Just a Game BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Grade 1 winner INTERCONTINENTAL (GB) (Danehill) will go for her second
straight win of the year on Saturday when taking on a field of 10 in the
$300,000 Just a Game Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) at Belmont Park. The Bobby Frankel
trainee will also be going for a title defense in the grassy mile test, after
taking last year’s edition by 1 1/4 lengths. Just like last season, the bay mare is
coming into the Just a Game off a win in the Jenny Wiley S. (G3) and will have
Jerry Bailey in the saddle. With all of this in her favor, it’s hard to pick
against the talented five-year-old in this spot, but we’re going to anyway.

WONDER AGAIN (Silver Hawk) is looking to improve on her close sixth in the
Just a Game last year, and we think the James Toner charge will show up in the
winner’s circle by the end of this edition. The six-year-old bay will be making
her seasonal bow here, just like last season when she gave notice to her
competition that 2004 was going to be a good year. Wonder Again followed her
Just a Game run with victories in the New York H. (G2) and Diana H. (G1),
earning triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings in the process. She was only 1 3/4
lengths back of the winner in sixth in the Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1)
before taking on the best the world had to offer in the Breeders’ Cup Filly &
Mare Turf (G1). Rallying from the back of that 1 3/8-mile affair, the bay mare
filled the third spot, just 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner. She’ll have regular
rider Edgar Prado in the saddle on Saturday.

SAND SPRINGS (Dynaformer) seems to have found new life in Bill Mott’s
shedrow. Switched from Tony Reinstedler three starts back, the five-year-old
dropped her first start of the year before taking the Honey Fox H. (G3) at
Gulfstream Park by a front-running nose. She garnered a stellar 118 BRIS E2 Pace
figure for that effort, but proved in her next one that she doesn’t need the
lead to be competitive. Tracking in second throughout the Distaff Turf Mile S.
(G3), the dark bay mare kept that position at the wire to earn a 101 BRIS Late
Pace rating. At 8-1 on the morning-line, Sand Springs should offer nice value in
the exotics and has the ability to challenge for it all if she gets away with an
uncontested early lead under John Velazquez.

This is Intercontinental’s race to lose based on her current form, but she
did return off last year’s Just a Game to finish far back in the Diana against
others in here. Based on this, and considering she’s 8-5 on the morning-line,
we’ll take a chance against on top but won’t leave her out of the top three.

RISKAVERSE (Dynaformer) won the Flower Bowl before ending her five-year-old
campaign with an eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last
out. Trained by Pat Kelly, the dark bay mare ran fourth in the last edition of
the Just a Game and owns the talent to threaten in here for the win. CHANGING
WORLD (Spinning World) might try to challenge Sand Springs for pacesetting
duties, but has proven her versatility by also winning from off the pace. The
Barclay Tagg-trained five-year-old was last seen running a close fifth in the
Gallorette H. (G3) and could earn part here.

MAMBO SLEW (Kingmambo) doesn’t own quite the same numbers as others in here,
but has been working bullets over Saratoga’s training track since May. She was
forced to alter course in the Distaff Turf Mile last out after being blocked on
the turn, but still managed a nice fourth under Gary Stevens, who returns here.
Mambo Slew will be tough to deny in the gimmicks. FORTUNATE DAMSEL (Runaway
Groom) doesn’t look fast enough on paper to take on these, but the four-year-old
does like the course and is undefeated from two tries at a mile. Consider for
the bottom of the exotics.

ASTI (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) will be making her third start for both Allen
Jerkens and in the United States, but is still seeking a first win stateside.
She could offer a game rally, but we’ll let the four-year-old miss beat us.
PLEASE TAKE ME OUT (Take Me Out) looks out of her class against these. FORTY
MARCHANTA (Arg) (Roar) is listed as a main-track entrant and would be making her
U.S. bow in this spot if she runs. A Group 1 winner on the turf in her native
Argentina, the dark bay lass could make a run of it down the stretch if the race
gets switched.