Forego

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A well-matched field of 12 has been entered to go seven furlongs in
Saturday’s $300,000 Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga, and the one-turn test is loaded
with talent. KODIAK KOWBOY (Posse) loves the distance, taking the Carter H. (G1)
earlier this season and posting a four-length victory in the Donald LeVine
Memorial H. two back while going seven-eighths, and is our pick to score yet
another top level win.

The Larry Jones charge also likes the Spa, capturing the the Saratoga Special
(G2) as a juvenile and returning last season to add the Amsterdam S. (G2) to his
resume. Kodiak Kowboy prepped for this one in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2)
last out, running third after being forced to check rounding the turn of that
six-furlong event, but still earned a stellar 110 BRIS Speed rating for his
effort. The bay four-year-old consistently posts century-topping BRIS numbers
and will have Gabriel Saez in the saddle.

PYRO (Pulpit) will be making just his second start wearing the Godolphin blue
in this spot, and is looking to give his new connections a win following a
runner-up placing in the James Marvin S. over track and trip on July 29. The
dark bay colt is capable of showing much more in the Forego, as the Marvin was
his first start back since an off-the-board run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
last October. Pyro ran just a half-length back of the winner in the Marvin, and
the Grade 2 victor earned a nice 105 BRIS Late Pace number for his
last-to-second move. He could jump up in a big way in the Forego and will keep
John Velazquez aboard.

GOLD TRIPPI (Trippi) earned his first stakes win when taking the James Marvin
last out, and the Stanley Hough charge has yet to run worse than fourth this
season from five starts. This is a major class hike, but the five-year-old
gelding has been going so well of late we’re willing to take a shot with him in
the exotics. There’s a chance of showers forecasted for Saturday, and an off
track can only help Gold Trippi’s chances. Cornelio Velasquez has the call.

RILEY TUCKER (Harlan’s Holiday) dueled through quick early fractions in the
James Marvin, eventually tiring to fifth, but that seems to be a throw-out
performance. Prior to the Marvin, the Bob Baffert runner was second in the Tom
Fool H. (G2) and a close fifth in the Metropolitan H. (G1). His last win came as
a 6 1/4-length victory going the seven-furlong distance against allowance foes,
and the dark bay four-year-old earned a career-best 106 Speed rating for that
score. Riley Tucker will be tough to keep out of the top three under Edgar
Prado.

DRIVEN BY SUCCESS (Precise End) scored his last win while making his 2009 bow
in February, but he’s reputed himself well in defeat. The chestnut gelding has
run third in the Carter, Met Mile and Tom Fool this season, and was most
recently second after setting the early pace in the John Morrissey S. at the
Spa. Trainer Bruce Levine has picked a tough spot for the four-year-old to earn
his first stakes win, but another placing is well within Driven by Success’
capabilities. Ramon Dominguez will be holding the reins.

MY PAL CHARLIE (Indian Charlie) could grab a share while cutting back to a
sprint distance. The Al Stall Jr. trainee was second in the seven-furlong
Churchill Downs S. (G2) in May and will keep Robby Albarado aboard in his return
off a more than two-month break. MULTIDUDE (Fusaichi Pegasus) is something of a
wildcard in this field. The lightly raced four-year-old broke his maiden last
October, then wasn’t seen again until passing through his first-level allowance
condition on July 5 at Belmont Park. The dark bay gelding scored by 2 1/2
lengths on that occasion, and padded his credentials last out with a 7
3/4-length trouncing of allowance/optional claiming foes over the track.
Multidude will be making his stakes bow in this spot, and bears both watching
and an exotics chance.

TRUE QUALITY (Elusive Quality) has been playing musical barns since December,
and will be making his first start here for new trainer Roy Sedlacek. Winner of
the General George H. (G2) in February, the bay hasn’t been able to hit the
board in two belated starts since. We’ll let him beat us. KEEP LAUGHING
(Distorted Humor) was a nice second against stakes rivals at Monmouth Park last
out, garnering a 103 Speed figure, but hasn’t been able to challenge in two
prior graded attempts. We can’t recommend against this group.

LAW ENFORCEMENT (Posse) has raced against state-bred company for much of his
career and looks overmatched. READY’S ECHO (More Than Ready) is undefeated at
the distance from two tries, but neither one resulted in a triple-digit Speed
number. He doesn’t appear fast enough to threaten these. PEACE CHANT (War Chant)
looks out of his class in this spot.