Bashford Manor

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Sunday’s Bashford Manor S. (G3) at Churchill Downs will be a toss up as to who
will cross the wire first. Four runners will be making only their second
career start in this six-furlong event, including our top selection, DEPUTY G (Matty
G).

The David Pate trainee recorded an impressive BRIS Speed figure of 102 when
taking a five-furlong maiden contest over this track in mid-May and the colt was
very impressive over the sloppy track. The dark bay’s pedigree suggests he should win early, as his
father was a Grade 1 winner at two, and we think this is the perfect spot for
him. Gary Stevens has the mount.

FIFTY SEVEN FLAT (Five Star Day) enters as the beaten favorite of the June 19
Victoria S. at Woodbine, but has excuses for that third-place finish. The
chestnut left the gate slow and then was hung three wide for
the majority of the five-furlong test, eventually crossing the wire only 2 3/4
lengths back of the winner. The Elliott Walden trainee came from off the pace
when breaking his maiden under the Twin Spires in his career debut, and gets
blinkers for the first time here under Larry Melancon. He is the only entrant in
the field with stakes experience and we like his chances.

COCKNEY CAN MAN (Canaveral) broke his maiden here at Churchill last out after
being switched to the barn of Stephen Margolis. The gelding gets the services of
Robby Albarado, and with his improving Speed figures we’ll have to use the
chestnut in the exotics.

BRILLIANT SON (Stormin Fever) is still a maiden but ran into a little traffic
trouble last time, vindicating his second-place finish. Mike Smith returns to
ride the bay, who got five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 on Tuesday, and we’ll use the
Charles Simon charge in the gimmicks.

FEDERER (Grand Slam) gets local favorite Pat Day for the Bashford, and the
Pat Byrne trainee just ran a bullet three furlongs in :34 2/5 on Monday. Four
days before breaking his maiden on June 18, the dark bay also got a bullet three
furlongs in :35 3/5, and may very well repeat with a top placing in this spot, but we see a
potential overlay.

Ronny Werner sends out PRESIDE (Pulpit), a 10-length winner of a 4
1/2-furlong Keeneland maiden event in late April, but if the bay has not learned
to rate he stands a chance of getting caught in an ugly speed duel. The blinkers
come off for this one, and we’ll watch to see how he fares.

R LOYAL MAN (More Than Ready) did not show enough class to compete with these
when breaking his maiden last time over a sloppy track at Calder, and we’ll just
watch his initial stakes foray. ROCKET BEAUTY (Cape Canaveral) was third in his
career bow, and we’ll have to see more from the chestnut before recommending his
chances for the win.

HONOR DUE (Proud and True) got it done in his second try last out, but only
held on by a neck going five furlongs, and we’ll have to go against. FLY ME NOW
(Flying Chevron) is a level below these and might need a little more experience
before testing the graded waters.