New Orleans

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy) enters Saturday’s $500,000 New Orleans H.
(G2) at Fair Grounds off more than a two-month layoff, but still looms as the
likely winner in the nine-furlong affair. Trained by Bobby Frankel, the
five-year-old has posted nothing but triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings during his
career, the most recent coming for a game neck victory in the Hal’s Hope H. (G3)
at Gulfstream Park. That was the dark bay’s first race since a nice second in
the Cigar Mile H. (G1) in late November last year and he earned BRIS numbers of
115 (E2), 102 (Late Pace) and 112 (Speed). Badge of Silver has been working well
since then and will have Jerry Bailey returning to the saddle. The pair look
primed to get their picture taken together once again.

WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold) is a lightly raced four-year-old who’s
dropped only one of four starts so far. The Nick Zito charge earned an
easy maiden win in his debut last October, then ran second in a Churchill Downs allowance in
his final start last season. He returned in early January to try that level
again and posted a front-running, 1 3/4-length score while going Saturday’s
distance. The chestnut colt made his stakes debut a winning one in the Mineshaft
H. (G3) and worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 at Gulfstream last Saturday.
He’ll be tough to catch if he gets away with another uncontested lead. Larry
Melancon has the call.

ALUMNI HALL (A.P. Indy) captured the Maxxam Gold Cup H. two back, then
rallied but couldn’t catch Wanderin Boy in the Mineshaft last out. He still
managed to garner a 103 E2 Pace figure for his effort and prefers the extra
sixteenth-of-a-mile in the New Orleans, as evidenced by his record at 1 1/8
miles (5-4-0-0). The six-year-old chestnut worked a nice half-mile in :48 2/5 on
Tuesday and could prevail here with a first graded win. Robby Albarado will be
back in the irons for trainer Neil Howard.

POLLARD’S VISION (Carson City) has competed in nothing but graded events in
his last 10 starts and posted wins in three. One of those came in the Lone Star
Derby (G3) last year while he was making his final start as a three-year-old,
and the Todd Pletcher trainee returned in mid-February to be second in the
Mineshaft. He probably needed that race off the near three-month break and could
return to the winner’s circle here. The ever-dangerous John Velazquez has
piloting duties.

MUSIQUE TOUJOURS (Musique d’Enfer) made his 2004 bow in style — taking the
Sunshine Millions Classic by a neck and earning a 113 Speed rating. The bay
gelding worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 2/5 at Santa Anita and could threaten
for the top three under Gary Stevens. LIMEHOUSE (Grand Slam) returned
off a seven-month vacation to be second in the Mr. Prospector H. (G3) and fourth
in the Sunshine Millions Classic. Also trained by Pletcher, the chestnut has
steadily increased his numbers and deserves consideration for the exotics.

FREEFOURINTERNET (Tabasco Cat) surprised at 27-1 in the Hawthorne Gold Cup
(G2) last fall, but hasn’t been able to duplicate that effort on the main track.
He might not be able to handle these. COLONIAL COLONY (Pleasant Colony) also
appears to be a one-hit wonder after taking the Stephen Foster H. (G1) last
year. Since then, the seven-year-old hasn’t been able to compete on the same
level and we can’t recommend at this time. SECOND OF JUNE (Louis Quatorze) needs
to prove to us that he still has the same form from this time last year. Until
then, we’ll just watch.