Monrovia

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 11 fillies and mares have been entered in Sunday’s $100,000
Monrovia H. (G3) going about 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf at Santa Anita,
and we’re tabbing TUSCAN EVENING (Ire) (Oasis Dream [GB]) to start off the year
on a winning note. The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee broke her maiden nearly one
year ago on this same course and quickly graduated to stakes-level competition,
adding scores in the Royal Heroine Mile S. (G2) and Redondo Beach S. to her
resume. The bay five-year-old captured the Las Palmas H. (G2) in early November,
earning a nice 100 BRIS Speed rating, and closed out 2009 with a good second to
Ventura in the Matriarch S. (G1) at Hollywood Park. Tuscan Evening has yet to
finish off-the-board from four tries on the downhill turf and will keep Rafael
Bejarano aboard.

LEMON CHIFFON (Lemon Drop Kid) might need more ground than this one offers,
but the seven-year-old could still get the win based on talent alone.
Conditioned by Sean McCarthy, the chestnut mare recorded only one win in 2009,
but was knocking heads against the likes of Grade 1 queens Magical Fantasy
(Diesis [GB]) and Black Mamba (NZ). She gave a good account of herself, just
missing by 1 3/4 lengths when fifth in the Gamely S. (G1) and fourth by two
lengths in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1), and has won on the downhill turf in the
past. Lemon Chiffon posted a sharp half-mile workout in advance of this race and
could find herself in the winner’s circle under Tyler Baze.

PASAR SILBANO (Ire) (Elnadim) scored in her U.S. debut on the downhill turf,
capturing the La Habra S. (G3) in February, but put in only two more starts
before going on a five-month break. She returned last out on October 17 to run
second in the Senator Ken Maddy H. (G3) on the same course and has been working
well in the interim. The bay four-year-old could give trainer James Cassidy his
first win in the Monrovia at a nice price.

QUEEN OFTHE CATSLE (Tale of the Cat) won the Ken Maddy in 2008, but could do
no better than an uncharacteristic eighth in last year’s running. That followed
a nose victory in the Daisycutter H. and a head second in the Turf Amazon H., so
we’re willing to thrown that effort out. The Howard Zucker charge racked up some
nice numbers last season, including a 104 Speed rating for a second in the
Lawndale S., and could challenge in the top three under Mike Smith.

REBA IS TOPS (He’s Tops) gave a career-best performance to take the Lawndale
and earn a 106 Speed figure, but we can’t see the Mark Glatt runner repeating
that feat in this one. The bay six-year-old won an allowance/optional claimer at
Hollywood Park in late November, and ended her 2009 campaign with a second in
the Winter S. We can see her rounding out the exotics with Joe Talamo aboard.
ROYAL TAAT (NZ) (Faltaat) has finished behind others in here in her past few
races, with her best stakes try coming as a nose second in the Great Lady M. H.
in mid-June. However, she was just three lengths back when sixth in last year’s
Monrovia, so give her a shot at a nice price in the bottom of the gimmicks.

The lightly raced HERMIONE’S MAGIC (GB) (Systematic) was only a half-length
back when third in the Starine S. last out and could grab a check in this one.
CZECHERS (Indian Charlie) has earned some pretty dismal numbers, but her best
runs have mostly come on the turf. She, too, might earn a small share.

We can’t recommend LINDELAAN (Rahy) as she looks out of her class against
these. EMPRESSIVE LADY (Empire Maker) appears to prefer synthetic surfaces to
grass. LUCKY COPY (Unbridled’s Song) just doesn’t look fast enough to compete
here.