Talented sprinter FABULOUS STRIKE (Smart Strike), who was last seen romping
by 5 3/4 lengths in the September 30 Vosburgh S. (G1), will return to action in
Saturday’s $75,000
Vincent
A. Moscarelli Memorial S. at Delaware Park. As implied by his 6-5
morning-line odds, the Todd Beattie charge enjoys a sizeable class edge over his
six rivals.
Fabulous Strike has won nine times, and placed second once, from 14 career
starts. Seven of those victories have come in stakes, including an 11-length
triumph in the 2006 Christmas S. at Mountaineer and convincing scores in last
year’s Aristides S. (G3) at Churchill Downs and the Vosburgh at Belmont The dark
bay gelding ranked as one of the top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint
(G1) at Monmouth, but was forced to skip the race when diagnosed with a lung
infection.
The five-year-old Fabulous Strike has been training forwardly at his Penn
National base. Posting a steady series of works since late April, he turned in a
bullet five-furlong move in :58 3/5 on June 7. Ramon Dominguez will guide
Fabulous Strike from post 5 in the six-furlong Moscarelli.
Dominguez is also named aboard CAVALLO PAZZO (Mt. Livermore), the 4-1 second
choice on the morning line who just captured an allowance/optional claiming
event at Monmouth on Sunday. Two back, the Tony Dutrow trainee was runner-up in
the May 26 Damitrius S. at this track and trip while making his first start in
16 months. The chestnut gelding is drawn widest of all in post 7.
Other contenders include multiple stakes scorer FIVE STEPS (Yarrow Brae), who
has not raced since his runner-up effort in the Maryland Million Classic S. last
fall, and SOUTHERN MISSILE (Devil His Due), a near-miss second in the May 30
Changing Times S.