San Diego H. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sprinters in the Spotlight on Both Coasts Saturday

Male sprinters take their shot at Grade I glory on both coasts Saturday with the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. at Saratoga and the GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar, which is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) is four-for-four at Saratoga and three-for-three this year. The GII True North S. romper is the heavy favorite at 1-5 on the morning-line against five quite overmatched foes. The next closest on the morning-line is 6-1 shot Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who enters off a win in the Chocolate Town S. at Penn National June 17.

“You can't talk about Jackie's Warrior without thanking Kirk and Judy Robison for putting him back in training,” said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. “It's so rare in this day and age for a champion colt to have another year at the racetrack and for him to have another chance at Saratoga.”

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, a more evenly matched field of 10 seek a spot in the Breeders' Cup starting gate in the Bing Crosby. Three-time Crosby winner Bob Baffert saddles the lightly-raced Shaaz (Uncle Mo) Saturday. Two-for-four thus far, the $1.1-million EASMAY acquisition enters off a third in the GIII Steve Sexton Mile May 30 while under the temporary care of conditioner Sean McCarthy.

Last term's GI Woody Stephens S. winner Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music) avoids rival Jackie's Warrior by making his first start on the West Coast Saturday.

The top three finishers from Santa Anita's GII Triple Bend S. also resurface here: American Theorem (American Pharoah), Principe Carlo (Coil) and Get Her Number (Dialed In).

While this race has been won by some very talented horses, it has not produced a Breeders' Cup winner since Kona Gold in 2000. The last Alfred Vanderbilt winner to score at the World Championships was Speightstown in 2004.

Short, But Sweet Field Set For Jim Dandy

There may only be five colts set to line up for Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S., the local prep for next month's GI Runhappy Travers S., but it's quite a talented quintet.

The field is led by Epicenter (Not This Time), who went off as the Derby favorite after dominating the Fair Grounds preps. He was a valiant second beneath the Twin Spires after being run down late by longshot Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and rallied to fill the same spot last out in the GI Preakness S. May 21.

“He's training as well, or better, as he did throughout the Triple Crown races, so we'll see,” said Winchell Thoroughbreds manager David Fiske said. “It seems like everyone is getting better this time of year, and I don't know that he could be doing any better. Steve is pleased with him. He's a pretty straight forward horse. I think during the Triple Crown I characterized him as almost machine like. He just does what you want him to do, goes back to his stall and lays down.”

Preakness winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) also returns here, hoping to give his sensational young sire his second Grade I winner in as many Saturdays following Cyberknife's Haskell score. He is joined by stablemate and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart), who completed the Derby trifecta.

“I really believe that they both have established themselves for quite some time now to be two of the top-five 3-year-old dirt colts in the country pretty consistently throughout most of the year,” trainer Chad Brown said. “The order might change around those top five and the fifth horse that's in that group might change a little bit, but they're consistently in that group. We're at the midway marker, so there's a lot more racing to take place and these horses are going to have to continue to maintain strong campaigns to stay in that group.”

Country Grammer Returns in the San Diego

Country Grammer (Tonalist) makes his first start since upsetting the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26 Saturday in Del Mar's GII San Diego H. The 1 1/16-mile test is often used as a prep for the GI Pacific Classic, which is the next target for undefeated MGISW Flightline (Tapit).

John Velazquez ships in from Saratoga to ride for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. It is Country Grammer's first start on American soil this year, having kicked off the season with a second in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 26.

“It's going to be tight, you know, he's more of a mile and a quarter type of horse,” Baffert said, “but it's nice to have a race into him. We sent him to the farm for a couple of months, Winstar Farm, and they sent him back looking great.”

Baffert pursued a similar path with Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), who also made his first start after Meydan in the San Diego. He finished fourth that day and went on to be second in the Pac Classic before losing his title defense in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

Mandaloun (Into Mischief), named GI Kentucky Derby and GI Haskell S. winner last year via DQ, ships west to run in this spot rather than facing the aforementioned Life Is Good in the GI Whitney S. next weekend. He enters off a well-beaten fourth in the GII Stephen Foster S. July 2.

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Royal Ship Looms Large in San Diego

Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's ascendant handicap division contender Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) figures to be tough to beat in Saturday's GII San Diego H. at Del Mar, the seaside oval's traditional prep for its marquee GI TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 21.

Earning a trip to America by reeling off five consecutive open-lengths turf victories in his native Brazil, capped by a score in the G1 Estado do Rio de Janeiro, the gelding was third making his Stateside bow in the GII Del Mar Mile H. over the turf last summer. Sixth in the GII City of Hope Mile S., he ran last of four after stumbling at the start when switching to dirt in the GIII Native Diver S. here in November.

