Richter Scale BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday’s $200,000 Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup Sprint Championship H. (G2)
at Gulfstream Park features the return of LION TAMER (Will’s Way), who will try
to duplicate his win in the seven-furlong test from last year. The five-year-old
ended last season with a nice 1 1/4-length victory in the Cigar Mile H. (G1) at
Aqueduct, but we’re going with MISTER FOTIS (Diligence) to come out on top this
time around.

Trained by Marty Wolfson, Mister Fotis is listed at 10-1 on the morning line
and could offer nice value for the win. The four-year-old chestnut has steadily
improved since switching barns and to the dirt last year. He posted a 6
1/2-length victory in an optional claimer at Calder while going the distance in
mid-December,
shortened up a half-furlong against the same level in his next start to win by three
lengths, then finished a close second in the Deputy Minister H. (G3) last out
while earning a career-best 110 BRIS Speed rating. Mister Fotis will have Jorge
Chavez back in the saddle on Saturday and could earn a big win
here.

SIR SHACKLETON (Miswaki) made his 2005 debut a winning one when capturing an
optional claimer over the track last out. The Nick Zito trainee posted nothing
but triple digit BRIS numbers for that 4 1/2-length score and prevailed despite
being forced to steady and running four wide. A two-time Grade 3 winner from
last year, the four-year-old worked a nice five furlongs in 1:01 at the Palm
Meadows Training Center last Saturday in preparation for this one and has the talent to come out on top in
this spot. Javier Castellano has the call.

Lion Tamer has won off a long layoff in the past and if the Todd Pletcher-trained chestnut is anywhere near last season’s form, this will be his
race to lose. He’s also been working in preparation for this one and will retain
the services of Jose Santos.

CLOCK STOPPER (Gilded Time) has yet to breakthrough with a graded win, but
the Dallas Stewart charge has plenty of experience placing against such company.
Some of his more notable placings include the Forego H. (G1) and Frank J.
DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. (G1), both from last year. The five-year-old gelding
has competed at six furlongs more than seven and seems to prefer that distance.
He’ll be dangerous in the top three but might not be able to handle this level
of competition at this time.

SILVER WAGON (Wagon Limit) returned off a near 10-month hiatus and scored in
an allowance over the track by 1 3/4 lengths. The Grade 1-winning four-year-old
also earned a nice 108 Speed rating for that one and could make a successful
return to graded company in this one. BUILT UP (Homebuilder) garnered some nice
numbers in his last one and will be a threat for the gimmicks.

VALUE PLUS (Unbridled’s Song) competed for the first time since late June in
an allowance last out in early February, running second to Silver Wagon, but the
gray colt might not be up to facing this level quite yet. We’ll watch for now.
SIR OSCAR (Halo’s Image) has been playing musical barns since last February and
looks out of his class here.