San Gorgonio

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

All last summer, we kept waiting patiently for LIFE IS SWEET (Storm Cat) to
seek a Zenyatta-free zone on turf, but that road wasn’t taken. Finally, in
Saturday’s $150,000 San Gorgonio H. (G2) at Santa Anita, the John Shirreffs mare
will revert to turf for the first time since her three-year-old campaign. With
her terrific current form, and the fact that both of her most logical rivals
have questions to answer, Life is Sweet is too attractive for us to pass up.

The Wygod homebred has a lethal turn of foot, as evidenced by her
last-to-first heroics in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) in her latest
venture. Life is Sweet employed similarly eye-popping tactics in the El Encino
S. (G2), La Canada S. (G2) and Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1) early last
season, and a repeat of any of those efforts would sweep her into the winner’s
circle here. The one possible drawback is the lack of a meaningful early pace in
the San Gorgonio, a situation she encountered in her only two prior turf starts
in the 2008 Sands Point S. (G2) and Calder Oaks. Life is Sweet was still a
furiously closing second in both, and she’s a much more formidable animal at
this point in her career. We look for her to come charging through the stretch
with regular rider Garrett Gomez.

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred TREAT GENTLY (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) is capable of
springing an upset on her day, and the key question is whether she’ll be ready
to do so Saturday in her first start for Bill Mott. A French Group 2 winner in
2008, the year she chased home the likes of Zarkava and Dar Re Mi (GB)
(Singspiel [Ire]) in the Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1), the well-bred bay raced only
twice in 2009. Treat Gently threatened to make her mark on the division after a
cozy debut win for the late Bobby Frankel, but she suffered a setback, and was
not at her best when sixth in the E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1). The classy mare has
tactical speed and promises to get first run on Life is Sweet. If Treat Gently
is fully primed, she could hold on for new pilot Rafael Bejarano.

We have great respect for the late-running DIAMONDRELLA (GB) (Rock of
Gibraltar [Ire]), who was simply devastating when defeating champion Forever
Together in the Just a Game S. (G1) and First Lady S. (G1). Had Diamondrella
then advanced from a mile to nine furlongs, as part of a logical progression, we
would have been more enthusiastic about her chances here. Unfortunately, she has
experienced a lot of changes in the interim. She dropped back down in distance
for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, winding up 11th, and was subsequently
transferred to Gary Stevens. Back up to a mile in the Matriarch S. (G1), she
closed for third, but did not look like her usually brilliant self. Diamondrella
has the raw ability to crack the top three, but before endorsing her
unreservedly, we’d like to see more of how she’s coping in Southern California.
Alex Solis has the return call.

CENTURY PARK (General Meeting) figures to set the pace from her rail post,
and while she doesn’t appear good enough to win, she is qualified to hang on
stubbornly for a minor award. Successful in the 1 1/4-mile California Cup
Distance H. two back, the Bob Baffert filly is coming off a game second in the
one-mile Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. (G3). Her chances largely hinge upon pace rival
CZECHERS (Indian Charlie), who is cross-entered to Sunday’s Monrovia H. (G3).
With Czechers out of the picture, Century Park would find things much easier on
the front end.

CAT BY THE TALE (Tale of the Cat) never finished worse than third in 2009,
and the Neil Drysdale filly comes off solid thirds in the Las Palmas H. (G2) and
Bayakoa H. (G2). This is a tougher spot, but her strong closing kick and
reliable attitude make her an exotics threat. ROSA GRACE (GB) (Lomitas [GB])
could be dismissed as a fringe player among these, yet she wasn’t beaten far
when fifth in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) last out, and the addition of blinkers
could wake her up.

Multiple Argentinean Group 2 victress TEAMGEIST (Arg) (Mutakddim) hasn’t been
quite the same force in the United States, and the Ken McPeek mare would need to
step it up to factor here. LAVENDER SKY (Mt. Livermore), a terrific second to
Wait a While in the 2008 running of this race, hasn’t shown that level of form
in a long time. We’ll be interested to see if the switch to Julio Canani helps.
Czechers looks out of her depth and would be better suited to the Monrovia.