Top Flight

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Grade 1 winner POOL LAND (Silver Deputy) returned from a near 11-month layoff
to capture the Beautiful Pleasure S. last out on September 26, and the
five-year-old mare will return to the graded ranks in Friday’s $150,000 Top
Flight H. (G2) at Aqueduct. She’s the only graded winner in the eight-horse field, and the
Tom Albertrani runner appears capable of dominating on the front end with her
speed. Eddie Castro, who is very good with speed horses, will pick up the mount.

ALTESSE (A.P. Indy) lost all chance when her rein broke in the Turn Back the
Alarm H. (G3) last time, but the Shug McGaughey pupil is eligible to rebound
here. She recorded a sharp 2 1/4-length score in the Heavenly Prize S. at
Saratoga and finished a solid second to Pool Land three starts back in the
aforementioned Beautiful Pleasure. Altesse is also two-for-two on wet tracks,
and it could be wet on Friday. She owns good tactical speed and looms as the
best upset candidate.

LADY MARLBORO (Smoke Glacken) exits a sharp five-length score in the Life’s
Magic S. at Belmont Park,  registering a 110 BRIS Late Pace rating, and she could be rallying late here under Javier Castellano.
We like the three works she’s posted since her last start on October 12 and will
use her in the top three.

MINI SERMON (Pulpit) will make her first stakes appearance versus elders, and
the Todd Pletcher-trained sophomore will attempt to regain her winning ways
after reeling off four straight victories earlier this season. The gray lass is
bred to handle a wet surface, but she hasn’t seen a wet track since her career
debut. Mini Sermon will likely show speed under Eibar Coa, and she’s a threat to
hold for a top three placing.

GOLDEN VELVET (Seeking the Gold) steps up off a facile victory over
allowance/optional claiming rivals in her U.S. debut. The Kiaran McLaughlin
trainee was a good turf runner overseas, but we’ll just watch to see how she
handles the main track here versus stakes foes. CINDY’S MOM (A.P. Indy) might
move up on a wet track given her breeding, but the four-year-old miss doesn’t
own a winning attitude and she could leave herself too much to do from off the
pace on Friday.

LOST ETIQUETTE (Lost Soldier) probably needs an easier spot to be effective.
BABY BIRD (Cape Town) didn’t handle the slop last time, and we question how
effective the four-year-old miss can be in this spot.