Excelsior BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Tremendous speed will be brought to the table Saturday when seven horses
line up for the $200,000 Excelsior Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) at Aqueduct. OFFLEE
WILD (Wild Again) comes into the 1 1/8-mile affair as the horse to beat. The 8-5
morning-line favorite has put in three excellent starts for conditioner Richard
Dutrow, winning two races, including the Massachusetts H. (G2), since Offlee
Wild’s connections made the trainer switch last year. The five-year-old came up
just short last out in the John B. Campbell Breeders’ Cup H. at Laurel Park
after an extended layoff, losing by a neck to fellow rival COAST LINE (Boston
Harbor). Offlee Wild’s rating ability and his solid workouts since the Campbell
should put him in good contention against this field of front runners. Rafael Bejarano will ride.

COUNTRY BE GOLD (Summer Squall) also possesses a stalking style that will
most likely put him near the top of the pack as the others tire. Since moving to
trainer Steven Kappes in November of last year, the eight-year-old bay has run
triple-digit BRIS Late Pace ratings in three of his last four starts, including
a 124 last out. Watch for Country Be Gold to be near the front of the pack when
the group crosses the finish line. Jose Espinoza has the call.

Coast Line is undefeated in his past five starts, his only defeat coming in
his career debut in 2003. Since that maiden loss, the Todd Pletcher charge
reeled off three century topping BRIS Speed figures and has only trailed at one
call. He also owns some nice BRIS E2 and Late Pace ratings, which could prove to
be the difference here. This will be the four-year-old gelding’s first test of
the graded stakes waters, but he should prove to hold up against this competition.

DILIGENT GAMBLER (Diligence) climbs out of the claiming and allowance ranks
for the first time and we’ll see how he rates against the upper class. The
four-year-old is acclimated to Aqueduct’s surface with three wins and a second
in five starts. Trained by Leah Gyarmati, the gray colt has some good works
under his belt, along with some solid Late Pace ratings his last two starts and
could be an upset waiting to happen at 15-1 on the morning-line.

CUBA (Not for Love) has an advantage in that he will be breaking from the
inside post because the rail post at Aqueduct is winning at a 20 percent clip.
Trainer Thomas Bush has won with three of his last nine starters over the past two
weeks and the four-year-old colt could get up for part. PRESIDENTIALAFFAIR (Not
for Love) comes off a five-month layoff after winning the Maryland Millions
Classic S. at Pimlico in October. He should be strong in the opening stage of
the race, but we aren’t sure that he can hold off the rally of Offlee Wild and
Country Be Gold. ROGUE AGENT (Anjiz) likes to show a lot of speed up front and
has not fared well when competing at this level. We will bet against.