Jersey Shore BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The Vanity H. is the first of three Grade 1 events Sunday at Hollywood Park
and features a heavy favorite among its nine contestants in ANDUJAR (Quiet
American), who is 6-5 on the morning line off a seven-length triumph in the
Milady Breeders’ Cup H. (G2). We like her, but Andujar just broke her maiden
three starts back and she’s a bounce candidate at short odds.

SPLENDID BLENDED (Unbridled’s Song) returned off a near six-month layoff in
the one-mile Acorn S. (G1) and set a blistering pace of :22 2/5 and :44 3/5
before weakening slightly to be a close fourth. She’s worked three times in the
29 days since that start in New York, including breezes of six and seven
furlongs on the turf, and we believe the Neil Drysdale trainee is set for a
career best. She received a 108 BRIS Speed rating last time, the best in the
field, and is quicker than Andujar. Splendid Blended also gets eight pounds from
her rival with a feathery 113-pound impost. It’s been 26 years since the last
time a three-year-old filly (It’s in the Air) defeated elders in the Vanity, but
Splendid Blended is our pick to lead wire to wire.

HOLLYWOOD STORY (Wild Rush) turned in a remarkable performance to capture the
Hawthorne H. (G3) two starts back, nearly falling when clipping heels entering
the first turn and dropping to the back of the pace, but she was no match for
Andujar as the heavy favorite in the Milady last time. That didn’t surprise us
because Hollywood Story has never put together two terrific races, but the
four-year-old miss still turned in a respectable effort for second. She figures
to have a solid pace up front and looms as a serious late-running threat here.

Andujar raced on the grass in France, compiling a 0-0-1 mark from five starts
before arriving in the United States, and captured her second appearance
stateside in an about 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight. She dominated the
Milady last time on the lead, never really being tested, but the four-year-old
filly won’t have that same luxury on Sunday with a faster rival to her inside.
The Doug O’Neill trainee may be special enough to overcome all obstacles and
remains a very promising, up-and-coming member of the distaff division, but
we’ll try to beat her.

CASTY (Mex) (Valiant Nature) is a Mexican standout making her first start in
the United States. The four-year-old is three for three this year, including a
six-length Group 1 victory over males last out, and she appears to own good
tactical speed. Casty recorded a bullet workout last Sunday, drilling three
furlongs in :35 1/5 at Hollywood, and she’s an intriguing exotics prospect
despite the class hike.

HEALTHY ADDICTION (Boston Harbor) enters off an optional-claiming
win and has finished worse than second only twice in her 10-race career (3-5-0).
She’ll be tested for class, but Healthy Addiction is a threat to parlay a
stalking trip into a top three finish. ISLAND FASHION (Petionville) gets a rider
switch to Pat Valenzuela, but she comes off three disappointing showings and has
never started over the main track in Inglewood, California. The three-time Grade
1 heroine is also unplaced from four starts at nine furlongs.

TUCKED AWAY (Unusual Heat) has run well at Hollywood (11-2-4-3) previously,
but this spot looks too difficult for the Cal-bred. I CAN YODELE (Swiss Yodeler)
owns three wins over the track but doesn’t look fast enough to challenge. SANTA
CANDIDA (Arg) (Espaciado) was an accomplished runner in Argentina but has turned
in two sub-par efforts in America. She may turn things around eventually, but
we’ll just watch for now.