Rancho Bernardo

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Three-year-old fillies figure prominently in Friday’s $200,000 Ranch Bernardo
H. (G3) at Del Mar, with CARLSBAD (Rocky Bar), EVITA ARGENTINA (Candy Ride
[Arg]) and LADY LUMBERJACK (Forestry) stealing the spotlight from their elders,
and we’ll tab the former for a wire-to-wire victory.

A smashing winner in her first four starts at Turf Paradise, Carlsbad was
transferred to Jeff Mullins and captured the 6 1/2-furlong Santa Paula S. (G3)
by 3 1/4 lengths in her Southern California debut. She weakened to second in the
Railbird S. (G3) next out, but the dark bay sophomore miss was able to carry her
speed wire to wire in the 8 1/2-furlong Hollywood Oaks (G2) next out, winning by
a half-length. Her last start in the grassy San Clemente H. (G2) looks like a
throw out — she posted early splits in :21 2/5 and :45 before tiring — but the
Arizona-bred should relish the cut back to 6 1/2 panels on Friday. She’s got a
big chance as the probable lone speed.

After missing by a half-length in the Hollywood Oaks, Lady Lumberjack bounced
back with a solid allowance score at Hollywood Park over this distance. The
stalker settled for third last time behind Evita Argentina in the A Gleam H.
(G2) at Hollywood Park, but that race set up for a closer with rapid early
fractions. There’s little speed in this field, and the Julio Canani-trained
runner should sit a good trip close to the pace beneath Rafael Bejarano before
offering her best run.

Evita Argentina appears to be back on track for John Sadler, registering a
career-best 100 BRIS Speed rating for her two-length tally in the A Gleam last
time, but this event may not set up well for the deep closer. Speed has been
dangerous all meet in 6 1/2-furlong sprints, but we can’t completely dismiss the
chestnut in her first start back on Del Mar’s Polytrack this year. Evita
Argentina upset Stardom Bound (Tapit) in the 2008 Sorrento S. (G2), and the
classy Kentucky-bred figures to be rolling in the stretch here.

ASHLEY’S KITTY (Tale of the Cat) is two for two at Del Mar, winning an August
16 allowance/optional claiming event most recently for Ted West, and the
five-year-old mare will be forwardly placed from the start with her tactical
speed. We give her a chance to hold for a minor award at good odds under Joe
Talamo.

SHE’S CHEEKY (Black Minnaloushe) brings solid BRIS numbers into this event
and looks like an exotics contender from post 9 under Alex Solis. Outside posts
have fared well in 6 1/2 furlongs sprints this meet, and She’s Cheeky exits a
respectable fourth in the A Gleam in which she passed rivals in the final
furlongs. We won’t be surprised to see her keep moving forward for trainer Peter
Eurton, and we’ll use her on the bottom of some exotics. STOLEN HEART (Ecton
Park) likes Del Mar (3-1-0-2), but her Speed ratings don’t look fast enough for
her challenge in her graded bow.

MOON DE FRENCH (Malibu Moon) won her first two starts easily for Bob Baffert,
but the promising four-year-old filly faltered as the 1-5 favorite when making
her Del Mar debut last time versus allowance/optional claiming rivals. We’ll
give her a start at this level. SO LONG SONOMA (American Chance) likes the local
oval (4-1-2-1), but she probably needs an easier spot to be effective. Grade 1
winner GOLDEN DOC A (Unusual Heat) has dropped 13 straight starts since winning
the 2008 Las Virgenes S. (G1), and we can’t envision her being a factor in this
spot given her recent form.