Ouija Board Distaff

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

COSTUME (GB) (Danehill) will go for her third straight graded win on Monday
as she tops a field of 11 in Lone Star Park’s $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff H.
(G3) on Memorial Day. The Bobby Frankel-trained four-year-old most recently
captured her first stakes and first U.S. wins when taking the Buena Vista H.
(G2) and Santa Ana H. (G2) over Santa Anita’s green. She’ll be returning off a
more than two-month break in this mile grassy test, but has a class edge over her rivals
here. Garrett Gomez, aboard for those last two
wins, returns to the saddle.

BROWNIE POINTS (Forest Wildcat) could keep the margin of victory close with Luis Quinonez in the irons. The Donnie Von Hemel trainee
has spent most of her career running on dirt tracks, but has done well over the
turf as well. In last year’s edition of the Ouija Board, the chestnut finished
just 1 3/4 lengths back of Lady of Venice (Fr) (Loup Solitaire) and owns three
stakes victories on the green. Brownie Points was last seen running second to
the undefeated Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Apple Blossom H. (G1), earning
a 102 BRIS Speed rating, and will be tough in this one.

FOREST MELODY (Forest Camp) is our pick to be best of the rest. The dark bay
four-year-old has finished on-the-board in seven of her last 10 outings, and was
just one length back in fourth after leading throughout the 10-furlong Santa
Barbara H. (G2). That one earned the Paula Capestro charge a 103 Speed figure
and a chance at this one. She could add graded credit to her line with Brice
Blanc holding the reins.

SUPER FREAKY (Smart Strike) can’t be discounted from a top-three placing. The
Doug O’Neill-conditioned four-year-old captured the Providencia S. (G3) last
season going a mile on the turf and was runner-up in the Senorita S. (G3)
going the same distance. The dark bay tailed off a bit at the end of the year
and owns just one start so far this campaign, recording a one-paced fourth
(subsequently elevated to third) in
the Las Cienegas H. (G3) last out while contesting about 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa
Anita. She probably needed that race off the break and could show much more here
under Alonso Quinonez.

TEARS I CRY (Chester House) captured the local prep for the Ouija Board,
posting a 3 1/2-length score in the Irving Distaff S. last out. That was her
first stakes win and her first good effort against black-type company. She broke
her maiden going a mile at Belmont last May and may be on the upswing entering
this one. She could fill out the exotics. CANDY BALL (Lemon Drop Kid) racked up
two straight stakes wins, one on the turf and one on the dirt when it was taken
off the green, then led for the early part of the ultra-tough Jenny Wiley S.
(G2) most recently. She was overtaken late, finishing 2 1/2 lengths back in
seventh, but deserves credit for a game effort against that field. She’s another
who deserves consideration for the bottom of the gimmicks.

MY THREE SISTERS (Defrere) has been finishing behind, but close, to many
others in here and might conceivably pick up a share based on her current form.
EMMA GRACE (Dreamfield) was third in the Irving Distaff two back and captured an
allowance over this course and distance last out. She could earn a check.

BARBETTE (High Yield) might not be fast enough to keep up with these. We’ll
take a stand against. BUDDHA LADY (Buddha) probably needs the dirt rather than
the turf to be competitive. ELLIECAT (Crafty Prospector) was well beaten in the
Irving Distaff and is probably out of her class with this field.