Bittel Road, West Side Bernie head 12-horse Lane’s End
BITTEL ROAD (Stormy Atlantic), whose two starts on synthetic surfaces
resulted in fourth-place efforts behind Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) in
both the CashCall Futurity (G1) and Robert B. Lewis S. (G2), was installed the
5-2 morning-line choice for Saturday’s $500,000
Lane’s
End S. (G2) at Turfway Park. The 1 1/8-mile Polytrack feature is the
highlight of a 12-race program that includes four other stakes.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Bittel Road made his mark on turf as a juvenile,
taking the With Anticipation S. at Saratoga and the Bourbon S. (G3) at
Keeneland. He next ran in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa
Anita, but faded to eighth after tracking in second for the opening seven
furlongs. Bittel Road rebounded to finish second in the Generous S. (G3) over
the Hollywood turf prior to his forays on Cushion Track and Pro-Ride.
Eclipse Award winner Garrett Gomez will take the mount on Bittel Road for the
first time in the Lane’s End.
One that might ultimately surpass Bittel Road in the wagering is WEST SIDE
BERNIE (Bernstein), victor of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (G3) over the Turfway
oval last fall. Beaten only three lengths when sixth in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile, West Side Bernie later finished a solid second in the Delta Jackpot S.
(G3) and opened up his sophomore campaign with a rallying third in the Holy Bull
S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
West Side Bernie, 3-1 in the morning line, will also have a new rider in
Edgar Prado.
Mainstays during the Turfway winter meet will have their usual strong
presence in the Lane’s End. They include last-out John Battaglia Memorial S.
winner PROCEED BEE (Bernstein), WEBN S. winner PARADE CLOWN (Distorted Humor),
and Turfway Prevue S. winner LOCH DUBH (Friends Lake). While this serves as a
rematch between Proceed Bee and Parade Clown, who finished second in the
Battaglia, Loch Dubh enters off of a fifth-place effort in the Southwest S.
(G3).
JACK SPRATT (Candy Ride [Arg]), who captured the Dania Beach S. on the
Gulfstream turf two back, was crushed by more than 20 lengths when eighth in the
Fountain of Youth S. (G2), but might appreciate a return to Polytrack, a surface
he seemed to handle when second in a maiden race at Turfway in September. HOLD
ME BACK (Giant’s Causeway) won his first two starts over the Poly at Arlington
and Keeneland, but faltered in the Remsen S. (G2) on dirt last time out in
November. He’ll make his three-year-old bow on Saturday. FLYING PRIVATE (Fusaichi Pegasus), meanwhile, was a fast-closing
second at 15-1 in the Mountain Valley S. at Oaklawn last time and will be making
his Polytrack debut in the Lane’s End.
University of Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino will obviously
have the NCAA Tournament on his mind this weekend, but he’ll be able to take a
break between games on Saturday to watch his A. P. CARDINAL (A.P. Indy) compete
in the Lane’s End. However, the gray figures to be a longshot with a
second-place finish in allowance company his best effort in four tries since a
decisive maiden score at Monmouth Park last September.
The Lane’s field is rounded out by longshots BRUCE N AUTUMN (Lemon Drop Kid),
ORTHODOX (Pulpit) and DYNAMITE BOB (Malabar Gold).
One race earlier, eight three-year-olds will line up in the $100,000
Rushaway
S. over 1 1/16 miles. Favoritism might fall to NO INFLATION (Repriced), a
Keeneland main track maiden winner coming off of 4 1/4-length turf allowance
score at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Tom Proctor.
A pair of Gulfstream Park invaders will be trying Polytrack for the first
time. FITZASLEW (Seattle Fitz [Arg]), who won his debut last June at Churchill
and was sixth in the Cradle S. on turf, returned with a gutsy second in a
six-furlong allowance at Gulfstream last time which garnered a 101 BRIS Speed
rating. He will be joined by recent Gulfstream maiden winner ZIEGFELD (Elusive
Quality), who was a fading 10th behind the highly rated Dunkirk (Unbridled’s
Song) in his debut at the same track.
Battaglia third TOCCET ROCKET (Toccet), Grade 3-placed NINTH CLIENT (Malibu
Moon), and the Darrin-Miller trained CLIFFY’S FUTURE (The Cliff’s Edge) are
other logical threats in the Rushaway.
Three-year-old fillies will also get their chance to shine Saturday in the
$150,000
Bourbonette Oaks (G3) over a mile. FITZ JUST RIGHT (Seattle Fitz [Arg]),
coming off a game decision in the Ocala Breeders’ Sale Championship S., has but
one loss in her four-race career and could take some beating for trainer Kiaran
McLaughlin. She endured her only setback when tiring to fourth in the Busanda S.
at Aqueduct two back.
STEP OUT SMARTLY (Came Home) and WALLOON (Alphabet Soup) have already
registered stakes triumphs at Turfway, the former having taken the Gowell S. in
December with Walloon coming out on top by more than three lengths in the
Valdale S. over the same distance on February 21. INSTRUMENTALIST (Bernstein)
will stretch out after winning her first two starts in sprints, but the
potential danger in the field is HOT CHA CHA (Cactus Ridge), a filly who likes
to make a big late run. A maiden winner for a $50,000 tag in January, the Phil
Sims charge made up nearly 10 lengths to pass her first allowance condition last
time over the same course and distance, earning a 100 BRIS Late Pace rating.
The stakes action kicks off Saturday with the $50,000
Queen S.
for fillies and mares at six furlongs. J Z WARRIOR (Harlan’s Holiday), PROUD
HEIRESS (Broken Vow), VICTORIANNA (Tale of the Cat), HADAVISION (Vision and
Verse) and JUST FOR KEEPS (Broken Vow) all have the credentials to fare well.
Another six-furlong dash, the $50,000
Hansel S.
for three-year-olds, also drew a contentious field, headed by last-out Black
Gold S. winner TURFISTE (Military). MUSIC CITY (City Zip), RUDY FLYER
(Mutakddim) and KING PUMA (Forest Wildcat) also bear watching in the race, which
is named for the 1991 Lane’s End (then Jim Beam S.) winner who went on to
capture the Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1).