Vernon O. Underwood S. (G3)

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A short field of five will line up Saturday for the $100,000 Vernon O.
Underwood S. (G3) at Hollywood Park. Highlighting the pack is CAPTAIN SQUIRE
(Flying Chevron), who comes off a close second in the Sport Page H. (G3) on the
Breeders’ Cup undercard to Gotaghostofachance (Silver Ghost). However, to try
and offer more value, we will overlook the likely favorite for the win and instead pick INDIAN COUNTRY (Indian Charlie).

The four-year-old will be making his third start under the conditioning of
Thomas Hunter, winning the Pirate’s Bounty in his first start for the trainer in
early September and placing a close third in the Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup S. (G1),
an event won by Captain Squire. Indian Country has a good late kick, which might
come in handy given the likelihood of a speed duel in the early going between Captain
Squire and LIFESTYLE (Indian Charlie), with BORDONARO (Memo [Chi]) possibly
joining in on the early fray. The bay colt has three wins under his belt in five
attempts at Hollywood Park and is 6-3-0-3 at six furlongs. He comes off a 56-day
freshening and switches to jockey Victor Espinoza for this one.

Captain Squire has annexed two of three at the Inglewood, California, track
and has earned century-topping BRIS Speed figures in his last three
starts since switching to the main track in June of this year. The
six-year-old gelding is a confirmed front runner and may get caught up in an
early speed trap, but he is still one to be reckoned with for trainer Jeff Mullins.
Regular rider Alex Solis has the call.

Lifestyle exits a good sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1),
where he was clearly outclassed. Usually found at the front of the pack, he was
forced to rally in that one after a troubled start where he was bumped and then
stumbled. Considering that he still outran his 55-1 odds despite the trouble, Lifestyle could be a
threat here for conditioner Wesley Ward. Hot jockey Garrett Gomez will make his
first start aboard the five-year-old bay.

TURNBOLT (Deputy Minister) will be making his first start for trainer Richard
Mandella, who has been successful at Hollywood this year. The
four-year-old chestnut has won twice in three tries at three-quarters of a mile
and his late speed makes him one to keep in mind for the exotics.

Bordonaro has emerged victorious in five of his seven career starts, but will
be starting without the presence of Gomez, who made the switch to Lifestyle. The four-year-old gelding comes off a win in the California Cup
Starter Sprint H., but faces a class check here that leads us to go against.