Pocahontas

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A baker’s dozen will contest Sunday’s Pocahontas S. (G3), and the one-mile
event lacks a standout like its male counterpart, the Iroquois S. (G3). Grade
2-placed SASSY IMAGE (Broken Vow) is the likely favorite, but we’ll tab TIZ MIZ
SUE (Tiznow) for the win.

Trained by Steve Hobby, Tiz Miz Sue came up a nose short when making her
debut at Arlington in mid-July and then rolled to a 7 3/4-length, wire-to-wire
victory over maiden special weight rivals in August. She looked like the speed
in her stakes debut, the Arlington-Washington Lassie (G3), but missed the break
and rushed up prematurely following the tardy start to grab the lead between
calls on the far turn. She was no match for She Be Wild (Offlee Wild), a top
contender in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), in the stretch, but Tiz
Miz Sue held gamely for second and is eligible to improve significantly off that
effort. The dark bay doesn’t need the early lead to be effective and we’ll look for her
to sit close before pouncing beneath new rider Jesus Castanon.

VERTICAL VISION (Pollard’s Vision) rolled to a comfortable three-length score
in the Prairie Meadows Debutante S. last time and has captured her last three
outings on dirt. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who appeared to have been gearing up
for Churchill following a slow Keeneland meet, the dark bay has earned BRIS
Speed ratings of 94 and 96 in her last two dirt efforts. Those numbers stack
up very comfortably here, and Vertical Vision looks like a major player under
Shaun Bridgmohan.

Sassy Image broke her maiden by 5 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs and finished
second when making her stakes debut in the Adirondack S. (G2). The Dale Romans
filly was never a factor when finishing fourth in the seven-furlong Spinaway (G1)
next out and exits a dull eighth over the Polytrack in the Alcibiades (G1).
We’re not too thrilled that she’s struggled while stretching out in distance the
last two times, but the chestnut will receive some class relief in this spot. We
can envision Robby Albarado cutting out a perfect stalking trip, just off the
front runners, but we’ll try to beat her for top honors at a short price.

VIVID COLORS (Roman Ruler) figures to show speed from her outside post and is
a threat to last a long way. She broke her maiden at first asking at Churchill,
winning by 5 3/4 lengths in the slop, and turned in a strong showing over the
Polytrack at Keeneland last time, just missing after setting the pace in a 1
1/16-mile allowance. The cut back to one mile figures to benefit the Kenny
McPeek trainee.

DECELERATOR (Dehere) won her first two starts at Churchill, including a neck
decision in the Debutante S. (G3), but she’s gone off form in her last three
efforts, finishing far back in two stakes at Saratoga and the Alcibiades at
Keeneland. We can’t count her out given her past affinity for Churchill, but the
dark bay doesn’t appear to be at her best presently. ALL ABOUT ANNA (Maria’s
Mon) brings respectable dirt form into the race, winning the Bassinet S. two
starts back by six lengths, but the gray lass was unplaced in two starts earlier
this year at Churchill. She doesn’t look fast enough to challenge for the win,
but we wouldn’t be shocked to see a strong showing from the likely longshot that
results in a minor award.

TIDAL POOL (Yankee Gentleman) posted a good win two starts back on the dirt
at Saratoga, and the filly finished a decent sixth after setting the pace in the
Alcibiades. She looks like pace presence from the far outside, but we still have
some class concerns with the Lukas runner. Undefeated Indiana-bred RUNNING BRIDE (Cherokee
Run) will enter on a roll, posting a couple of decisive stakes victories at
Hoosier Park over state-breds, but she’s never been past six furlongs and will
be tested for class here. Look for her to add to the pace, but we can’t
recommend her chances. SNAP HAPPY (Lion Heart) is a two-time winner for Dallas
Stewart, but her BRIS numbers are too low for us to back her.

ALL DUE RESPECT (Value Plus) has turned in two solid efforts at Monmouth, but
we won’t go with the maiden stretching out in distance on Sunday. HAPPY WEEK
(Distorted Humor) faces a tough task off a maiden special weight score at
Meadowlands. JODY SLEW (Slew City Slew) probably needs easier company to be
competitive. BIORRA (Smoke Glacken) wasn’t much of a factor in two starts at
River Downs and looks overmatched in this spot.