Horse racing newsletter: Life Is Good wins in perplexing style

FRASARD (GB) bumped from inside leaving the gate, raced outside the top pair, vied three around the far turn, took the lead into the stretch, cleared at the eighth pole, challenged from outside, lost command but battled back and edged ON EASY STREET at the wire. ON EASY STREET raced along the inside then two wide on the first turn, reserved through the early going, traveled outside a rival into the second turn, angled out into the stretch, shifted in upper stretch, rallied outside the leader, put a nose in front inside the sixteenth pole but got nailed by the winner on the line. WARAIRE showed early speed then stalked from inside, saved ground into the stretch, split foes and brushed inside rival near the eighth pole, finished well near the inside but was outkicked by the top pair. MULHOLLAND HIGHWAY (IRE) bumped both sides at the start, steadied off heels on the first turn, raced in range outside a rival, tipped out upper stretch and kept on willingly. UNCLE RAY came away a bit awkwardly and was bumped into outside rival at the start, stalked outside through the first turn then moved up to duel for command, vied between through the final turn and into the stretch and weakened late. OCULUS broke out and bumped rival, sped to the front then cleared inside rival, dueled from inside up the backstretch, vied with a pair foes around the last turn and weakened in the stretch. SILENT MUSKETIER settled along the inside, angled out into the stretch then further out in the drive and could not rally. HOLY EMPEROR tracked off the rail, three wide into the lane, pinched between rivals and checked upper stretch and could not regain momentum. AFLEETING LIFE traveled outside a rival then three wide into the first turn, moved out a path on the backstretch, stayed four wide into the lane, drifted inward in the stretch and was never a factor.

TIZHOTNDUSTY quickly established the front, set the pace in the two path, pressured by rival into the backstretch, cleared foe nearing the seven-sixteenths, led clear to the stretch and held well under right-handed urging and strong handling late. COALINGA ROAD broke out and bumped rival, stalked the leader along the inside, moved out into the two path around the far turn, took aim two wide in the lane, could not find the needed late kick but was clearly second best. POPULAR KID stalked outside a rival, between foes into the backstretch then moved out into the clear, remained four wide to the stretch and gained the show. LIGHTNING FAST bumped leaving the gate, steadied off heels on the first turn then angled out and sped to the front, pressed the leader up the backstretch, could not keep pace nearing the seven-sixteenths, angled in on the final bend and weakened but churned on for a minor award. CROOKED FINGER RAY went three to five wide around the first turn, traveled outside pair on the backstretch, came three wide into the drive and weakened. NEXT FLIGHT away quickly and stalked outside the leader then eased back a bit to race between rivals, dropped back around the second turn and faded.

FREEDOM FLYER set the pace in the two path, inched away into the stretch and drew off under a few taps of right-handed urging and hand urging late. HYLAND HAVEN dropped back early, advanced two then three wide around the turn, rallied and gained the place. SHVERE ARBETER chased the speed from inside to the lane and lost the place. AMERICAN HEIGHTS stalked three then four wide around the turn and went evenly through the final furlong. JUDY WITH GRACE sat off the pace from inside, lacked room at the five-sixteenths, angled out into the two path and kept on through the late stages. STRESSED bumped leaving the gate, was a bit crowded early then chased outside a rival, went three wide into the drive and flattened out. MILITARY PRINCESS bumped at the start, was in tight and steadied between rivals, angled in and steadied once again, moved to the rail and traveled along the inside, angled out into the stretch and never made an impact. THE GEE FACTOR tracked outside a rival, two wide around the turn and never responded when asked. GOLDEN JOURNEY chased along the inside and weakened. SMITTEN BY KITTEN up close early then dropped back up the backstretch, went three then two wide around the turn, was eased in the drive and walked off.

CLARO QUE SI rated outside the top pair, coaxed at the five-sixteenths, ranged up three wide outside the leading pair into the stretch, cleared foes upper lane, urged once right-handed and padded the margin under hand urging through the final furlong. FLAT OUT JOY chased from inside, angled two wide on the turn, three wide upper stretch and bested the rest. LITTLE MISS ELLIE raced off the pace early, went three wide around the turn, four wide upper stretch and gained the show. BRITTLE AND YOO tracked off the inside, angled in on the turn, tipped out in the drive and failed to rally. QUEEN STORMBORN dueled for the lead outside of RANEEM, put a nose in front at the quarter pole, lost command upper stretch and weakened. RANEEM dueled with QUEEN STORMBORN from along the rail into and around the turn, then gave way in the stretch.

