Galaxy

Sunday’s $400,000 Galaxy S. (G2) has attracted a dynamite field of nine turf
distaffers, including the extremely classy INTERCONTINENTAL (GB) (Danehill).
Trained by Bobby Frankel, the five-year-old mare has recorded facile victories
in her previous starts at Keeneland, the last two runnings of April’s Jenny
Wiley S. (G3), but she’s beaten overmatched foes on those occasions and hasn’t
faced the stiffest competition in Southern California recently. We’ll try to
beat her at low odds with WEND (Pulpit).

The Bill Mott trainee won’t return a double-digit payoff for a victory, but
she’s got the form to upset the favorite. Wend broke her maiden at Tampa Bay
Downs in January and captured her next four starts, culminating with an
outstanding win over Wonder Again (Silver Hawk), Film Maker (Dynaformer) and
Riskaverse (Dynaformer) in July’s New York H. (G2) at Belmont Park. Her winning
skein came to an end with a decent sixth, beaten five lengths, in the Beverly D.
S. (G1) last time, but that race was at 1 3/16 miles. Wend cuts back to a much
more favorable one-mile distance here and picks up the services of John
Velazquez. She can prove victorious from just off the pace.

Intercontinental has been a bit rank in both of her previous starts at
Keeneland and displayed the same poor behavior when finishing a troubled third
at 6-5 in the John C. Mabee H. (G1) two starts back. She remains a big threat to
come out on top once again, but she’ll have to get past a tough rival in Wend.

TICKER TAPE (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) is a threat to turn things around for
conditioner James Cassidy. Third in her last two starts at Del Mar, the
four-year-old hasn’t displayed the same top class form of last season when she
won multiple Grade 1 events, but she has been showing more in her recent
attempts and owns room for improvement. The bay filly ran great at Keeneland
last October when taking the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup (G1)
and Ticker Tape likes eight furlongs (8-2-4-1). She rates as our longshot
special at 12-1 on the morning line.

SHACONAGE (El Prado [Ire]) loves the turf at Churchill Downs but hasn’t run
her best races at Keeneland. The multiple Grade 3 winner owns a strong late turn
of foot and could challenge for a small share, but she probably prefers a little
more ground.

VERY VERY (Royal Academy) enters on the upswing for trainer Charles Simon,
but the six-year-old mare probably faces too much of a class hike. KATDOGAWN
(GB) (Bahhare) will likely be forwardly placed under Robby Albarado and has
worked well for this start, but she ran poorly at Keeneland last April and
doesn’t bring encouraging form into this event.

LA REINA (A.P. Indy) doesn’t appear to like turf with some give to it and the
course has gotten some rain over the last few days. RIVER BELLE (GB) (Lahib) is
difficult to recommend off five starts this year.  PRETTY JANE
(Subordination) appears overmatched in this spot.