Fifth Season

ARCH HALL (Archers Bay) rates our top choice in Wednesday’s $100,000 Fifth
Season S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The Anthony Reinstedler trainee comes off a
clear, second-place effort to Purim (Dynaformer) in the 1 1/16-mile Razorback
Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) and won his seasonal debut the race prior, earning a 110
BRIS Late Pace rating for that trip. The consistent five-year-old owns two stakes victories and an
overall record of 7-4-2-1 at this distance. Our only concern is the lack of
confirmed front runners in the field, but Arch Hall has shown the ability to
stay close to the early pace and finish strongly in the past.

On paper, PROSPECTIVE KISS (Prospect Bay) is the lone speed horse. The Steve
Hobby trainee comes off back-to-back victories around two turns here and could
be hard to run down in his stakes debut. He figures to set sail for the early
lead under Carlos Marquez Jr., who is seeking his fourth straight victory aboard
the chestnut.

GREATER GOOD (Intidab), winner of the Southwest S. and Rebel S (G3) last
year, finished a non-threatening fourth in the Razorback. Since then, the Bob
Holthus trainee worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:12. The four-year-old will be
equipped with blinkers for this event and we expect significant improvement. He
must be respected for a top three finish.

KID GRINDSTONE (Grindstone) finished a fast-closing second to Prospective
Kiss in his 2006 debut. The Michael Campbell trainee drew the inside post
position and is
eligible to move forward in his second start off the shelf. He may add value to
the exotics. SILVER AXE (Silver Ghost) finished a good third in the Essex and
then fourth as the favorite in a stakes race at Evangeline Downs. He has some
upset potential for conditioner Tom Amoss.

The Steve Asmussen-trained REAL DANDY (Yankee Victor) has been dull in two
starts at this track this season, finishing seventh in the Essex H. (G3) and
sixth in the Razorback. He has the look of an underlay at 7-2 on the morning
line. STRATOSTAR (Pulpit) ships in from Santa Anita for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
He has a sharp work over this surface and may come alive with these. Consider at
square odds.