TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
| AZALEA BREEDERS’ CUP S.
(G3), 8TH-CRC, $300,000, 3YO, F, 6F, 4:10 P.M. EDT, 7-9 |
||||
| PP |
HORSE |
TRAINER |
JOCKEY |
WT |
| 1 |
LEAVE ME ALONE |
KRULJAC J ERIC |
DESORMEAUX K J |
118 |
| 2 |
FLYING CIRCLE |
FAWKES DAVID |
CHAVEZ J F |
118 |
| 3 |
MERTIE M |
PILOTTI LARRY |
AGUILAR M |
114 |
| 4 |
MIDTOWN MISS |
CALASCIBETTA JOSEPH |
CRUZ M R |
114 |
| 5 |
HELLO LUCKY |
GUILLOT ERIC |
SMITH G S |
118 |
| 6 |
HOT STORM |
STEWART DALLAS |
BAILEY J D |
118 |
| 7 |
HIDE AND CHIC |
WOLFSON MARTIN D |
CASTRO E |
114 |
| 8 |
PARTNERS DUE |
TROMBETTA MICHAEL J |
VELASQUEZ CORNE |
116 |
HIDE AND CHIC (Seeking the Gold) looks to make it three in a row on Saturday
when taking on seven rivals in the $300,000 Azalea Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) at
Calder. The race is part of the track’s Summit of Speed program, which features
four graded events each going six furlongs. Hide and Chic enters this one off a
victor in the Swept Away S., her second score for trainer Martin Wolfson. She
played musical barns early in her career, but seems to have found a home she
likes here, as evidenced by her 13 3/4-length win in an allowance over the track
prior to last out’s 9 1/4-length stakes win. The bay sophomore earned nice 100
BRIS Speed ratings for each of those starts and could find herself getting her
picture taken with Eddie Castro in the saddle.
PARTNERS DUE (Partner’s Hero) could find herself on the lead in this one, and
may forget to stop if not challenged. The Michael Trombetta charge captured her
2005 bow, a first-level allowance, by 5 1/4 lengths and was close in her two races prior to
taking the Meadow Star S. last out. She earned a nice 99 Speed figure for that
most recent effort and has the talent to score here at a price with Cornelio
Velasquez in the irons.
HOT STORM (Stormy Atlantic), winner of the Sunshine Millions Oaks earlier
this year, hasn’t been able to find the winner’s circle since but could turn
that situation around on Saturday. Trained by Dallas Stewart, the bay miss has
been competitive against graded company all year, logging triple digit BRIS E2
Pace figures, and owns wins at the distance. She could challenge for it all with
Jerry Bailey aboard.
FLYING CIRCLE (Pembroke) posted a nice 103 Speed rating for her third
straight win last out. That came in the grassy Open Mind S. and was proceeded by
a victory in the Snurb S. over the main track at Calder. The David Fawkes-conditioned
chestnut is returning off a slight layoff but has been working bullets in the
interim to stay sharp. Flying Circle could fly by everyone in the stretch to
take the win under Jorge Chavez. LEAVE ME ALONE (Bold Badgett) hasn’t done so bad
since being stretched two back but also owns a win at six furlongs. Though her Speed ratings are a bit lower than
we’d like, the sophomore lass still appears talented enough to include in the
exotics.
MERTIE M (Dance Master) likes both the track (6-3-0-2) and distance
(4-1-1-1), but doesn’t look as fast as others in here. We’ll just watch for now.
HELLO LUCKY (Lucky Lionel) will be making her first start for trainer Eric Guillot here and we’ll give the filly a race before backing. MIDTOWN MISS (Yes
It’s True) may not be able to keep up with these. We’ll go against.
| TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS: | 1st-HIDE AND CHIC | |
| 2nd-PARTNERS DUE | ||
| 3rd-HOT STORM |