AMERICAN GRADED STAKES
PREVIEWS
| DIANA S.
(G1), 9TH-SAR, $500,000, 3YO/UP, F/M, 1 1/8MT, 5:14 P.M. EDT, 8-1 |
|
| 1 |
MUSHKA, 4, f, by Empire MakerSluice, by Seeking the Gold O-Brushwood Stable; B-Diane Snowden (Ky) |
| 2 |
QUIET MEADOW, 4, f, by El Prado (Ire)—Quiet Down, by Quiet American O-Brothers John R Zucker Dan; B-Arthur I. Appleton (Fl) |
| 3 |
RUTHERIENNE, 5, m, by PulpitRuthian, by Rahy O-Virginia Kraft Payson LLC; B-Payson Stud Inc (Ky) |
| 4 |
INDESCRIBABLE, 5, m, by Pleasant TapCatnip, by Flying Paster O-Adam Donald A; B-Courtlandt Farm (Ky) |
| 5 |
CRITICISM (GB), 5, m, by MachiavellianInnuendo (Ire), by Caerleon O-Darley Stable; B-Darley (GB) |
| 6 |
CARRIBEAN SUNSET (IRE), 4, f, by Danehill DancerBonheur, by Royal Academy O-Jon and Sarah Kelly Cimpl Don Cimpl Joan; B-Barronstown Stud (Ire) |
| 7 |
MY PRINCESS JESS, 4, f, by Stormy AtlanticJewell of Jewels, by Pleasant Colony O-Lael Stable; B-Adena Springs (Fl) |
| 8 |
COLINA VERDE (BRZ), 6, m, by Know Heights (Ire)Verdadeira, by Purple Mountain O-Team Valor International Munro Dave et al; B-Haras Santa Camila (Brz) |
| 9 |
TEJIDA, 6, m, by RahyBatique, by Storm Cat O-Groves Helen K; B-Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust (Ky) |
| 10 |
FOREVER TOGETHER, 5, m, by Belong to MeConstant Companion, by Relaunch O-Augustin Stables; B-White Fox Farm (Ky) |
FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me) burst on the national scene with an explosive
last-to-first rally in the 2008 Diana S. (G1) at Saratoga, and we select the
reigning champion turf mare to make it two in a row in Saturday’s renewal of the
nine-furlong turf contest which carries a $500,000 purse. Forever Together is
the class of the 10-horse field and we feel she can rebound, as she did last
year, from a solid effort in the Just a Game S. (G1).
The Just a Game, virtually a 1 1/2-turn mile on Belmont’s Widener turf
course, tends to play more like a sprint race, and in its two recent renewals
Forever Together got going far too late to make an impact for the win. Most
recently, she encountered traffic when traveling along the inside and did not
get clear run. She seems to do best when circling rivals on the outside and we
don’t expect jockey Julien Leparoux to get himself trapped along the hedge this
time. If able to reproduce her best, she will win.
CARRIBEAN SUNSET (Ire) (Danehill Dancer), only fourth in the Just a Game two
back, rebounded to take the Dr. James Penny Memorial H. at Philadelphia Park by
three parts of a length over a quality filly named I Lost My Choo (Western
Expression). She earned a staggering 121 BRIS Late Pace figure to close a
12-length gap in the final quarter-mile, and it’s that kind of late kick that
can get this filly the jump on the favorite. A multiple Group 3 winner in
Ireland last year, she was a fine third in both the Irish One Thousand Guineas
(Ire-G1) and Coronation S. (Eng-G1), so we have few doubts she can perform at
this level.
RUTHERIENNE (Pulpit), who is also entered in Sunday’s Matchmaker S. (G3) at
Monmouth Park, has lost to Forever Together in their last three meetings and we
just don’t see her being able to get revenge on the champ. Consistency is her
main selling point (she is 19-10-1-6 on the grass), but she has been rather shy
at getting her picture taken the last couple of years. Her recent score in
Nassau S. (Can-G2) was her first in more than 13 months and snapped a seven-race
losing skid.
CRITICISM (GB) (Machiavellian) has developed into arguably the best filly or
mare turf marathon specialist in the East. Since kicking off her U.S. campaign
in October, she has accounted for the Long Island H. (G3), The Very One S. (G3),
La Prevoyante H. (G2) and Sheepshead Bay S. (G2). She can be forgiven a recent
loss in the New York S. (G3), which was moved to the main track and contested in
sloppy going. She typically lulls her rivals to sleep when going long, but will
have to exert more energy if she wants to set the pace at this shorter trip.
We’re not quite sure how effectively she’ll handle the cutback against this
group.
MY PRINCESS JESS (Stormy Atlantic) could be rated higher in this spot. She
won the Lake George S. (G2) over the inner turf here last summer and kicked off
her 2009 season with a victory over Carribean Sunset in the Beaugay S. (G3). She
wound up third in the Just a Game when attempting a five-wide rally, but we feel
she can be more effective at this longer trip.
The rest of the field are generally consistent performers though none brings
as much class to the table as the top five. MUSHKA (Empire Maker) was second to
Criticism in the Sheepshead Bay but was only third versus lesser in the Dance
Smartly S. (Can-G2) last time. QUIET MEADOW (El Prado [Ire]) narrowly missed in
both the Eatontown H. (G3) and Miss Liberty S. at Monmouth in her last two. She
probably would have had a stronger chance at victory in Sunday’s Matchmaker, for
which she was not entered.
INDESCRIBABLE (Pleasant Tap) turned in a strong late
kick to win the Cardinal H. (G3) by a head over yielding ground in November, but
showed little on firm going in the All Along S. (G3) last time. She seems a
stronger mare on Polytrack. TEJIDA (Rahy), runner-up in the All Along, has
routinely fallen short in lesser spots than this. COLINA VERDE (Brz) (Know
Heights [Ire]), a multiple Group 1 winner in Brazil, has been unplaced in all
four graded stakes attempts in North America.