Ogden Phipps

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Champion GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) headlines a solid field of seven
fillies and mares in Saturday’s $300,000 Ogden Phipps H. (G1) at Belmont Park.
The Bobby Frankel charge rebounded from an off showing two back to dominate the
Louisville H. (G2) at Churchill Downs, but we still think the chestnut is worth trying
to beat at short odds in this affair. The problem, however, is that we love her entrymate.

SPRING WALTZ (Silver Charm) has never run a bad one, posting a 9-6-3-0 career
mark which was capped by a romp in the Rampart H. (G2) in her latest effort.
Transferred to Bobby Frankel from the Brian Lynch barn following her Gulfstream
campaign, the burgeoning five-year-old has won four races in succession at three
different venues while posting BRIS Speed figures of 100 and 106 in her last
two. The talented mare should be the beneficiary of a fast early tempo and,
although we like her at longer distances, she should be able to reel in this
bunch with her best under Javier Castellano.

Ginger Punch capped a phenomenal 2007 season with a determined score in the
Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and is the undoubted class of this field. The
Florida-bred, who was a close second in this race last year, drew the
advantageous outside post, which should ensure a good trip with her
positional speed. We would not be surprised in the least if the classy chestnut
were to win under Rafael Bejarano.

Grade 2 vixen MOON CATCHER (Malibu Moon) drew off to a convincing win versus
considerably lesser last out and vaults into top competition in this spot for
Christophe Clement. The bay four-year-old showed a good bit of class in her
sophomore campaign, taking the Delaware Oaks (G2) and Susan’s Girl S. before concluding
the year with a facile score in the Maryland Millions Oaks. The
Maryland-bred has no concerns with the trip, sporting a 4-3-0-0 mark at 1 1/16
miles, and she’s trained forwardly in advance of this, so we’ll give her a
chance at a top-three finish with a dream trip.

Darley homebred GOLDEN VELVET (Seeking the Gold) rolled home a convincing, 3
1/2-length winner of the Sixty Sails H. (G3) last out and is in career form for
Kiaran McLaughlin. The well-bred five-year-old was a useful third to our top
choice in the Rampart, and although we’re not certain if she’s made up
that much ground on Spring Waltz, the one-turn here could play into her
tactical hands. Eibar Coa will be in the irons.

MISTICAL PLAN (Game Plan) drew the rail and could be the speed of the race,
so the Doug O’Neill charge may be one for the gimmicks at a square price. The
Grade 2 queen has raced just twice in 2008, with little to show for it, but a
return to the dirt could be the wake-up call that the bay filly needs in order
to put her best hoof forward. Cornelio Velasquez has the call.

COWGIRLS DON’T CRY (Pure Prize) ran the race of her life to take the Shuvee
H. (G2) in front-running fashion last out and gives McLaughlin a strong duo in
this race. The speedy chestnut had struggled with top competition
prior to the Shuvee and looks a cut below the best in here, but she’s improving
and should be in the thick of it from the word go. The four-year-old is
cross-entered to Churchill Downs’ Fleur de Lis H. (G2), but we’ll use her to
finish off some vertical plays under Mike Luzzi if she shows up here.

SPECTACULAR MALIBU (Malibu Moon) has been off the board just once in nine
career outings and hails from the heady Michael Trombetta barn, but it’s hard
for us to envision this one putting fear into this field in the stretch.