Lady’s Secret

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Dual champion ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) looks to push her undefeated mark
to 19 straight on Saturday while taking on only five rivals in the $250,000
Lady’s Secret S. (G1) at the Oak Tree meet, which is being held at Hollywood
Park. The 1 1/16-mile test, which the John Shirreffs trainee has captured for
the past two years, is her final prep before the dark bay tries for a title
defense in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs on November 6.
While RINTERVAL (Ire) (Desert Prince [Ire]) ran Zenyatta to a neck victory in
the Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1) last out, we don’t believe that rival can really
withstand the late rush of the super mare. Zenyatta should find no trouble in
adding this one to her perfect resume.

Rinterval is only the second horse to get that close to Zenyatta, following the
latter’s head score over Anabaa’s Creation (Ire) in last year’s
Hirsch. The Eric Reed chestnut was actually recording her second straight close
finish last out after a head second in the Chicago H. (G3) to yet another
reigning champion in Informed Decision (Monarchos). Rinterval captured the
Wintergreen S. earlier in the year and has finished off-the-board only once from
seven starts this season. The five-year-old has been preparing at Keeneland for
her second go at Zenyatta, turning a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 last Saturday,
and could be second best once again here. Rafael Bejarano retains the mount.

SWITCH (Quiet American) broke her maiden and scored in the Hollywood Oaks
(G2) over leading sophomore filly Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision) on the Cushion
Track. This will be her first start outside of the three-year-old ranks, but the
bay miss has the talent to challenge for the runner-up spot. While we don’t
think she’s on the same level as Zenyatta, the John Sadler charge is a top-notch
competitor who could easily prove best of the rest in this one. Alonso Quinonez
picks up the call.

MOON DE FRENCH (Malibu Moon), winner of half her eight career races, most
recently added a first black-type score to her line when wiring the one-mile
Adoration S. by 1 3/4 lengths. The bay mare’s BRIS numbers are on par with both
Rinterval and Switch, but we are a little concerned with her placement here
considering her two prior tries in graded events yielded well-beaten results.
Moon de French might still earn a graded placing in this one, and the addition
of Joe Talamo in the saddle can only help her chances.

SATANS QUICK CHICK (Sky Mesa) captured last October’s Raven Run S. (G2) over
Keeneland’s Polytrack, ran second while making her dirt bow in the January 30
Manatee S. at Tampa Bay Downs, and hasn’t been seen in competition since.
Returning in this spot off the more than eight-month break could prove too
difficult for the four-year-old miss, though her love for synthetic surfaces
might move her up. She’ll get a good workout here, regardless, and could pick up
a check for her troubles.

EMMY DARLING (Graeme Hall), who was claimed out of her last start, has found
stakes company too demanding for the past two seasons. We can’t recommend.