Inside the Trip: Super Saturday Review

Dortmund dominated in the San Felipe Stakes on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
It might have officially been Super Saturday at Meydan in Dubai, but it seemed like most every division had some key races over the weekend.
What more could be said about Shared Belief that hasn’t already been articulated? He demolished 12 opponents by at least 4 1/4 lengths in which he was justifiably a 3-to-10 favorite. And, as has been the case with relative regularity, he covered one of the wider trips (third-widest overall). Relive the Santa Anita Handicap below.

What about the also-rans, and yes, they were almost all “also-rans” despite their actual finishing positions? Bronzo, previewed here last week in advance of the race, covered the widest trip yet again, going 22 feet more than Shared Belief, but 54 more than Moreno, 43 more than Catch a Flight, and 38 more than Hard Aces. Averaging 37.8 mph, Bronzo recorded the second fastest average speed throughout the race (Shared Belief did 38.0 mph).
Despite the expansive trip, Bronzo was actually fastest of all 13 runners in the last furlong, coming home in 12.70 seconds compared with Shared Belief, who did it in 12.82. Of course, Shared Belief was essentially being eased in the final sixteenth of a mile, which doesn’t completely do justice to the statistical difference between the two. The next quickest over the final eighth was Hard Aces, home in 12.84. It might not hurt waiting until Bronzo draws an inside gate, because it is fairly clear he does plenty of running. Unfortunately, he has little to show for it.
Dortmund remained unbeaten with a win in the San Felipe Stakes, completing a successful audible, called by Bob Baffert, as the son of Big Brown was otherwise expected to train up to the Santa Anita Derby. Drawn in gate three, Dortmund made all the running for the first time in his career, and once again managed a cozy inside trip around the Arcadia, Calif. track.

Second home Prospect Park covered 27 feet more than Dortmund, while third Bolo, making his first start on dirt, covered the second-widest trip in the field, going 43 feet farther than the winner. Take note of the final sectional times for the first four finishers, as recorded by Trakus.

With Drayden Van Dyke aboard for his first win in Grade 1 company, Ring Weekend swung six wide on the far turn and galloped down the center of the course to secure a one-length victory over fellow east coast invader Summer Front.
Ring Weekend’s final quarter of 23.30 seconds was the quickest of the field as he rallied from eighth at the quarter pole. Home Run Kitten ran third with the second-fastest time of 23.62, and Summer Front got the job done in 23.78.
Ring Weekend covered more ground than all but two horses in the field, running 31 feet, about 3 ¾ lengths, more than Summer Front, and 16 feet, about two lengths, more than Home Run Kitten. Za Approval, who has consistently endured wide trips in prior starts, was marginally wider than Ring Weekend when fourth, beaten by 3 ¾ lengths.

Aaron Gryder earned his 3,678th victory in North America when taking the China Doll Stakes with a masterful ground-saving trip. Gryder sat on the fence with Singing Kitty and edged outside when approaching the quarter-pole to challenge leader She’s a Big Winner. The daughter of Ministers Wild Cat pulled away for a 19.80-to-1 upset.

Meanwhile, even-money favorite Curlin’s Fox could have easily tracked Singing Kitty through the inside passage, but jockey Mike Smith chose to wheel her to a five-wide position early on the far turn. By the time they reached the finish line, Curlin’s Fox ran 33 feet more than Singing Kitty, a distance that approximates to about 3 ¾ lengths. The final margin between the two fillies was just 1 ½ lengths. Gryder’s tactics seemed the best course and it yielded the handy upset win.
Kobe’s Back and Conquest Two Step covered the two widest trips in the San Carlos Stakes, going 32 and 26 feet more than winner Wild Dude. Beaten just three-quarters of a length and 1 ½ lengths, respectively, they each ran second quarters in 22.69 seconds, fastest in the race, compared with Wild Dude getting the stalking spot two-wide and running that second quarter-mile in 22.83 seconds.

