TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
| LONG ISLAND H. (G3), 7TH-AQU, $150,000, 3YO/UP, F/M, 1 1/2MT, 3:16 P.M.
EDT, 11-1 |
||||
| PP | HORSE | TRAINER | JOCKEY | WT |
| 1 |
QUEEN OF HEARTS |
JERKENS JAMES A |
ESPINOZA J L |
116 |
| 2 |
DANCE PASS (IRE) |
WELD DERMOT K |
DOMINGUEZ R A |
112 |
| 3 |
BUBBLY JANE (BRZ) |
LOBO PAULO H |
VELAZQUEZ J R |
116 |
| 4 |
TIDAL DANCE |
HUSHION MICHAEL E |
GARCIA A |
112 |
| 5 |
CRITICISM (GB) |
ALBERTRANI THOMAS |
CASTELLANO J J |
122 |
| 6 |
BORROWING BASE |
QUICK PATRICK J |
BRAVO J |
114 |
| 7 |
LEMONETTE |
REED ERIC R |
VELASQUEZ CORNE |
116 |
It’s not quite shooting fish in a barrel, but CRITICISM (GB) (Machiavellian)
looks too good to go against in Sunday’s $150,000 Long Island H. (G3) at
Aqueduct. The 1 1/2-mile grass test was the vehicle the imported five-year-old
used to stamp herself as a filly on the rise a year ago, and she has hardly
disappointed with three graded stakes scores this season as well as a solid
runner-up effort in the Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) last time. She simply
seems too classy for this bunch and will be tough to catch with an easy
front-running steering job from Javier Castellano.
The lightly raced and improving QUEEN OF HEARTS (Thunder Gulch) was third in
the Flower Bowl, contested over boggy ground, and also occupied the same
position in the Glens Falls H. (G3) two back. A stakes winner at this distance
during the Saratoga meet, she’ll offer a lot less than the 27-1 and 24-1
supporters have received of late.
BUBBLY JANE (Brz) (Yagli) has taken two overnight stakes in three U.S.
appearances, and can handle any type of ground. The slow pace expected to be set
by Criticism might be problematic, however, and she won’t be the only one in the
field who will be adversely effected. We suspect her late kick will not be
enough to wear down the much classier rival.
Another who likes to lag far off the pace is LEMONETTE (Lemon Drop Kid), who
finished ahead of Queen of Hearts in the Glens Falls but showed little in the
Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) last time. The class drop helps, but the moderate pace
will not in this event.
We’ve seen more capable imports than DANCE PASS (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who
makes her American debut for the noted Moyglare Stud and trainer Dermot Weld.
Her resume is pretty thin as she’s still eligible for a first-level allowance.
The main thing to like is the addition of Lasix, something she could not run on
in Ireland. BORROWING BASE (Personal Flag), a nose second to Bubbly Jane in the
July 22 Donor S., has not shown the same kind of form against New York-breds of
late. TIDAL DANCE (Pleasant Tap) has never raced on turf and is related to three dirt
champions/classic winners through her sire.
| TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS: | 1st-CRITICISM (GB) | |
| 2nd-QUEEN OF HEARTS | ||
| 3rd-BUBBLY JANE |