Vagrancy

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Seven fast fillies and mares will travel 6 1/2 furlongs in Saturday’s
$150,000 Vagrancy H. (G2) at Belmont Park. We really like the progression made
by HOUR GLASS (Petionville) since transferring to the barn of Todd Pletcher and
will take a shot with the filly in this field. The improving bay filly has
decent tactical speed, but we see her as a deep closer in this field with a lot
of horses to like to run on or just off the early tempo. Second in the Distaff
H. (G2) most recently, the Kentucky-bred should be rolling late.

TAR HEEL MOM (Flatter), who bagged the Distaff last out, always fires for
trainer Stan Hough and looks like a heavy favorite in this contest. The
five-year-old has been in the top three in eight of 10 and has trained well in
advance of this, but she won’t be able to dominate on the front end like she did
last time. It will still be no surprise to see her wind up with another victory,
but we’ll take a stand against at a very short price and use her in second
beneath Alan Garcia.

Recent Chilukki S. (G2) heroine MALIBU PRAYER (Malibu Moon) is peaking for
Pletcher and is another who makes a ton of sense in this affair. The
Virginia-bred ran a career best when romping in a stakes race over this oval two
prior and should be forwardly placed throughout under John Velazquez.

SAARLIGHT (Saarland) has been very consistent in her career for conditioner
Kiaran McLaughlin and had a nice prep over this strip in readying for this
affair. The Kentucky-bred has very good tactical speed and a fine outside draw
and even though we’re not thrilled that the filly lost her regular pilot, we
consider her a serious top three threat with Eibar Coa. Top New York-bred
RIGHTLY SO (Read the Footnotes) has never finished worse than third in her
career but will be facing open foes for the initial time for conditioner Anthony
Dutrow. The dark bay filly netted a 103 BRIS Speed rating last time and is a
model of consistency, so can’t be dismissed for a minor award against this
well-matched cast.

Multiple stakes vixen HOLD THAT PROSPECT (Hold That Tiger), who is
cross-entered to Saturday’s My Juliet S. at Philadelphia Park, has had some
success here but seems better suited to the winter circuit in New York for
conditioner Gary Gullo. Multiple stakes winner LADY ALEXANDER (Exchange Rate)
seems more likely at middle distances and could be exposed against some fast
ladies in this endeavor.