Chaposa Springs

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Seven distaffers have been entered for Friday’s $100,000 Chaposa Springs H.
(G3) at Calder. The seven-furlong test was scheduled to be run on New Year’s
Day, but was moved back one day to retain its graded status. Included in the
field is multiple Grade 3 winner EBONY BREEZE (Belong to Me), who will be making her
return here off more than a two-month layoff. The Bill Mott trainee is a
specialist at the sprint distances, two for two at Calder and owns some of the
best BRIS numbers for this field. However, we think she might need a race off
the break and will go with a horse for the course in ALIX M (End Sweep).

Conditioned by Ron Spatz, the four-year-old chestnut is lightly raced, but
has made each start count. She’s yet to finish off the board from eight career
races, and most recently captured the Connie’s Magic S. over the track while
going 6 1/2 furlongs. Alix M earned a nice 102 BRIS Late Pace figure for that
run, and has been working well in advance of this one, getting three furlongs in
a bullet :34 4/5 on Monday. She’ll keep Cornelio Velasquez in the saddle and the
pair could break through with a first graded victory here.

EXPECT AN ANGEL (Valid Expectations) is listed at 20-1 on the morning line,
but could surprise with a win in this spot. The Robert Hale-trained
four-year-old posted a 104 Late Pace rating after racing four wide and drifting
in the lane of a seven-furlong optional claimer last out. She still won that
race by 2 1/2 lengths and owns a 5-0-0 mark at Calder from seven starts. Expect
an Angel will have Jose Lopez in the irons for the first time and could offer a
nice price by crossing under the wire first.

REVOLUTIONARY ACT (Boston Harbor) is another who could add some value to the
top three. The bay miss earned a 102 BRIS Speed rating for taking the Holiday
Inaugural S. last out at Turfway Park in front-running style. She consistently
throws up century-topping Late Pace numbers and picks up jockey Eibar Coa,
always a plus. Trainer Pat Huffman wins at a 17 percent clip when he ships
horses, and Revolutionary Act could end the year on a winning note for her
connections.

Ebony Breeze has the most experience in this field against graded company and
was close for much of her fall campaign. She started tailing off a bit in her
last two, but could easily take this one with a slight reversal in form. POP
PRINCESS (Alphabet Soup) ran a good fourth in the Top Flight H. (G2) most
recently and might show more while shortening up in distance here. Consider for
the exotics at a good price.

HABIBOO (Unbridled’s Song) and LAWFUL NICE (Old Trieste) are coupled, but we
can’t recommend either. The former doesn’t seem to own the speed to
challenge against these, while her stablemate hasn’t fared so well when facing
graded company in the past.