San Fernando BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Twelve four-year-olds will enter the gate for the $200,000 San Fernando
Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) over the Santa Anita main track Saturday.

MASS MEDIA (Touch Gold) comes off a fifth-place outing in the Malibu S. (G1)
last out, but hopes to return to winning form here. Although he fares well in
sprints, the dark bay colt should be able to go the 1 1/16-mile distance
as his dam, Sultry Allure (Forty Niner), is a half to multiple Grade 1 winners Sultry
Song and Solar Splendor, who both excelled at routes. The Bobby Frankel trainee
should benefit from starting from post 2, as the inside gates are
winning at a 21 percent clip, and his BRIS Speed ratings are excellent. Recently
reinstated jockey Patrick Valenzuela will have the call.

INDIAN COUNTRY (Indian Charlie) is on a three-race tear after he broke his
maiden in his second attempt. The Bob Baffert charge has since posted wire-to-wire
wins in two races against allowance company, all the while
earning increasing Speed figures. This will be the bay colt’s first attempt
past seven furlongs, so whether he will be able to keep the lead for the
entirety of the races is questionable, particularly if a speed duel materializes
between him and fellow front-runner SINISTER G (Matty G). Jockey Casey Fusilier
has been quite successful recently while riding a Baffert-trained horse,
recording four victories in his last seven starts for the trainer.

HARVARD AVENUE (You and I) is one of three uncoupled Doug O’Neill-trained horses
entered for the race. The gelding has never seemed to quite put it all together at Santa
Anita, running third three times in his four starts on the track, and he exits off a
third in the Malibu after sitting near the back of the pack for the majority of
the trip. A late stretch surge was enough to put him in the money, and jockey Garrett Gomez, who will be making
his first start aboard Harvard Avenue, may want to keep his mount a little more
toward the front of the pack for this one. We’ll use him on the bottom of the
exotics.

IMPERIALISM (Langfuhr) returns to the dirt after a pair of respectable
performances on the turf. In the Hollywood Derby (G1) last out, the gray made a
run from near last to land on the board in third, registering a 106 Speed
figure, the highest of his career. Imperialism has placed in all of his dirt
starts at Santa Anita, recording two wins out of three attempts at the Arcadia,
California, track, and could grab another top three showing.

ACTION THIS DAY (Kris S.) has not recorded a victory since crossing the wire
first here in October of 2003 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Since then,
the bay colt has produced only sub-par performances. His last trip out resulted
in a ninth-place finish against allowance horses on the turf at Santa Anita, but
he may not have cared for the grass. Action This Day has not made a run on the
dirt since the Kentucky Derby (G1), but trainer Richard Mandella’s starters have
been performing well lately and Action This Day shows two bullet works for this
start.

EL DON (Cee’s Tizzy) could prove to be a threat here, as he will most likely
rate just off  the pace and could come with a good finish in the
end. Action This Day’s uncoupled stablemate, MINISTER ERIC (Old Trieste), exits off an
seventh-place outing in the Malibu, never really being a factor in the race.
He’s been successful at Saturday’s distance (1-2-0 in three starts) and could improve
on the stretch out. MY CREED (Beau Genius) will be making his first start at
Santa Anita, but
has landed on the board in four of his five tries at this distance. Don’t be
shocked to see him grab a spot in the bottom of the gimmicks.

PERFECT MOON (Malibu Moon)
placed just off the board in the Malibu after running near the front for a
majority of the trip. A drawback is his substandard record at Santa Anita,
placing only once is six tries. SKIPASLEW (Skip Away) has earned increasing Speed figures his past few
races, but will most likely be outclassed in this one. Sinister G has been
sitting on the shelf for the past six months following three dull efforts. He
doesn’t figure to last on the front end. CASTLEDALE (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) will be making his first start
since the Kentucky Derby, where he finished 14th. His lack of preparation could hurt him against this field.