Tampa Bay Downs
Carpe Diem was an easy victor of the Tampa Bay Derby, drawing away to a five-length victory in the stretch. His final furlong was completed in 12.77 seconds, 0.38 seconds quicker than second-place finisher, and rallying, Ami’s Flatter’s, who came home in 13.15 seconds.

Bill Mott trainee Quality Rocks held off a late-charging Consumer Credit to win this year’s edition of the Florida Oaks. While Consumer Credit had the fastest final furlong of 11.39, the Chad Brown trainee just missed and was beaten by a three-quarters of a length. The fastest final quarter belonged to 26.70-to-1 longshot Include Betty, who closed from last to fifth in 22.94 seconds and covered 20 feet more than Quality Rocks, the equivalent of about 2 ¼ lengths. Sixth-home Bugle covered the widest trip, going 44 feet farther than the winner. Bugle averaged 37.5 mph, which matched the same average speed of Quality Rocks, who was some 5 ¼ lengths ahead at the finish line.
In what was a massive step down in class, Stephanie’s Kitten powered home to an easy victory in the Hillsborough Stakes. Riding the rail throughout she got the dream setup, coming home in 11.57 seconds, with Maria Maria holding the second-fastest final furlong of 11.71. Maria Maria was also the only horse to cover less ground than Stephanie’s Kitten. Significantly, fifth-place finisher Filimbi ran 59 feet, the equivalent of about seven lengths, more than the winner, but was only five lengths behind her at the finish.
General a Rod, a factor on last year’s Kentucky Derby trail, made his return to stakes company a winning one in the Challenger Stakes, skipping away to a 6 ¼-length victory for Todd Pletcher. Three-wide into the turn, he ran 35 feet (about four lengths) more than distant second-place finisher Old Time Hockey. General a Rod’s final quarter of 24.41 seconds was .69 seconds quicker than Neck ’n Neck and Midnight Cello’s second quickest time of 25.10 seconds. General a Rod did it all while running at an average speed of 37.9 mph, a full 0.5 mph quicker than the rest of the field.
Aqueduct
El Kabeir, who has raced forward in all seven of his career races prior to Saturday, came from 12 lengths off the pace to win the Gotham Stakes, drawing away from the competition. Having covered loads of extra ground in his last two starts when drawn widest, he was rated next-to-last and made a steady progression through the field. When it was over, El Kabeir managed to run the fifth-widest, also the fifth-shortest trip, in the field of ten. He averaged 36.6 mph in the Gotham, and only one horse ran faster throughout.

Tencendur, who has never been away from Aqueduct’s inner track in four lifetime starts, covered the widest trip in the field, going 34 feet farther than El Kabeir, averaging 36.7 mph. That added distance approximates to an extra four lengths. Tencendur was officially 3 ¾ lengths behind El Kabeir.
Salutos Amigos recorded yet another sprinting win at Aqueduct, taking his fourth consecutive in Ozone Park. The opening half of the Tom Fool Handicap was just 0.39 seconds faster than that of the 1 1/16-mile Gotham, and Salutos Amigos had plenty left in the tank to handle this group, running a final quarter in 22.92 and final eighth in 11.66 seconds. That last furlong was 0.72 seconds quicker than the next fastest runner, fourth-place finisher Maleeh.

Gulfstream
A small field assembled for the Gulfstream Park Handicap and they put on a thriller in the one-mile dirt contest. Honor Code was 10 lengths back with two furlongs to the finish line but got to the wire in time, catching long-time leader Private Zone. Just how quick was Honor Code over that last quarter? The son of A.P. Indy ran his final quarter in 24.85 seconds, which was 1.53 seconds faster than Private Zone, who was the second-slowest horse over that distance, and 0.75 seconds quicker than Wicked Strong, the second-fastest finisher.
HONOR CODE AFTER GULFSTREAM PARK HANDICAP

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Mackenzie Kirker-Head contributed to this report.