Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash

Saturday’s Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. (G1) came up extremely
competitive with a talented field of 11 sprinters, and the six-furlong event
will be held again at Pimlico, where it was first run in 1990, as Laurel Park
undergoes renovations. We’ll give a slight edge to SHAKE YOU DOWN (Montbrook),
who returns off a freshening for trainer Scott Lake.

The six-year-old showed his class last year, winning seven times as well as
recording a runner-up finish in the DeFrancis and a third in the Breeders’ Cup
Sprint (G1). Shake You Down captured the Sunshine Millions Sprint and Count
Fleet Sprint H. (G3) earlier this season, but following a stumbling start in
May’s Bold Ruler H. (G3) he earned a well-deserved vacation. The chestnut
gelding raced 13 times last year, 11 times in 2002 and had never received a
freshening during his career. He has trained superbly in the mornings at Belmont
Park for his return and loves Pimlico (four-for-four). We’ll look for him to
come back rejuvenated and to be on or very close to the lead from the start
before shaking down his rivals through the stretch.

GATORS N BEARS (Stormy Atlantic) also likes the track (3-1-2-0) and comes off
a commendable third in August to Breeders’ Cup Sprint hero Speightstown in the
Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2). The Leo Nechamkin trainee runs well fresh, easily
winning the six-furlong Maryland Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) at Pimlico off a similar
break earlier this year, and figures to sit a perfect stalking trip from post 4
under Javier Castellano. Gators N Bears has earned BRIS Speed ratings of 112 and
110 this season as well as BRIS E2 Pace figures in the same range. He’s got nine
wins at this distance and looks very dangerous.

MIDAS EYES (Touch Gold) was a dominant winner of the Forego H. (G1) two
starts back and is eligible to bounce back from an extremely disappointing 10th
in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He recorded Speed figures of 112 for both starts
prior to that, and the Bobby Frankel charge has always been a very classy
runner. However, he’s likely to go favored and is unplaced from two attempts at
six furlongs. We’ll use him on the bottom of the exotics.

A HUEVO (Cool Joe) earned a 110 Speed figure when capturing last year’s
DeFrancis and has a couple of starts in recent months for this appearance.
Trained by Michael Dickinson, the eight-year-old gelding packs a strong late
kick, recording triple-digit Late Pace numbers from his last four starts, and
should have a stiff pace up front on Saturday. A Huevo gets a tough 123-pound
weight assignment and will face stiffer competition this year, but he could
offer a challenge through the stretch.

WILDCAT HEIR (Forest Wildcat) will be tested for class but merits
consideration at long odds. A six-furlong specialist, the four-year-old brings
improving form into this event for conditioner Ben Perkins Jr., earning
increasing Speed ratings of 101, 105, 107 and 108 from his last four outings.
He’s very quick and could sustain his speed a long way if he handles the class
hike.

CLOCK STOPPER (Gilded Time) is a viable candidate for a top three placing and
might contend for the win if he can finally put it all together, but we’re
willing to go against. He was no factor last time in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint
and owns no stakes wins at six furlongs. In fact, he’s winless from a total of
five stakes attempts this year. Clock Stopper probably wants a little more
ground, but he still owns a strong late kick. CHAMPALI (Glitterman) didn’t fire
last time in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and may have a difficult time turning
things around in this spot. We liked his gutsy victory in the Phoenix Breeders’
Cup S. (G3) two starts back, but this company looks much more difficult than he
faced there and his best races have come when he has raced on the front end from
the start. He may get shuffled too far back here.

ABBONDANZA (Alphabet Soup) is very fast and is a stakes winner over the
track, but the sophomore will face pressure from the start and must rebound from
a tough effort in the Breeders’ Cup in which he packed it in through the stretch
run. We’ll watch to see how he bounces back. LION TAMER (Will’s Way) exits a
decent effort at Aqueduct and could scratch from this spot in favor of the Cigar
Mile (G1) next weekend. He’ll face an extremely difficult challenge in either
spot. PHILADELPHIA JIM (Mr. Greeley) probably faces too much of a class hike.
TRUE DIRECTION (French Deputy) brings dull form into this event.