Running fifth, beaten just a length, in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Mar. 6 at Santa Anita, the bay has become a new horse since moving back to the main track, annexing the GII Californian S. with a 108 Beyer Apr. 17 before just being denied by a head when second in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. last out May 31.

Third that day was re-opposing Express Train (Union Rags). Completing the exacta behind Charlatan (Speightstown) at 16-1 in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. closing out his sophomore campaign, the $500,000 Keeneland September buy built on that effort with a dominant victory in the GII San Pasqual S. and a half-length second in the GI Santa Anita H. Third to next-out GI Metropolitan H. victor Silver State (Hard Spun) in the GII Oaklawn H., he broke outwardly at the start of the Gold Cup and suffered a wide trip before settling for third.

Finishing a half-length behind him was Rushie (Liam's Map), who looks to be the main other contender should Royal Ship take a step back. Annexing the GII Pat Day Mile S. last summer, the gray was seventh in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a nose runner-up in the Oaklawn Mile S. Apr. 10 before stumbling at the start and flattening out from a middle move in the Gold Cup.

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‘Max’ Back On Big Stage in Pacific Classic

The last time Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) traveled 10 furlongs, he crossed the wire first before the disqualification heard around the world in the GI Kentucky Derby. A ton has happened with the colt in the year-and-change since then: an Eclipse championship, a buy-in from Coolmore, a trip across the world to win the G1 Saudi Cup, doping allegations, a barn switch. Through it all, the horse who controversy seems to follow like a shadow will return to 1 1/4 miles and Grade I company with questions to answer in Saturday’s GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Following his Derby demotion with a runner-up effort at 1-20 in last summer’s TVG.com Pegasus S. at Monmouth, the bay found redemption by annexing the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. on the Jersey Shore. After being forced to miss several months with a minor injury, he scored victories in the GIII Bold Ruler H. and GI Cigar Mile H. to wrap up his divisional title.

Just nine days after he notched a hard-fought triumph in the inaugural Saudi Cup in his 4-year-old debut, Maximum Security’s trainer Jason Servis was indicted by federal prosecutors for alleged doping of horses including Maximum Security himself, prompting a move to the Bob Baffert barn. Making his much-anticipated return in the July 25 GII San Diego H., he ground out a nose victory at 2-5, the 10th time in 11 career races he crossed the wire first, earning a 101 Beyer, 10 points shy of his top effort.

C R K Stable’s Midcourt (Midnight Lute), who nearly dueled Maximum Security into defeat, returns to take another crack at the champion. Lightly raced at five years old, the gelding reeled off four straight victories last year culminating in a 5 3/4-length conquest of the GIII Native Diver S. at this oval in November and picked up another open-length graded tally in the GII San Pasqual S. two starts later Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. A narrow third in the GI Santa Anita H., his initial 10-furlong try, Mar. 7, he bounced back from a badly-beaten fifth in the GI Gold Cup S. June 6 in Arcadia to stretch Maximum Security all the way to the wire in the San Diego.

Hronis Racing’s Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), a surprise runaway winner of last year’s Pacific Classic, tries to recapture that top form. Going turf to dirt for a 5 1/2-length score in the Del Mar meet centerpiece, the bay failed to build on that run when a distant third in both the GI Awesome Again S. and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic before finishing last as the favorite in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Bouncing back a bit to be runner-up in the Gold Cup, he proved no match for the top pair in the San Diego, finishing 6 1/4 lengths back in third.

Sharp Samurai (First Samurai), a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, will make his first dirt start since running sixth in a Santa Anita optional claimer in March of 2017. He was last seen finishing a close runner-up in the GII Eddie Read S. on the local lawn July 26.

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Maximum Security’s Return Doesn’t Answer Many Questions

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley

Just about everyone was prepared to either love or hate the performance of Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) in the GII San Diego H. Saturday at Del Mar. Either he would come back and dominate or he would struggle in his first performance outside of the notorious Jason Servis barn. There didn’t appear to be much room for a gray area.

But that’s where things have landed. He was good enough to win but not so good that he proved beyond any doubt that he is the same horse as he was throughout last year and when winning the $20-million Saudi Cup in February.

The optimist can point to a strangely run race in which Maximum Security set the early pace, was taken back by substitute jockey Abel Cedillo and dropped back to third. That’s not exactly the easiest way to win a race, but Maximum Security had a second run in him and just nipped Midcourt (Midnight Lute) by a nose. He showed a lot of determination. Plus, it was his first race in nearly five months and new trainer Bob Baffert admitted Sunday that he didn’t have Maximum Security fully cranked up.

