Pan American

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The respective top three finishers from the February 21 Mac Diarmida S. (G2)
— PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem), QUASICOBRA (Wild Rush) and SPICE ROUTE (GB)
(King’s Best) — will square off yet again on Saturday in the $150,000 Pan
American S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Spice Route finished 1 1/2 lengths back of
Presious Passion on that day, but we think the chestnut will get the win with
the extra distance in this 1 1/2-mile turf event.

Trained by Roger Attfield, Spice Route made up a lot of ground in the Mac
Diarmida before he found his progress checked in the final turn. The Grade
3-winning five-year-old recovered and went on to take third, but that checking
incident could have cost him valuable momentum. Spice Route is no stranger to 12
furlongs, just missing by a length when fifth in the Northern Dancer S. (Can-G1)
to eventual Hollywood Turf Cup (G1) hero Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill) and
runner-up next out in the Canadian International (Can-G1). The gelding will get
James McAleney, aboard for those two races, returning to the saddle on Saturday.

Presious Passion is the defending champion of the Pan American and also won
last year’s United Nations S. (G1) and W. L. McKnight H. (G2). The Mary
Hartman-conditioned six-year-old began 2009 with a close runner-up effort in the
Sunshine Millions Turf prior to his Mac Diarmida score most recently. The
chestnut gelding earned a nice 103 BRIS Speed rating as well as a 115 BRIS E2
Pace figure for that win, and could easily add a second Pan American to his
resume with Elvis Trujillo taking up the reins.

Quasicobra is still seeking his first stakes victory following a second in
the Mac Diarmida and a third in the 2007 Arlington Classic (G3). The Dale Romans
charge spent all of 2008 running against allowance company, rounding out the
year with a pair of wins, but jumped up in a big way in his seasonal bow in the
1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida. The dark bay gelding earned a 103 Speed figure, same as
Presious Passion, and could enhance his record with another graded placing. Alan
Garcia has the call.

BUDDY’S HUMOR (Distorted Humor) captured a pair of stakes last year and was
second in the one-mile Canadian Turf S. (G3) in his most recent start. The bay
five-year-old may prefer a little less ground than what this one offers, but he
still has a shot at the gimmicks against this field. SOUTH HANDYMAN (Arg)
(Southern Halo) was no stranger to Group 1 company while running in Venezuela,
but didn’t show much when making his U.S. debut last out. He may have just
needed some time to acclimate, so consider for the exotics at a good price.

SLIGOVITZ (Sligo Bay [Ire]) was second in last year’s Breeders’ S. at
Woodbine going the distance, and his numbers indicate he could earn a share,
especially with John Velazquez in the irons. NERGAL (Fr) (Simon du Desert) may
not be able to keep up with these.