San Luis Rey

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

SPRING HOUSE (Chester House) is the horse to beat in Saturday’s 150,000 San
Luis Rey H. (G2). Trained by Julio Canani, the seven-year-old gelding likes the
course at Santa Anita and is a three-time winner at the 1 1/2-mile distance. He
enters in good form, rallying to a half-length score in the San Luis Obispo H.
(G2) on February 22, and we like the fact that he’s worked twice since. Spring
House doesn’t always stack up well against Grade 1 company, but he’s the class
of this field and rates top honors with Alex Solis.

We’ll look for some value in the exacta with YOU GOT ME ROCKING (Aljabr). The
front-running gray gelding looks like the lone speed in this spot, and he will
enter this event off a confidence-building win over allowance/optional claiming
rivals at Santa Anita. That was the five-year-old’s first start of the year, and
we won’t be surprised to see further improvement. Mike Mitchell is winning at a
healthy 27 percent rate this meet, and You Got Me Rocking is a threat to lead
all the way beneath Tyler Baze.

ARTISTE ROYAL (Ire) (Danehill) wheels back off a 14-day rest for Neil
Drysdale after recording a fast-finishing fifth in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1).
The one-mile distance was too short for him, and the eight-year-old will likely
appreciate the stretch-out to 1 1/2 miles. Winner of the San Marcos S. (G2) two
back, Artiste Royal likes the turf at Santa Anita and owns excellent BRIS Speed
and Late Pace ratings. He’s a logical win threat under Rafael Bejarano.

BONJOUR (NZ) (Frenchpark [GB]) made his U.S. debut last summer but didn’t
show much stateside until this winter, winning a couple of allowance/optional
claiming events prior to a close fourth in the San Luis Obispo last time. The
nine-year-old gelding might prefer a little less ground than 12 furlongs, but
Bonjour still merits consideration for the exotics given his good current form.

MEDICI CODE (GB) (Medicean) has turned in some respectable efforts in his
last five starts for Darrell Vienna, and we won’t be surprised to see a strong
showing from the five-year-old gelding here. The chestnut owns commendable BRIS
numbers, but he hasn’t won since 2007 and doesn’t own much experience at 1 1/2
miles. We’ll have to let him beat us.

MIDSHIPS (Mizzen Mast) offered a big run for third in the Hollywood Derby
(G1) two starts back, but he ran poorly last time as the heavy favorite in You
Got Me Rocking’s
allowance/optional claiming event. The gray is a candidate to
turn things around, but we have our doubts and can’t recommend his chances. ON
FIRE (Pulpit) has the potential to develop into a solid stakes performer, but he
looks overmatched at this point in his career.