“I actually thought he was pretty good right after the race being that I only had him about 80%,” Baffert said. “I didn’t think he’d have to do a stop-and-go movement [during the race] but he showed what a great horse he is.”

Baffert added that he considered the San Diego a small step in the process.

“It’s a good starting point, we learned a lot about the horse, now we’re caught up and he’s ready to go,” he said

Yet, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect something better than a nose victory in a Grade II race. This is the horse who was last year’s champion 3-year-old and right after the Saudi Cup was widely considered the best horse in training. The Maximum Security that won the GI Cigar Mile H., the Saudi Cup and crossed the wire first in the GI Kentucky Derby would have crushed the type of horses he faced in the San Diego.

That horse, of course, was trained by Servis, and every time one of his former horses races, everyone is left to wonder if they will perform for new trainers who are not using performance-enhancing drugs.

All of which is why one should neither write Maximum Security off or declare that he is back. There are just too many questions and there is plenty of time for them to be answered.

Baffert mentioned the GI Woodward S. at Saratoga as a possibility for Maximum Security, but it’s much more likely that he will go next in the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

“He’s got a lot of will to win, he’s courageous and a smart horse,” Baffert said. “There’s just something about him, he’s got a lot of will to win. He’s got a lot of W’s by his name and there’s a reason for that.”

But, for Maximum Security, the goal now goes beyond winning. He needs to not only win the Pacific Classic but to do it impressively and show everyone that he is the one to beat in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

As for the San Diego, I’ll give him a B- for a grade. That doesn’t mean there’s not an A+ performance yet to come.

Still No News Out of Saudi Arabia

It’s been 138 days since the running of the Saudi Cup and 129 days since Jason Servis was among a long list of individuals indicted for allegedly doping their horses. That should be more than enough time for Saudi racing officials to have concluded their investigation and determine whether or not Maximum Security will be disqualified and the purse redistributed. The ultimate decision may rest on whether or not any illegal medications were found in Maximum Security’s system after the race, but those tests should have been concluded months ago.

What’s going on? Another week has gone by without any answers.

Here’s what Director of Strategy and International Racing for the Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia Tom Ryan told the TDN in an email last week: “Work on the Maximum Security investigation continues. At the moment it looks like we will be able to issue an official statement as a means of an update over the next week or so.”

Will Volatile and Vekoma Meet Up?

The expectations for Volatile (Violence) were so high coming into the GI Alfred Vanderbilt S. Saturday at Saratoga that not everyone was raving about his victory. A lot did go his way. Rival Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) broke through the gate prior to the start, which likely compromised his chances. And Volatile was somehow allowed to set about as slow a pace as you will ever see for a Grade I sprint race. The first quarter went in 23.46 and the half was completed in 46.67 before Volatile won by 1 1/4 lengths.

But that doesn’t mean this wasn’t a test for a horse who had never even run in a graded stakes race before, no less a Grade I. His three opponents had earned a combined $6,091,100 and Volatile beat them decisively. After campaigning Mitole (Eskendereya), who ran an uncharacteristically poor race last year in the Vanderbilt when third, trainer Steve Asmussen may once again have the best sprinter in the country.

But there’s at least one outstanding horse standing between Volatile and an Eclipse Award and that is Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), the winner of the GI Runhappy Carter H. and the Gi Runhappy Metropolitan H. The Aug. 29 GI Forego at Saratoga seems like a logical spot for both Vekoma and Volatile, and if both show up, that may be the race of the meet.

Keeping An Eye on Kentucky’s COVID-19 Situation

For now, spectators will be allowed to attend the Kentucky Derby, but one has to wonder if that is about to change.

Churchill Downs made the announcement June 24 that it has received permission from Governor Andy Beshear to allow fans to attend the Derby week races during a short September meet at Churchill. At the time, the state was doing quite well in its fight against the coronavirus. According to the New York Times, on June 24 there were only 199 new cases of coronavirus in the state. On Sunday, 836 new cases were reported, the second highest total since the outbreak began.

“We’re not playing around with the numbers that we’re seeing,” Beshear said.

Had there been that many cases on a daily basis back in June, it seems highly unlikely that Beshear would have given the green light to having fans. Churchill has said that the amount of people allowed to watch will be limited, but haven’t said what sort of number they are targeting.

Around 50,000 seems like a reasonable estimate, which would be a public gathering that would be unprecedented since COVID-19 became a fact of life. Considering what’s going on, not just in Kentucky but around the country, it’s hard to imagine that happening. Beshear certainly has reason to reverse course.

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