Santa Barbara

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Grade 1 winner MEGAHERTZ (GB) (Pivotal) heads a field of seven turf
specialists in Sunday’s Santa Barbara H. (G2) at Santa Anita. The Bobby Frankel-trained
six-year-old relishes the Arcadia, California, grass (11-7-1-1) as well as the
10-furlong distance (5-3-0-1), and will be tough to beat in this spot. She
recorded a huge BRIS Speed figure of 102 when taking her 2005 bow, the Santa Ana
H. (G2), which was run over this same surface. Look for this classy mare to come
running late under Alex Solis.

ASK FOR THE MOON (Fr) (Dr Fong) has not found the American turf to her
liking, but is a Group 1 winner in her native land and should enjoy stretching
back out to the route of ground at which she has won over before. Clearly a distance horse, the Laura
de Seroux trainee will have Rene Douglas in the irons and will offer nice value
for the exotics, if not a healthy win payout.

James Cassidy will saddle MOSCOW BURNING (Moscow Ballet), who finished fifth
but was beaten by just three-quarters of a length in her seasonal debut, the
Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S. The Grade 2 winner has also shown an
affinity for the track, recording three wins and two seconds from five starts.
We see this mare going right for the lead and getting caught in the stretch by
our top selection, but we’ll have to use her in the gimmicks.

URAIB (Ire) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]) is a Grade 3 winner on the dirt, and may
enjoy a shorter distance than 1 1/4 miles. Conditioned by Sanford Shulman, the
dark bay has a good chance to hit the board and we’ll have her in the bottom of the
exotics.

Patrick Valenzuela will pilot HOH BUZZARD (Ire) (Alhaarth) in the Santa
Barbara. The five-year-old mare is unplaced from two starts at Santa Anita but,
like Ask For the Moon, she should enjoy stretching back out to a distance over
which she has won. Your call.

NADESZHDA (GB) (Nashwan) has performed well since shipping stateside, winning
an allowance run over the Santa Barbara distance and surface before finishing
second in the 1 1/2-mile Hermosa Beach H. at Hollywood Park. The chestnut may
need one start against this level of competition, though, and we’ll have to watch for
now. MIDWIFE (Family Calling) appears to be a class below these.