First Lady

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday’s First Lady H. (G3) at Gulfstream Park drew seven distaffers to go
six furlongs, and we’re going with one who is a specialist at that distance —
COLOGNY (Go For Gin). The five-year-old mare is already a multiple stakes winner
but is looking for that elusive graded score to add to her record. She came
close in the Floral Park H. (G3) last year, finishing second by just a neck
after setting the pace, as is her usual running style. For that one, the Scott
Lake-trained bay earned a 101 BRIS Speed figure and 114 BRIS E2 Pace rating.
Cologny posted her last win in the Montclair State University S. at Meadowlands
in mid-November, easily drawing away from her rivals to be 7 1/2 lengths clear
at the wire. She’s spent most of her career in the north, but seems to have
taken to the warmer climate in Florida, working a nice three furlongs in :35 4/5
over the track on Tuesday to prepare for this one. Eibar Coa has the call and
the pair look ready to lead from gate to wire.

FELINE STORY (Tale of the Cat) managed to get up for the win in the Floral
Park and will try to turn the tables on her rival yet again. That particular
victory resulted in her highest Speed rating to date (101), but she didn’t take
to the mud at Keeneland in the Raven Run S. (G2) in her next start, finishing 10
3/4 lengths back in third. She rebounded slightly in the Seton Hall University
S. at Meadowlands in her last one, running second, and the Stanley Hough charge
has also been working well in advance of her 2005 bow. Feline Story could return
to the winner’s circle here and is reunited with Edgar Prado, who rode her to
victory in the Floral Park.

SAVORTHETIME (Gilded Time) put up some very nice numbers in her last start,
which was a win in the Dream Supreme H. at Churchill Downs. The Steve Asmussen-trained six-year-old mare captured that 6 1/2-furlong test by 2 1/2
lengths while earning 104 Speed, 101 Late Pace and 100 E2 Pace ratings. She’s
only faced graded company twice, but accounted herself well in one of those
events despite not finishing on the board. Savorthetime will be getting jockey
John Velazquez in the saddle on Saturday and the two could find themselves
getting their picture taken in the end.

EBONY BREEZE (Belong to Me) easily captured the Endine H. (G3) last year, but
seemed to have tailed off a bit in the fall and winter. She’s earned some very
good Speed ratings so far during her career, but will need some more of the same
if she’s to challenge against our top three. The Bitt Mott trainee is quite
capable of doing just that and will have Jerry Bailey returning to the saddle.
EXPECT AN ANGEL (Valid Expectations) scored an easy three-length win in the
Chaposa Springs H. (G3) last out at 39-1. The Robert Hale-conditioned
five-year-old has worked her way up through the claiming ranks to her present
form and already owns wins at both the distance and track. She could post
another upset here.

POP PRINCESS (Alphabet Soup) has faltered when facing graded company in the
past and doesn’t look to have improved enough to threaten here. We can’t
recommend. UNA MIRIM (Brz) (Oromo [Fr]) didn’t do so bad in her U.S. debut last
out, finishing sixth by 3 1/2 lengths in the Born Famous S. at Calder. The bay
seven-year-old could show more later on, but for now we’ll just watch.