MAJESTIC STEPS (IRE) bumped twice leaving the gate, split foes at the seven-sixteenths pole, angled in on the turn, bid outside the leader upper stretch, kicked clear and held safely in the final sixteenth. BLEU BALLON chased the pace up the backstretch, moved down to the rail, angled to the two path at the quarter pole, bid outside the top pair in upper stretch but got outkicked by the winner. AVISSE chased outside a rival, two to three wide around the turn and gained the show. K P KAN DO pinballed at the start, settled off the pace, advanced two to three wide turn and even out in the final furlong. KATERINI broke in and brushed rival, sped to the front and crossed over to the inside, led clear into the stretch, was overtaken approaching the eighth pole and weakened. MALIBU HANNAH brushed at the start, stalked off the inside, angled in on the turn, lacked room in the final sixteenth behind rivals but was not going to make an impact. KARALINKA stalked off the rail then outside a rival on the turn, angled four wide into the stretch and weakened. RAGGED ROSE broke in and bumped rival twice, angled in early, traveled along the inside then tipped out into the lane and was never a factor. JEANNE B tracked the speed along the inside, lost ground around the turn and tired.

TIZAMAGICIAN away quickly and grabbed the early lead, set pace with a rival applying mild pressure to the outside, cleared that foe then met another challenger at the five-sixteenths, headed by rival at the quarter pole, dueled into and down the lane and dug in late to hold PALADAR at bay. PALADAR broke in and bumped rival, stalked outside the top pair, went three deep into the second turn, bid outside the leader at the five-sixteenths. headed rival at the quarter pole, dueled through the lane and lacked the late punch to get by the winner. KERSHAW pinballed at the start, tracked four to five wide around the first turn, remained widest up the backstretch, entered the far turn five wide then moved into the four path, finished well through the lane and earned the show honors. EKKLESIA stalked in the two path then moved to the rail, saved ground into the lane, needed to find more in the final furlong and stayed on for a minor share. KING ABNER went four wide around the first turn, four to three wide on the second and went evenly outside a rival. BOLD ENDEAVOR in range from inside, lost ground two wide around the second turn and weakened along the fence. SHOOTERS SHOOT showed early speed from outside, applied a bit of pressure while up close to the leader, started to weakened past the five-sixteenths pole and faded. POTANTICO bumped leaving the gate, went three to four wide around both turns and faded. FORTUNE TICKET unhurried along the inside and was never a factor.

ANOTHERTWISTAFATE broke well then stalked the lone leader from outside, bid alongside at the three-eighths pole, cleared rival with a furlong to go and drew away. BOB AND JACKIE sped clear to a comfortable lead, held a diminishing lead nearing the far turn, met challenger around the second bend, fought back inside to the stretch and could not match the winner in the final furlong. NEXT SHARES tracked along the inside, closed in up the backstretch, chased two wide into the lane and gained the show. MULTIPLIER settled two wide or outside a rival, raced three deep at the seven-sixteenths pole, chased outside a rival on the second turn, exited the bend three wide and missed the show. BOWIES HERO unhurried in the beginning, raced two wide then angled four wide into the stretch and lacked a rally. CLEOPATRA'S STRIKE tucked inside on the first turn, moved out then went between rivals and steadied at the seven-sixteenths, angled in on the second turn and weakened. COUNT AGAIN angled to the inside early trailing first time through the stretch, steered out on the backstretch, came out into the drive, eased in the stretch and walked off.

LIFE IS GOOD bumped leaving the gate, sped to the front from the outside, went four wide into the first turn then angled in, showed the way off the rail up the backstretch with a comfortable lead, continued clear under a confident ride two wide into the stretch, drifted out in the final sixteenth while shown the whip and held well over the runner-up. MEDINA SPIRIT away quickly from inside, chased two wide around the first turn, remained off the inside to the stretch, angled outside the drifting winner in the final sixteenth and kept gaining to the wire. PARNELLI broke out and bumped rival leaving the gate, raced three to four wide around the first turn, settled off the pace, entered the stretch three wide, drifted to the inside and bested the rest. WASPIRANT stalked off the rail, angled in around the far turn, steered out in the stretch and weakened. UNCLE BOOGIE bumped both sides at the start, lagged behind the field, went wo wide into the stretch and was never a factor.

GHOUL (BRZ) allowed to settle in mid-pack, saved ground along the inside through the turn, steered out three wide and brushed rival in upper stretch, rallied and drew clear late under hand urging. ULTIMATE BANGO chased near the inside then two wide around the turn, bid outside the leader in upper stretch, cleared rival at the eighth pole but was overtaken with a sixteenth left and held the place. BRANDOTHEBARTENDER settled off the rail then outside a rival, went two wide into the turn, swung six wide exiting the bend, closed widest and earned the show honors. MESUT angled to the inside early, saved ground to the stretch, steered out approaching the eighth pole and finished willingly between rivals late. SPARKY VILLE chased outside a rival, took aim three wide into the lane, brushed by rival angling out in upper stretch and went evenly in the late stages. EL TIGRE TERRIBLE off slow to begin, trailed the field early from inside to the lane, moved out a bit in the drive and finished well. PRODIGAL SON stalked the leader two wide through the turn and never produced a bid. OISEAU DE GUERRE sped to the front, angled over to the rail, clung to a short lead in upper stretch, lost command nearing the eighth pole and weakened. LINCOLN CITY broke out, traveled three deep early and outside another pair of rivals on the turn and could not rally. ENCODER settled off the pace, raced four deep early and around the turn, angled out into the stretch and lacked further response.