Lane’s End J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES
PREVIEWS

The favorites figure to take home the biggest slices of the pie in Saturday’s
$500,000 Lane’s End S. (G2) at Turfway Park, though we prefer them in reverse
order from what they are listed in the morning line. WEST SIDE BERNIE
(Bernstein), who has yet to run a bad race in five career starts, is our choice
to defeat morning-line choice BITTEL ROAD (Stormy Atlantic) on the strength of
his previous Polytrack experience.

Perhaps the one true Kentucky Derby (G1) candidate in the field, West Side
Bernie has displayed strong form on both dirt and synthetic, which gives him
options regarding which preps to pursue. This race is a logical fit as it is at the same
track where the colt dominated six rivals in winning the Kentucky Cup Juvenile
(G3) by three lengths last September. After finishing three lengths sixth in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), West Side Bernie went back to dirt to claim
runner-up honors in the Delta Jackpot S. (G3) and was third rallying into a
modest pace in the Holy Bull S. (G3). He should prove tough to beat under Edgar Prado.

Bittel Road has yet to race on Polytrack, but was a modest
fourth in two synthetic attempts out in California. Winner of the Bourbon S.
(G3) and runner-up in the Generous S. (G3), his future clearly lies on the turf,
but it makes sense to put him in lucrative races like this at present. On class,
Bittel Road should be able to take down one of the bigger prizes under Eclipse
Award winner Garrett Gomez.

Our longshot to finish out the trifecta is HOLD ME BACK (Giant’s Causeway),
the Bill Mott pupil who took his first two starts on Polytrack last fall but who
has not raced since a disastrous fifth in Remsen S. (G2). This colt clearly has
plenty of upside, but we think the long absence might relegate him to one of the
minor spots in this contest.

PARADE CLOWN (Distorted Humor), LOCH DUBH (Friends Lake) and PROCEED BEE
(Bernstein) are all stakes winners over this track and deserve a look here. Of
the three, Parade Clown has posted the best BRIS Speed ratings, though he is by
no means consistent in producing them. His very best race is good enough to give
West Side Bernie a scare. Proceed Bee, victor of the John Battaglia Memorial
last time, needs to put forth a stronger race — a Speed rating in the low
to-mid 80’s won’t cut it against this tougher group. Loch Dubh saw his solid
three-race win streak snapped in the Southwest S. (G3) last time, and a return
to Polytrack might be just what he needs. His Achilles heel, however, is the
nine-furlong distance — he has yet to win beyond 6 1/2 furlongs.

JACK SPRATT (Candy Ride [Arg]) placed in his lone attempt over this track and
brings good turf form to the table, often an indicator of potential success on
synthetic ground. Upset winner of the Dania Beach S. over the Gulfstream sod two
back, he was a well-beaten eighth in a tough renewal of the Fountain of Youth S.
(G2) last time. He fits better here. BRUCE N AUTUMN (Lemon Drop Kid), whose lone
victory was on turf, is another who might take to this surface, though that is
pure conjecture.

A. P. CARDINAL (A.P. Indy) has largely been a disappointment since taking his
debut impressively at Monmouth Park last fall. He has shown a tendency to tire
over distances of ground, so we can’t say we’re enthused about his chances as a
probable pace player going nine furlongs. Also showing some early flash will be
ORTHODOX (Pulpit), who has won two of his last three over the grass. He showed
relatively little, however, over the Del Mar Polytrack last summer. FLYING
PRIVATE (Fusaichi Pegasus) was a fast-closing second in the Mountain Valley S.
at Oaklawn last out, but is another whose best has come in one-turn races.
DYNAMITE BOB (Malabar Gold) has lost by double-digit margins to a couple of these
this year, so a form reversal would be a surprise.