Affirmed

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The Triple Crown may be over, but there are several important three-year-old
contests yet to be decided. The march toward the July 12 Swaps S. (G2) begins on
Sunday at Hollywood Park when eight colts and geldings travel 1 1/16 miles in
the $100,000 Affirmed H. (G3). Norfolk S. (G1) winner DIXIE CHATTER (Dixie
Union) figures to be tough in his second start of the season as does the once beaten
Grade 3 winner TWO STEP SALSA (Petionville), but the upset selection is WIND’S
LEGACY (Millennium Wind).

Seventh and third in his first two starts, Wind’s Legacy began to show
promise at Hollywood’s fall meet last year, scoring back-to-back wins in a
seven-furlong maiden and a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance. His return to the
races took a long time, however, and in the May 18 Lazaro Barrera Memorial S.
(G3) going seven furlongs, Wind’s Legacy showed signs of rust when beaten
slightly more than six lengths by Two Step Salsa, who had won two of three entering
the Barrera. The situation should be slightly different in the Affirmed, with
Wind’s Legacy likely to take a step forward at a distance he has already won
over. In addition, the midpack stalker should see a sensible pace up front.

Another likely to benefit from an honest pace is Dixie Chatter. Like Wind’s
Legacy, Dixie Chatter wasn’t at the top of his game when making his seasonal
debut in the Barrera, finishing 5 1/4 lengths adrift in third. The Richard
Mandella charge figures to be tighter for this contest, and earned a solid 108
Late Pace figure when rallying behind moderate fractions to take the Norfolk at
this trip in September.

Two Step Salsa, undefeated over Cushion Track, suffered his only loss when
second in a six-furlong turf allowance two back. He will be trying something new
— a route of ground — in the Affirmed, and so far the Julio Canani trainee has
been a one-dimensional front-runner on Cushion Track. While certainly bred to
get the distance, potential pressure from the likes of TRES BORRACHOS (Ecton
Park) might leave him with little in the reserve for the stretch. Tres Borrachos
stumbled at the start of the Preakness S. (G1) last time and thus not did not
show his customary speed, which undoubtedly played a major role in his
ninth-place effort. He finished third in the Arkansas Derby (G2) and El Camino
Real Derby (G3) in his two starts before then, and thus has some some back class
to fall back on.

The Arizona-bred EZ DREAMER (In Excess [Ire]) might be a bit underrated
having spent a large part of his career racing at Turf Paradise, but the multiple
stakes winner has fared well in previous California engagements, most recently
finishing two lengths third in the Will Rogers S. (G3) over turf. His lack of
experience over Cushion Track might pose a problem, though.

Three of the top four finishers of the May 24 Alydar S. return in the
Affirmed. TREVOR’S CLEVER (Stephen Got Even), who upset the race at 17-1, may be
hard-pressed to repeat in the Affirmed given his status as a former claimer who
struggled to pass his first allowance condition prior the Alydar. EXUMA (Ecton
Park), who finished third in that nine-furlong prep, is going well now but will
need to quicken in order to handle the top players, while fourth-place BINGHAM
(Monarchos) also needs to find more in order to pull off the upset.