Nassau County

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Seven three-year-old fillies will head to the gate in Saturday’s $200,000
Nassau County S. (G3) at Belmont Park, and CAROLYN’S CAT (Forestry) is the one
to beat in the seven-furlong test. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained chestnut has
captured her past two over the inner dirt at Aqueduct, posting a 3 3/4-length
score in the Cicada S. (G3) and a five-length victory in the T Storm S. She
earned a 103 BRIS Speed rating for that latter race, and a 107 BRIS E2 Pace
figure for her graded win. Carolyn’s Cat will get Alan Garcia back in the
saddle, and the pair look to make it three in a row.

READY FOR FORTUNE (More Than Ready) has the best chance to beat Carolyn’s
Cat. The dark bay lass began her career in California, but was transferred to
trainer Gary Contessa and shipped east to New York. She proceeded to take the
Dearly Precious S. at Aqueduct, then ran second to our top pick in the Cicada.
Ready For Fortune filled that same spot in the Comely S. (G2) going a mile last
out, and could use the cutback in distance here to challenge for it all. Rajiv
Maragh will be aboard for the first time.

J Z WARRIOR (Harlan’s Holiday) broke her maiden by 10 lengths at Saratoga in
her juvenile finale, then reappeared to take a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at
Gulfstream Park off a six-month break. She bounced a bit in her next one,
finishing a well-beaten fifth in the Davona Dale S. (G2), but rounded back into
form to just miss by a neck in the Meafara S. last out. The Bill Mott trainee
will be tough in the exotics under Joe Bravo.

ZAFTIG (Gone West) captured her maiden in her second try by 8 3/4 lengths
while going the Nassau distance and immediately stepped up to face graded
competition next out, running a nice fourth in the Comely. If the James Jerkens
charge shows any improvement in this spot, she’ll be hard to catch. Jorge Chavez
has the call. IRISH SMOKE (Smoke Glacken) returns here for new trainer Richard
Dutrow off a six-month break,
making her last start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She won the Spinaway S. (G1) last September at Saratoga and would need to return to that
form to challenge in this spot. We’ll tab for the bottom of the gimmicks in her
seasonal bow under Stewart Elliott.

DAGGER (Tactical Cat) scored in her last race by five lengths while sprinting
at Aqueduct, but hasn’t been able to win against stakes competition in the
past. We’ll let her beat us. PAINT ME RED (Red Bullet) doesn’t appear quick
enough to keep up with these.