Lazaro Barrera Memorial

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

CONCORD POINT (Tapit) will make his stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000
Lazaro Barrera Memorial S. (G3) and looms as a serious wire-to-wire threat for
Bob Baffert. A sharp 1 1/4-length winner over
allowance/optional rivals at Santa Anita in his last outing, the gray colt
brings commendable BRIS numbers into the seven-furlong event and will keep the hot-riding Martin
Garcia in the saddle. Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track is playing kindly to
front runners and Concord Point looks like the controlling speed to us.

MACIAS (Purge) can complete a Baffert exacta. After faltering in his last two
starts at two turns, the three-time stakes winner cuts back to a favorable
distance and and should be up close from the start with David Flores. A proven
performer on both all-weather and turf, the dark bay has been training forwardly in
advance of this start, posting a half-mile in :46 4/5 on Tuesday, and can’t be
dismissed from win consideration.

DIXIE TROUPER (Dixieland Band) displayed nice form on Woodbine’s Polytrack
last fall and is eligible to improve off a tightener in his seasonal debut, the
grassy Harry Henson S. on April 21. The bay ridgling closed strongly to finish
sixth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, and has trained well since then for David Hofmans,
registering a six-furlong bullet on Monday. Joe Talamo picks up the mount and
will look to make an impact from just off the pace at a decent price.

SKIPSHOT (Skip Away) rallied into second in the stretch of the Santa Anita
Derby (G1) last time before weakening to fifth and cuts back to a preferable one-turn distance on Saturday. The Jerry Hollendorfer pupil reeled off three
consecutive wins at Golden Gate Fields prior to his last effort and, while we still
have some class concerns, the stalker remains a legitimate top-three threat with
new jockey Rafael Bejarano.

BIG MAN HAS A SIGN (Petionville) was a sharp scorer at 6 1/2 furlongs three
back and finished second when stretching out to 1 1/16 miles in his next start.
Fourth in the Harry Henson last time, the dark bay gelding shows a five-furlong
bullet work last Sunday and trainer Julio Canani does well when going turf to
all-weather (22 percent win; positive ROI). We’re not sure he can handle this
company, but can’t count him out of the top three. SMILING TIGER (Hold
That Tiger) recorded a couple of thirds to Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike) in the
Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Best Pal (G2) last season and returned to the races
with a close third in the Harry Henson last time. He was able to set the pace in
his starts at two, but the chestnut will probably utilize stalking tactics here.
We’re inclined to give him another start back off the layoff.

HAWAIIAN SPRINGS (Stephen Got Even) puts blinkers back on for Kathy Walsh,
but we doubt whether he’s fast enough to challenge at this level. DOMONATION
(Maria’s Mon) hasn’t shown enough in his recent starts for us to recommend. MR
TOKYO (Freespool) will step up to face open rivals off a third in the grassy
Snow Chief S. and may find this company too difficult. WORKING CAPITAL (Bertrando)
appears in too deep.