Vosburgh

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Nine will travel six panels in the $350,000 Vosburgh S. (G1) at Belmont on
Saturday to kick off a handful of Grade 1 races, and we think GIROLAMO (A.P.
Indy) will roll over this field for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. The talented
four-year-old has raced just once in 2010, finishing fifth in the competitive
Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga, but returns to the place where he crushed his foes
in the Jerome H. (G2) last campaign. The dark bay has useful tactical speed and
a strong late kick, and while we think he’s better at distances slightly longer
than this, we envision his class kicking in during the latter part under
Alan Garcia.

The smart SNAPSHOT (Awesome Again) has run some races that would be
competitive with this group for conditioner Bill Mott, and we wouldn’t be
surprised to see this one in the hunt late under Kent Desormeaux. A clear second
in the True North H. (G2) two races back, the dark bay colt is proven at the
trip and has enough early speed to be a factor from the word go, so we must use
him here. It’s worth noting that his best two races have come over this oval.

Multiple stakes hero DRIVEN BY SUCCESS (Precise End) hasn’t landed in the
deepest Grade 1 event ever carded and surely has a chance for a top-three finish
for conditioner Todd Pletcher. The gelded Empire State-bred is very quick and
should be able to take advantage of the rail post under John Velazquez, and we
expect to see this one in the mix from the opening bell.

The speedy WALL STREET WONDER (City Place) could take this field into the
turn for trainer John Terranova, but with three inner-dirt wins at Aqueduct and
another on an all-weather surface, we can’t endorse his chances at the win on
this day. We’ll toss the four-year-old in some of our vertical plays, though.

Former $7,500 claimer TEMECULA CREEK (Gulch) has shown huge improvement
since joining the Rudy Rodriguez barn and was a solid second in the Icecapade S.
at Monmouth in his latest venture. Fifth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G1) two
prior, the intriguing chestnut is not our top pick to take this race, but we
could see a scenario where he closes late for a minor award. Cornelio Velasquez
gets back aboard the six-year-old.

RILEY TUCKER (Harlan’s Holiday), winner of the Aristides S. (G3) in the
spring, clearly has ability but doesn’t fit the profile of a Grade 1 winner for
us in his 28th career try. Ramon Dominguez will ride. WILDCAT BRIEF (Forest
Wildcat) is better this season than in his previous campaign, but he must prove to us
that he can do it at a venue other than Monmouth Park before we jump on board.

GOLDEN SPIKES (Seeking the Gold) hasn’t finished better than fifth in five
straight outings and can’t be backed here. Improving sophomore LATIGO SHORE
(Malibu Moon) comes off a belated run to be third in the King’s Bishop S. (G1)
but lacks the prior form and class to upend this field.