Presque Isle Downs Masters J

AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Erie, Pennsylvania, is better known for producing influential handicapping
authors (i.e. Andrew Beyer) than staging top-class horse races. That all changes
Saturday night when the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G3) will be held
for the third time. The 6 1/2-furlong dash over the Tapeta has attracted an
outstanding group of fillies and mares hoping to get a better gauge of their
synthetic talents in advance of the November 6 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
(G1) over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride.

PORTE BONHEUR (Hennessy), who has a couple graded wins to her credit, might
fly under the radar here. The David Duggan trainee exits a rough-trip fourth in
the Honorable Miss H. (G2), which followed a gusty nose victory in the First
Flight H. (G2). More importantly, the four-year-old turned in an impressive late
kick to notch the Ontario Fashion S. last November in her only prior attempt on a
synthetic surface. Having turned in two bullet works at Saratoga since her last
start, she’s one to consider at a nifty price.

INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos) is undefeated in four starts on synthetic and
is the obvious horse to beat. Her signature win came in April when she edged
last year’s Filly & Mare Sprint winner Ventura (Chester House) in the Madison S.
(G1) at Keeneland. A tiring third in the Ballerina S. (G1) last time, she
figures to bounce back returning to this kind of surface. The two-week
turnaround might be a bit quick, however, so we’ll try to beat her.

TEQUILAS DAYJUR (Dayjur) ran an eye-catching second in the 2008 Chicago H.
(G3) over Arlington Park’s Polytrack, and though she’s endured some leaner times
since then, she’s exiting a stakes victory over the Mountaineer Park dirt and
should fare better than many of these trying synthetic for the first time. She
has the positional speed to be within striking distance throughout.

DIAMONDRELLA (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) has won six in a row, including
the Just a Game S. (G1) on grass in early June, and she typically humbles her
opposition with explosive stretch kicks. If she transfers her excellent turf
form to Tapeta, there may be no stopping her. But we’ll take a stand against her
this time as she tries an unfamiliar surface.

You can’t be named champion older mare in Canada without being proficient
over the Woodbine Polytrack, which makes BEAR NOW (Tiznow) an attractive price
play for the exotics. Though winless in five starts this season, only one of
those races has been on synthetic, and that was a solid third behind Informed
Decision and Ventura in the Madison. The downside is that she’s more of a router
than a sprinter.

GAME FACE (Menifee) is arguably the East Coast’s leading female sprinter this
year — on dirt. How she will handle Tapeta is anyone’s guess. She could easily
reproduce her best form here, but at a short price we’re willing to take a stand
against her. The same goes for FLASHING (A.P. Indy), who’s earned modest BRIS
Speed ratings when winning the Nassau County S. (G3) and Test S. (G1) against
her fellow three-year-olds. Grade 3 queen DUBAI MAJESTY (Essence of Dubai) has
run OK on synthetic in the past, but lost both times to Informed Decision and
we don’t see her turning the tables on that one.

The rest seem overmatched on class, though SWEET LORENA (Langfuhr) has won
three straight on this very surface. However, we’re not convinced that will be enough of
an edge to completely overlook her class deficiency. ROLLICKING AFFAIR
(Black Tie Affair [Ire]) has finished behind Sweet Lorena twice in recent
months, BEAUTIFUL VENUE (Came Home) has placed only twice in nine all-weather
attempts, and NICKS (Salt Lake) would seem better suited to an Illinois-bred
stakes.