Lone Star Park H.

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 10 will compete in Monday’s $300,000 Lone Star Park H. (G3). LION TAMER
(Will’s Way) will try to avenge his fifth-place outing in the Commonwealth
Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) at Keeneland and is a top contender coming into this one.
However, the five-year-old is listed at 8-5 on the morning line and to give a
little more value, we will recommend ABSENT FRIEND (Runaway Groom).

The five-year-old performed well against optional claiming foes and in minor
stakes races, but excelled when moved to the barn of Norman Cole. Since Cole
took over training duties at the beginning of this year, the gelding has landed
on the board in three consecutive Grade 3 contests, including a victory in the
Essex H. (G3) in February. Since that date, Absent Friend placed third in both
the Razorback Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) and Fifth Season S. (G3). In all three
races, the gray posted triple-digit BRIS Speed figures and he looks like a
primary contender for this one. He comes off a 47-day rest since his third in
the Fifth Season and will break under regular rider Roman Chapa.

Lion Tamer hopped at the start of the Commonwealth and didn’t fire for that
seven-furlong contest. He stretches out to 1 1/16-miles here, having won his
only race at that distance. The five-year-old chestnut has earned
century-topping Speed figures in his last four outings, including a win in the
Cigar Mile H. (G1) to complete his season last year. Trainer Todd Pletcher will
lift Jerry Bailey into the saddle for his initial trip on the chestnut.

YESSIRGENERALSIR (Patton) will most likely head to the early lead. The Dallas
Keen trainee is experienced over the Lone Star main track, posting a 2-2-1
record in his seven starts over the track. He has been training solidly this
month to prepare for this one. The only question will be if he can hold the lead
against some of the talented closers which he will face in this field. Justin
Shepard will ride the bay.

SUPAH BLITZ (Mecke) comes off a second in the Texas Mile S. (G3) last out
over this same surface to HIGH STRIKE ZONE (Smart Strike). He is no stranger to
two-turn races, winning the 1 1/8-mile Tokyo City H. (G3) in early April. The
Doug O’Neill conditioned five-year-old drilled a five furlong bullet last week
(:57 4/5) in advance of this contest. Jon Court will ride.

Cole’s second uncoupled entry, SNORTER (Awesome Again), came home fifth in
the Texas Mile. That was his first stakes race since Cole took over training
from Bobby Frankel. The bay is victorious in three of his six starts at the Lone
Star distance. Cole and jockey Jamie Theriot have teamed up 13 times in the past
two weeks, and have recorded a line of 7-2-1. This five-year-old should be seen
near the front as the field hits the wire.

SKIP AND GO (Skip Away) was virtually ignored on the morning-line, listed at
20-1. The gray five-year-old shouldn’t be underestimated though. He has the
ability to win in wire-to-wire fashion, from just off the pace or come from the
rear, as he nearly did last out in the 1 1/16-mile Bosselman/Gus Fonner S.
Trainer Jose Gonzalez has won two of his last three and will lift Ken Tohill
into the irons for this one.

High Strike Zone is the most experienced over the Grand Prairie, Texas, track,
placing in all nine of his starts here. He too has the versatility to come from
off the pace or challenge up front from the beginning. Unfortunately, trainer
Amos Laborde hasn’t been able to get things going at this meet, only putting two
horses in the winner’s circle out of 40 starters thus far. Still, this
five-year-old gelding has the ability to hit the board and would not be a
surprise if his picture was taken at the conclusion of the race.

MAJESTIC THIEF (Mahogany Hall) is on a two-race win streak and has improved
greatly since running for conditioner Cody Autrey. Despite the improvements,
this competition might still be a little too much for the six-year-old gelding.
CRYPTOGRAPH (Cryptoclearance) will be making his four-year-old debut six months
after coming home third in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) last November. We’ll give him
a race. WISHINGITWAS (Sandpit [Brz]) finished sixth in the Donn H. (G1), 19 3/4
lengths behind the leader, and followed that up with a less than spectacular
effort against optional claimers.