El Encino J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

The El Encino S. (G2) will be due an upgrade to Grade 1 status if it keeps
producing standouts like recent winners Zenyatta and Life is Sweet (Storm Cat),
and Sunday’s edition features a couple of distinguished four-year-old fillies in
STARDOM BOUND (Tapit) and JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE (Dixie Union). The latter will make
her synthetic debut in the 1 1/16-mile event, and we’ll tab the Bill Mott
trainee for top honors.

A maiden scorer at Belmont Park in October 2008, Justwhistledixie blossomed
last winter at Gulfstream Park, registering big BRIS Speed numbers for
convincing victories in the Davona Dale S. (G2) and Bonnie Miss S. (G2), but she was
forced to miss the Kentucky Oaks (G1) due to a minor injury. She returned from
the setback with a runner-up in the Acorn S. (G1), but spent nearly six months
on the sidelines afterward. Making her first start for Mott in late November,
the dark bay finished second, beaten a half-length by Sara Louise (Malibu Moon),
in the one-mile Top Flight H. (G2). That race served a good tightener, and we’ll
look for her to open her four-year-old campaign on a strong note. Garret Gomez
picks up the mount on the stalker, who figures to sit close with her tactical
speed, and Justwhistledixie shows a solid drill over the Pro-Ride in
preparation.

Champion Stardom Bound loves Pro-Ride (four-for-four) and her only two wins
last year came at Santa Anita, in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Las Virgenes S. (G1).
The gray is a ferocious closer, notching BRIS Late Pace ratings as high as 115,
and she’ll be difficult to beat if at the top of her game. We do have some
concerns about her fitness, with her only start since early April being a dull
fifth in the Gazelle S. (G1) at Aqueduct in November, but conditioner Richard Dutrow
isn’t known for sending out short horses. She appears to be training well for
her Southern California return, so it won’t be surprising to see a winning rally
under Mike Smith.

ROSE DIAMOND (Ire) (Daylami [Ire]) rates consideration for an upset and looms
as a live contender for the top three. A maiden winner in England, the gray lass
captured her U.S. debut sprinting down the hillside turf at Santa Anita in October,
but
regressed slightly when finishing a close fourth in an allowance/optional
claiming event at Hollywood next time out. Dismissed at long odds in the La Brea
S.
(G1) last time, she appeared hopelessly beaten at the back of the pack before
unleashing a wicked late run in the stretch, gobbling up ground and opponents to
finish fourth, less than a length back of second. We’re inclined to think that
she’ll keep improving off her encouraging showing last time, and her BRIS Speed
and Late Pace numbers are very respectable. The Patrick Biancone pupil should be
flying late with Joe Talamo.

Unbeaten GILDED GEM (Smarty Jones) will step up to face stakes rivals for the
first time, and the Bob Baffert pupil has registered a pair of commendable wins
over maiden special weight and allowance foes. We like the 94 BRIS Speed rating
she earned for her 2 1/4-length score over the Pro-Ride last time, and the bay
has the pedigree to handle her two-turn debut. The outside post (10) isn’t
favorable, but she’s eligible to make her presence felt from just off the pace.

ELOQUENTLY (GB) (Dansili [GB]) broke her maiden on an all-weather track in
England and has made both U.S. starts on the turf. She’s shown promise in her
abbreviated career, but this will be her first outing since July and is an
ambitious placing for the maiden winner. We have a ton of respect for trainer
John Sadler, though, and Eloquently could possibly add value to the bottom of
the exotics. FREEDOM STAR (Street Cry [Ire) exits a pair of good-looking,
wire-to-wire decisions over lesser rivals, and the speedster will have to hustle
from post 13 in this spot. She’s a threat to hold for part considering her
recent improvement in form, but we’re concerned that she’ll be pushed too hard
in the early stages.

Two-time stakes vixen WILL O WAY (Broken Vow) has kept good company
throughout her career, but we can’t recommend off her recent efforts. BEST LASS
(Werblin) has earned some respectable Speed numbers in the past, but she hasn’t
shown enough in her previous synthetic starts for us to back with any
confidence. Juvenile Grade 1 winner DREAM EMPRESS (Bernstein) ran her best races
in 2008. She’s earned disappointing BRIS Speed ratings in her last four starts
and will need to improve significantly to challenge.

State-bred stakes winner PRETTY UNUSUAL (Unusual Heat) didn’t run well in two
previous attempts at the graded level and dropped her last effort versus
allowance/optional claiming rivals. GUMPTION (More Than Ready) will be tested
for class in her stakes bow. SPIRIT SEEKER (Peace Rules) will likely show speed
from post 11 but appears unlikely to sustain it. Former claimer DAVE’S REVENGE
(The Cliff’s Edge) looks overmatched at this level.