Commonwealth BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of seven will head to the gate for the $400,000 Commonwealth
Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) on Saturday’s Blue Grass S. (G1) undercard.
SIR SHACKLETON (Miswaki) heads into the seven-furlong contest on a two-race win
streak that includes the Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup Sprint Championship H. (G2),
and trainer Nick Zito has been on a roll this year, with five strong Kentucky
Derby (G1) candidates as well as a good Kentucky Oaks (G1) contender named In the Gold
(Golden Missile). Sir Shackleton has shown that he can make a run from the back
or contest on the front end. He breaks from the inside post and this could be
beneficial as the rail is winning at a 17 percent clip. The four-year-old colt
is perfect in three attempts at Saturday’s distance and could keep the record
unblemished here under Javier Castellano.

GOLD STORM (Seeking the Gold) is also on a two-race tear, posting seven
consecutive triple-digit BRIS Speed figures. His front-running style should keep
him in the money on a track which has been very kind to runners who get the
early lead. This will be the longest contest of the five-year-old gelding’s racing career, which might hinder him, as a majority of his victories have been
close, just holding off closers from the back. Nevertheless, trainer Bubba Cascio is good with his shippers and Gold Storm should finish well. He is listed
at 6-1 on the morning line and could be a good value horse. Elvis Perrodin
rides.

CLOCK STOPPER (Gilded Time) was bumped at the start of the Richter Scale, but
finished third to Sir Shackleton. Passed in the stretch run after a brief run in front of the pack,
he hit the wire 1 3/4-lengths back. He owns some nice BRIS Late
Pace ratings and the seven-furlong distance could work to his benefit in
this small field. Jerry Bailey, who rode the five-year-old to a third in the
Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. (G1) in the gelding’s last start of 2004,
returns to ride the Dallas Stewart charge.

LION TAMER (Will’s Way) is listed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite, which is
well deserved given his Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez connections. Together, the
duo has scored three times in their last six starts. Pletcher has
chalked up three wins with his last nine starters and Velazquez has ridden five
winners over the past week. Lion Tamer exits a second in the Richter Scale and
has some excellent closing speed. In seven starts at this distance, the
five-year-old has four wins and two seconds. Look for him to finish strong in
this one.

CAJUN BEAT (Grand Slam) has seen less success since his connections switched
training duties from Steve Margolis to Bobby Frankel. The gelding went from a
front runner to a stalker who has managed to come up short in most of his starts
since the trainer switch. He has a good chance in this one if Frankel were to
revert the five-year-old to his former front-running style, but Cajun Beat
doesn’t posses the late speed to match the rest of this field if he breaks near
the back.

GATORS N BEARS (Stormy Atlantic) has been on a dry spell of late, falling
short in his last five attempts, and has yet to win in four
attempts at seven furlongs. However, the five-year-old has managed to put up some impressive
Speed figures and could land on the board. SILVER WAGON (Wagon Limit) exits off
a fourth in the Richter Scale and posted a win versus allowance company in the
event prior to that one. His lack of experience against this level of
competition will lead us to just watch for now.