Sunday, January 31, 2010

Sunday preview: She Be Wild returns

Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly She Be Wild makes her 2010 debut in a loaded field, as she goes postward this afternoon in the Grade II Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream.


The daughter of Offlee Wild has won four of five starts, with her only defeat a second in the Grade I Alcibiades. Last time out, she won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies under jockey Julien Leparoux (himself now an Eclipse winner), who will be back aboard today. A Wayne Catalano trainee, She Be Wild is making her first start on conventional dirt and breaks from post 6 in a full field of 13 for the seven furlong event.


The multiple-Grade I -placed Bickersons returns from California, where she won the Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood in late 2009. Joe Bravo will be aboard as they break from far outside, in post 12.


Ailalea won the Grade III Tempted at Aqueduct last time out and the undefeated Richiegirlgonewild won the six furlong, Grade III Old Hat Stakes here last time out. The presence of Richiegirlgonewild, who hasn't yet been beyond six furlongs, ensures a fast pace, and a filly like Ailalea could benefit. Edgar Prado is aboard the daughter of Pulpit for Todd Pletcher.


A nine furlong allowance on the Forward Gal undercard includes a couple of interesting 3-year-olds who will be trying to step up into the Fountain of Youth Stakes in late February.


Bill Mott sends out Drosselmeyer, a son of Distorted Humor and the Grade I winner Golden Ballet. The colt broke his maiden last November at Churchill Downs when stretched out to a mile around two turns. Kent Desormeaux was aboard and will be back up today. Pulsion was second in the Norfolk to eventual 2-year-old champion Lookin at Lucky. He finished off the board with a troubled trip in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and runs back for the first time today. Leparoux will be aboard for trainer Patrick Biancone.

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Evita Argentina makes her 4-year-old debut in the Grade I, seven furlong Santa Monica at Santa Anita. The filly defeated males in the San Vicinte last spring, knocked off older females in the A Gleam at Hollywood over the summer, and capped off her year with a last-to-first win in the Grade I La Brea here in late December. Regular rider Joel Rosario is aboard the daughter of Candy Ride, as she breaks from the three under co-highweight of 120 pounds.


Free Flying Soul was third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint; she followed that performance up with wins in the ungraded Winter Stakes and Kalookan Queen Handicap. Mike Smith is aboard this contender, who breaks from the six.


Proviso, a solid competitor overseas, crossed the wire first but was disqualified in the Spinster last fall, then was fourth in the Ladies' Classic; she returns from that freshening and breaks from the seven under Rafael Bejerano. Diamondrella, a two-time Grade I winner in 2009, drew the rail under Garrett Gomez. Gabby's Golden Gal won the Acorn last June, but returned from a five-month layoff to finish off the board here in the La Brea. She drew the outside post, 11, under Martin Garcia.

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In modern American racing, where speed on the dirt is prized above anything and horses with those qualities often head to the breeding shed early, that veteran main-track marathoner is the rarest of creatures. The best on the New York circuit meet again in this afternoon’s Coyote Lakes Stakes at Aqueduct, a 1 5/8 mile affair.


Tiger’s Rock and Nite Light, Todd Pletcher stablemates who ran 1-2 in the Gallant Fox over this same trip on New Year’s Eve, headline the field. Tiger’s Rock was relatively inexperienced when he upset that race by four lengths; he has three wins, all at 12 furlongs or more, from just six starts. He gets David Cohen aboard and leaves from the outside post in the field of seven.


Nite Light, a son of champion mare Lite Light, drew the rail under leading rider Ramon Dominguez and could control the pace from there. He kept good company last year, finishing second to the gritty Awesome Gem in the Grade II Hawthorne Gold Cup; he won the Greenwood Cup Stakes and the Turfway Park Fall Championship, both at 12 furlongs. Nite Light was a beaten favorite in the Gallant Fox, but was rounding back into form after a cross-country trip to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.


Giant Chieftan was third in the Gallant Fox after running ride throughout. He leaves from the three under Channing Hill. The 7-year-old New York bred mare Borrowing Base meets males again. She won the Power Lunch Stakes at 1 ¾ miles two races back, defeating multiple stakeswinner Atoned. Fellow entrant Jane’s Kid was third in that race. Precursor won the Proud Truth here in October.

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