True North

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) hero BENNY THE BULL (Lucky Lionel) is the
marquee attraction of the eight entered in the $250,000 True North H. (G2), and
we’re going to try to upend the Richard Dutrow trainee on this occasion.

THOR’S ECHO (Swiss Yodeler), winner of the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1),
was purchased and aimed at the 2007 Shaheen, but could only muster a sixth-place
finish in that one, which was the last time the chestnut was seen. Now back in
the hands of Doug O’Neill, the six-year-old has trained steadily since March in
preparation for this event and he’s as good as these on
his best day, so it would be foolish to ignore the classy dasher. Garrett Gomez
takes the call on the California-bred, who should be prominent from the outset.

Benny the Bull impressed us a great deal in the Sunshine Millions Sprint,
when the five-year-old was into the race early and drew away late. A one-run
closer in the early stages of his career, the Florida-bred has transformed into
a complete sprinter and is the undoubted class of the field, but that trip to
Dubai may have taken something out of him and it seems like a good time to upset
the likely favorite.

ABRAAJ (Carson City) dominated a high-quality allowance group most recently
and rates a chance at an upset for Kiaran McLaughlin. The Kentucky-bred has
fired before at Belmont, evidenced by his 4-2-1-1 mark at this venue, and all
four of his lifetime wins are at this trip, so the improving five-year-old
merits respect on those facts alone. The bay has earned triple-digit BRIS Speed
figures in three of his last four and could be a big threat with only minor
improvement. Alan Garcia will be in the irons.

SUAVE JAZZ (Suave Prospect) was second in this race a year ago, but the Tony
Dutrow trainee faces an infinitely better field in this running. Last seen
running a solid second in the Maryland Sprint H. (G3), the gelded
five-year-old has finished first or second in 20 of his 29 lifetime tries, so
we’ll throw him in the gimmicks beneath Ramon Dominguez. 

Speedball MAN OF DANGER (Tiger Ridge) is in career form for Bruce Levine and
enters this fray off a solid runner-up showing in the Bold Ruler H. (G3) over
this strip. The six-year-old gelding has sharp early speed and has held well
against some good competition as of late, but the outside draw and expected hot
pace could lead to his undoing in the latter stages. John Velazquez will be in
the irons.

SAINT DAIMON (Saint Ballado) drew the rail and smoked five-eighths in :59 3/5
in advance of this, so we will consider the Allen Jerkens charge for the exotics
in here. The gelded five-year-old is clearly not as talented as many of these,
but he sports a solid 9-4-1-1 mark at this distance and has won twice over the
oval. Jeffrey Sanchez has the call.

COUNCIL MEMBER (Seattle Slew) has finished unplaced in his past five outings and
comes back on short rest for John Hertler, leading us to pass. STORM IN MAY
(Tiger Ridge) has been in awful form and picked a tough spot to break out of his
funk, so we’ll pass on the Florida-bred.