Chilukki

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A contentious field of nine distaffers will go a mile on Saturday in
Churchill Downs’ $200,000 Chilukki S. (G2), and TRENDY LADY (Unbridled’s Song)
looks to continue her winning ways here. The Todd Pletcher-trained four-year-old
posted easy wins the last two times she tried a mile, leading or dueling for the
lead before finishing a combined 11 3/4 lengths in front for both. She captured her
last race, an allowance/optional claimer at Keeneland, by 1 3/4 lengths after
stalking the early pace four and five wide, and just missed by a half-length
when second in the Chicago Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) in mid-June. Trendy Lady owns
the numbers and the talent to earn her first stakes win here. Rene Douglas has
the return call.

PLEASANT HILL (Pleasant Tap) was an easy one-length victress of the Gardenia
H. (G3) going eight furlongs at Ellis Park two back and will try to rebound here
off a dismal performance over Turfway’s Polytrack last out. The Greg Foley
charge earned a 103 BRIS E2 Pace rating for her stakes score, and has been
working well at Churchill of late to prepare for this one. The four-year-old
miss has yet to finish off-the-board in three tries over the track and will get
a jockey switch to Julien Leparoux here. She’ll be tough on the lead.

ROLLING SEA’s (Sefapiano) last try at a mile yielded a five-length score in
the Fortin H. at Fair Grounds in March. Since then, the Steve Asmussen-trained
chestnut has stretched out a bit to add the Allaire Dupont Breeders’ Cup Distaff
(G2) and Central Iowa S. to her line, earning a 105 BRIS Speed rating for the
former victory. She’s racked up a 3-2-0 mark from five starts at a mile and
could easily continue that trend here under Robby Albarado.

LADY BELSARA (Boundary) led from gate-to-wire in the seven-furlong Chicago
Breeders’ Cup two back, then was fifth when reverting a furlong in the
Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3) last out. She’ll be making her dirt debut
in this spot and could move forward on the new surface. Consider for the exotics
with Kent Desormeaux in the saddle. HIGH HEELS (E Dubai) earned the biggest win
of her career in the Fantasy S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park, but her third in the
Kentucky Oaks (G1) seemed to take something out of her, and she’s just now
getting back into form. The Gary Hartlage trainee was a length runner-up in the
Gardenia two back and returns to Churchill, where she’s posted a 5-1-0-4 record.
High Heels could challenge in the exotics at a price.

CHANGE UP (Distorted Humor) will be making her third start for Stephen
Margolis in this spot, having run third in the Post Deb S. and Safely Kept
Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) since switching to his barn. She could earn a share yet
again. MY CHICKADEE’s (Pleasant Tap) only two career wins have come on dirt, and
she could show more here while switching from the turf. The chestnut has been
competitive against black-type rivals and might find a spot in the bottom of the
gimmicks.

WINDY (Wild Rush) hasn’t done so well when trying stakes company in the past
(three unplaced efforts) and we don’t see her reversing that form here. HUMOROUS GAL (Distorted Humor)
doesn’t appear fast enough to keep up with these. We’ll let her beat us.