AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS
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BED O’ ROSES BREEDERS’ CUP H. (G2), 8TH-AQU, $150,000, 3YO/UP, F/M, 7F, 4:21 P.M. EDT, 4-22 |
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| 1 | ANNIKA LASS, 5, m, by Mister JolieMandy Tweedy, by Cherokee Colony O-Millennium Farms; B-Heiligbrodt Racing Stable (Fl) |
| 2 | TRICKLE OF GOLD, 4, f, by Formal GoldTricky Starlet, by Tricky Fun O-Murphy Sr John D; B-John D. Murphy (Ky) |
| 3 | MAGNOLIA JACKSON, 4, f, by Cape CanaveralJust a Bullet, by Jolie’s Halo O-Taylor Ted; B-Sez Who Thoroughbreds (NY) |
| 4 | SLEW MOTION, 4, f, by Slew Gin FizzInthemiddleofitall, by Proper Reality O-Ieah Stables Curragh Stables Diamond; B-Bill Terrill & Bob Noble (NY) |
| 5 | GRECIAN LOVER, 4, f, by Friendly LoverGrecian Flight, by Cormorant O-Streicher Judson L; B-Henry C. B. Lindh (Fl) |
| 6 | GREAT INTENTIONS, 4, f, by Cat ThiefPacket, by Polish Navy O-Schwartz Barry K; B-R Alex Rankin R Lenihan & P Lenihan (Ky) |
| 7 | SMUGGLER, 4, f, by UnbridledInside Information, by Private Account O-Phipps Stable; B-Ogden Mills Phipps (Ky) |
Champion SMUGGLER (Unbridled) makes her return to the races on Saturday in
Aqueduct’s $150,000 Bed o’ Roses Breeders’ Cup S. (G2), and we can’t pick against
the talented miss despite the more than nine-month break. Trained by Shug
McGaughey, the bay miss has yet to finish worse than second from seven career
starts. Among her wins are scores in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and
Mother Goose S. (G1), and she earned three consecutive triple-digit BRIS Speed
ratings prior to going on the shelf last summer. Smuggler has experience winning
at Aqueduct, taking an allowance in her second career start on the main track,
and looks to dominate here on class alone. Edgar Prado has the call.
Of Smuggler’s six rivals, MAGNOLIA JACKSON (Cape Canaveral) has the best
chance to overcome the probable favorite. The bay four-year-old has spent her
entire career in New York, most recently running second by just a neck in the
Distaff Breeders’ Cup H. (G2). Prior to that one, she strung together three
straight victories, including the Correction H. and Broadway H. over Aqueduct’s
inner dirt. She earned a 101 Speed figure for her Distaff runner-up as well as a
107 BRIS E2 Pace rating. Magnolia Jackson could come with a game enough rally
under Norberto Arroyo Jr. to take down a champion making her return.
SLEW MOTION (Slew Gin Fizz) will need to replay the effort from her previous
race, a second in the Fickle Fanny S. going the seven-furlong distance, to
threaten here, but the Richard Dutrow charge has shown enough improvement to do
so. The dark bay lass earned a career-best 105 Speed rating for that race while
making her 2006 bow. A Grade 2 runner-up from last year, she could get loose on
the front end and lead gate to wire. Richard Migliore will be aboard.
TRICKLE OF GOLD (Formal Gold) started off last year with a second in an
allowance, but then proceeded to capture her next six races, including the
Safely Kept Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) and Anne Arundel S. She ended her sophomore
season with an eighth-place finish in the La Brea S. (G1), and obviously needed
her first race back when fifth in the January 21 First Lady H. (G3), her last
start. Trickle of Gold earned the numbers last year to challenge in this spot,
so consider for all exotics.
GREAT INTENTIONS (Cat Thief) ran fifth in the Distaff Breeders’ Cup last out
off a win in the Flip’s Pleasure S. She broke her maiden by 6 3/4 lengths over
Aqueduct’s main dirt and owns the numbers to be in the top three here. ANNIKA
LASS (Mister Jolie) finished third by just three parts of a length in the
Distaff Breeders’ Cup, her first race of the year for trainer Steve Asmussen. She could continue to improve and might factor into the bottom of the
gimmicks in this spot.
GRECIAN LOVER (Friendly Lover) will be making her stakes debut here and might
not be able to keep up with these. We’ll let her beat us.