Florida Oaks

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The February 14 Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs served as the final prep for
Saturday’s $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3), and the top five finishers from that test
have duly shown up to try their mettle once again in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks. ROCK
CANDY (Mineshaft) proved best in the Suncoast, holding AMERIBELLE (Medaglia
d’Oro) to second by a neck with DON’T FORGET GIL (Kafwain) another neck back in
third.

Don’t Forget Gil might easily be the one to turn the tables on both of her
rivals, and we’ll tab the lass for the victory. Trained by Mark Hennig, the dark
bay filly captured the East View S. at Aqueduct in early December and was third
in the Busanda S. in her 2009 debut two back. Don’t Forget Gil came five wide
and was closing ground late in the Suncoast to just miss, and could keep running
right into the winner’s circle here. Rajiv Maragh, aboard for her East View win,
has the call.

Ameribelle could use the extra distance in this one to get the job done. The
Ed Plesa Jr. trainee broke her maiden on Calder’s dirt prior to switching to the
turf, and may have needed the Suncoast in her first dirt start back on the main
track. The dark
bay lass has been working well at Calder of late and will get a jockey switch to
Eibar Coa here.

Rock Candy is looking for her fourth straight in this spot following a maiden
win, a victory in the Gasparilla S. and the Suncoast most recently. The chestnut
lass is three-for-three since transferring to trainer Michael Zwiesler’s barn in
December and could continue her winning ways. However, as the distance has
increased in her races, the margin of victory has shrunk. This 8 1/2-furlong
test may prove a bit too far, but Rock Candy has been training extremely well of
late, so dismiss at your own risk.

DZIBANCHE (Roar of the Tiger) followed maiden and allowance scores with a
fourth in the Suncoast, and she’s eligible to wrap up the superfecta once again here. The Kirk Ziadie-trained chestnut has posted a couple of bullets in advance of this, but
we just don’t think she’ll be fast enough to keep up late. ROYAL BALLADE
(Elusive Quality) dominated maiden rivals by 6 3/4 lengths in her career debut
at Belmont Park last September, but threw in a horrible performance next out
when trying the Frizette S. (G1). The well-bred miss is out of Grade/Group 1
queen Musical Chimes (In Excess [Ire]), who is a half-sister to three-time Grade
1 heroine and Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) third Music Note (A.P. Indy),
so Royal Ballade could improve in a huge way while making her three-year-old bow
here.

MISS OCEAN CITY (Mineshaft) hasn’t been able to challenge in two previous
tries against stakes rivals, and we don’t think she’ll do much better here.
BRINCA (Macho Uno) will be getting blinkers added for this start, but we don’t
think it will improve her chances.