By Alan Carasso
Team Valor International and Gary Barber's Hayabusa One (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is perfect in two starts on turf in his brief career, but the chestnut will have to be at his very best as he tries to negotiate the hike into Grade I company in a very competitive renewal of the GI Hollywood Derby Saturday afternoon.
A debut second over the Deauville all-weather last December when conditioned by Simone Brogi, the two-time Arqana sales graduate ballooned to eighth over the synthetic track at Cagnes-sur-Mer Jan. 16 despite an eventful trip (click here for more from Brian DiDonato), but graduated impressively over soft turf at the southern French oval Feb. 1. Acquired privately by this shrewd partnership, Hayabusa One came with a stinging stretch run to romp by 3 3/4 lengths in an Oct. 9 Keeneland allowance over 9 1/2 furlongs, garnering 'TDN Rising Star' status and he has trained sharply at Fair Hill since. Trainer Graham Motion won last weekend's GII Seabiscuit H. and GIII Jimmy Durante S. with Ring Weekend (Tapit) and Journey Home (War Front).
Frenchman Florent Geroux was at the controls for Hayabusa One's Keeneland success, but he understandably sticks here with 'TDN Rising Star' Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid). Acquired privately from Gary and Mary West following a close second in the GIII American Turf in May, the dark bay colt was a wide-trip third two starts later in the GI Belmont Derby July 9 before getting the better of Long Island Sound (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Secretariat S. Aug. 13.
Beach Patrol is the 9-2 second favorite to his stablemate Camelot Kitten (Kitten's Joy), the American Turf winner who finished one spot behind Beach Patrol in the Belmont Derby and most recently found the wire a head better than his familiar foe when last seen in the GIII Hill Prince S. at Belmont Park Oct. 8.
Annals of Time (Temple City) completed a top-three sweep for the Chad Brown stable in the Hill Prince, posting a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the process. He makes just his fourth trip to the post Saturday afternoon.
Diplodicus (Sky Mesa) is one of several in this field exiting the GII Twilight Derby on Breeders' Cup Friday. Slow into stride, the chestnut gelding caboosed the field early, was in tight three furlongs from home and finished well to be fifth, beaten just a length by upset-minded Frank Conversation (Quality Road). Free Rose (Munnings) and Blackjackcat (Tale of the Cat) argued the pace and held well into deep stretch before settling for second and third, respectively. The latter may adopt different tactics this time, as trainer Mark Glatt elects to remove the blinkers, a 19% move for the barn.
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