, A.P. Surprise (Pulpit), a two year old half-sister to the same Halfbridled, was one half of an entry that ran 2-3 (with A.P. Surprise third) at 1-10, wow! Entrymate Toppsisme (Saint Ballado), a grandly bred colt whose third dam is the great turf mare Glowing Tribute, the dam of Derby winner Sea Hero, seemed to have things under control around the turn (or at least Vic Stauffer thought so), but was no match for 9-2 Pure Incentive (Fusaichi Pegasus). 1-10!

- Back to Aqueduct, the featured East View Stakes was for two year old NY-bred fillies at a mile and a sixteenth. This was, to me, an unbettable race as all nine entrants were stretching out to a two-turn route for the first time. So despite her field high Beyer (earned in the slop), I found it pretty amazing that Zippy Missy, one of three daughters of City Zip in the field, was sent off the 4-5 favorite. This is the type of favorite I’ll wait all day for; but in this case, unfortunately it was just a guessing game, with each horse trying something she never had before. The winner, Home and Away (Skip Away) ($22.20), was one of several coming off good tries at shorter one-turn distances.

City Zip (Carson City) is a half-brother to Ghostzapper standing in Kentucky for $15,000. This year’s two year olds are his first crop, and while he ranks 4th on the first-crop sire list, which is based on earnings, he leads his class with 19 winners.