Churchill Downs S.

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

We’ve always been huge fans of KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse), the recent winner of
the Carter H. (G1), and we’ll tab him to make it two straight in Saturday’s
Churchill Downs S. (G2). Conditioned by Larry Jones, the talented four-year-old
went over the $1 million mark in the Carter to improve his line to eight wins in
17 career starts, and he owns two wins and a second over this strip in his
lifetime. The bay will be placed in midpack early prior to putting in his big
run late beneath Gabriel Saez.

SOK SOK (Trippi) is drawn widest of all in here for Steve Asmussen, but he
beat our top pick pretty handily in his last start, so we must consider the
Florida-bred a threat on this day. The four-year-old has won his last three dirt
races by a combined 13 3/4 lengths, earning BRIS Speed numbers of 100, 100 and 109
along the way. Shaun Bridgmohan will guide the colt, who should be just off the
early pace before driving home in the lane.

MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian Charlie) was a much-improved third in the Commonwealth
S. (G2) last out for Al Stall Jr., and the four-year-old is a contender in
here with his best effort. The reigning Super Derby (G2) winner was a fine
second in the Northern Dancer S. (G3) over this strip last summer and gets a
rider switch to Garrett Gomez for this engagement.

We’ll throw out the abysmal showing by SILVER EDITION (Silver Deputy) last
out over Keeneland’s Polytrack oval, and focus on the colt who placed in three
straight graded events on the East Coast as a sophomore. The D. Wayne Lukas
pupil looks a cut below the best in here, but he shows a win and second in three
tries at Churchill and could get a good trip from just off the early tempo.
Miguel Mena has the assignment.

THE ROUNDHOUSE (Fusaichi Pegasus) earned a whopping 113 BRIS Late Pace number
for his allowance win last out at Gulfstream Park, and the Todd Pletcher pupil
will hope to circle this field beneath Edgar Prado. This race signifies a huge
class rise for the promising colt, and we’ll keep his inclusion on the bottom of
the gimmicks in here.

The speedy HEWITTS (Concerto) was a decent third in this tilt a year ago and
could be the one to lead this group into the final turn, but we don’t see the
Bob Hess Jr. charge improving on his placing from 2008. Evangeline Mile H. hero IDE LIKE A DOUBLE (Ide) has done most of his damage
against considerably lesser and would need a career effort to place in this deep
field.

Stakes winner SPOTSGONE (Bright Launch) has never won from seven races at
Churchill, and while we respect his early speed, we don’t see the Kentucky-bred
hanging on for a share late. ACCREDIT (E Dubai) was a good third in the Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3) last
out and is very quick, but he’ll need something better than he’s shown in the
past to challenge this group.