TRACK BANDIT
PREVIEW
| BEN ALI S.
(G3), 8TH-KEE, $150,000, 4YO/UP, 1 1/8M, 4:45 P.M. (EDT), 4-27 |
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| PP | HORSE | TRAINER | JOCKEY | WT |
| 1 |
NOBLE CAUSEWAY |
ZITO NICHOLAS P |
ROSE J |
117 |
| 2 |
ALUMNI HALL |
HOWARD NEIL J |
ALBARADO R J |
117 |
| 3 |
COSMONAUT |
BIANCONE PATRICK L |
LEPAROUX JULIEN |
121 |
| 4 |
IT’S NO JOKE |
MAKER REBECCA |
BRIDGMOHAN S X |
117 |
| 5 |
PALLADIO |
ATTFIELD ROGER |
BEJARANO R |
117 |
| 6 |
WANDERIN BOY |
ZITO NICHOLAS P |
CASTELLANO J J |
117 |
NOBLE CAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway) had no chance from off the pace in the Skip Away H.
(G3) last time, but he can get there first in Thursday’s Ben Ali S. (G3) at Keeneland.
The speed-favoring nature of the track in Lexington, Kentucky, has been
well-chronicled, but the bias changed Sunday and the track continued to play
much more fair on Wednesday. With WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold) and IT’S NO
JOKE (Distorted Humor) keeping each other company on the front end here, Noble
Causeway will receive the perfect setup. The Grade 1 runner-up has earned
triple-digit BRIS Late Pace ratings in his last three starts and Nick Zito will
have him ready to roll.
ALUMNI HALL (A.P. Indy) captured last year’s Ben Ali S. (G3) and is
four-for-five at Keeneland. The stalker will get first run on our top choice,
but he’s also got to rebound off a terrible effort in an allowance/optional-claiming event at Oaklawn Park. When he’s on his game, Alumni Hall is tough,
earning BRIS Speed ratings as high as 108 last year, but we wonder how much the
seven-year-old has left in the tank after finishing off the board in two of his
last three attempts. We’ll still use him on the bottom of our exacta.
It’s No Joke was an impressive front-running winner at Keeneland last October
and ran a big race when third, beaten only a length, in the Gulfstream Park H.
(G2) two starts back. He’s shown the ability to rate, but we’ll look for him to
take off for the lead since he’s drawn to the inside of Wanderin Boy. It’s No
Joke could hang around for a long time.
Wanderin Boy rolled to a 10-length allowance victory last out, but there was
no pace in the race and he’s a threat to regress off a monster 120 Speed rating.
Two-for-two at Keeneland, the Zito runner is obviously a threat to continue his
winning ways, but we’ll try to beat him at a short price.
Ohio Derby (G2) winner PALLADIO (Lycius) could be any kind for trainer Roger
Attfield this season at four, but we’ll give him a race off the 166-day layoff.
COSMONAUT (Lemon Drop Kid) captured the off-the-turf Golden Gate Fields H. last
out, but his best form has come on the turf.
| TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS: | 1st-NOBLE CAUSEWAY | |
| 2nd-ALUMNI HALL | ||
| 3rd-IT’S NO JOKE |