Friday’s $300,000
MISSION IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled’s Song) will meet GIANT OAK (Giant’s Causeway)
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Giant Oak, the 3-2 favorite for the New Orleans off back-to-back scores in
the Clark H. (G1) at Churchill and the Donn H. (G1) at Gulfstream, will need a
legitimate pace to get revenge in this shorter contest. Demarcation is another
who tends to make one bold move from behind, though he did show more tactical
foot prior to crossing the wire fourth in the Clark in November.
REGAL RANSOM (Distorted Humor), whose last stakes win occurred in the 2009
Super Derby (G2), has finished up the track in two prior appearances under the
Twin Spires, but tuned up for this with a solid runner-up finish to Capt.
Candyman Can (Candy Ride [Arg]) in the Sir Shackleton H. at Gulfstream over 6
1/2 furlongs. Another stretching out — and for the first time around two turns,
is last year’s Phoenix S. (G3) winner WISE DAN (Wiseman’s Ferry), an allowance
scorer at one mile during Churchill’s most recent fall meet. Wise Dan was a dull
fourth as the even-money favorite in last month’s Commonwealth S. (G2) at
Keeneland.
Invading from California are FIRST DUDE (Stephen Got Even) and CARACORTADO
(Cat Dreams). First Dude, who placed in several Grade 1 events last season
including the Preakness S. (G1) and Belmont S. (G1), recently snapped a lengthy
losing skid in an entry-level allowance at Santa Anita. Caracortado has raced
primarily on turf over the past six months, but has won or placed in two of
three career starts on dirt, the most recent attempt being a third in the Malibu
S. (G1) in December. Another with California ties, AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again),
has gone unplaced in four of his last five outings since taking the Hollywood
Gold Cup (G1) last July, but could improve on his recent sixth in the Charles
Town Classic (G3) while shedding blinkers.
The remainder of the Alysheba field includes New York-bred ace ICABAD CRANE
(Jump Start); EQUESTRIO (Elusive Quality), who notably defeated possible
Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite Dialed In (Mineshaft) in a Gulfstream allowance in
early March; and JARDIM (Brz) (Ski Champ), who handed Demarcation a severe loss
in the Schaefer Mile at Hoosier Park last fall.
The La Troienne arguably has a bit more star power than the Alysheba. When
Unrivaled Belle was pummeled in the April 2 Rampart S. (G3) at Gulfstream by
Blind Luck, the nation’s top three-year-old filly in 2010, is in the midst of
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The pace of the La Troienne should be provided by the stakes-winning ABSINTHE
MINDED (Quiet American), a game third in the Apple Blossom last time, and QUIET
GIANT (Giant’s Causeway), a multiple stakes winner during Aqueduct’s inner-track
meet. Others of note include Grade 1-placed stakes winner ALL DUE RESPECT (Value
Plus), Grade 3 veteran SEEKING THE TITLE (Seeking the Gold), and last-out New
Orleans Ladies S. winner RAVI’S SONG (Unbridled’s Song).