Shoemaker BC Mile

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A competitive field of seven turf runners are set to line up in Monday’s
$350,000 Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile S. (G1) at Hollywood Park, and any one of
the runners here could take home the top prize. However, we’re going with
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) hero SINGLETARY (Sultry Song) to earn his third win from
his past four starts in this spot.

The Donald Chatlos Jr. trainee has earned nothing but triple-digit BRIS Speed
ratings from his past nine starts and consistently posts century-topping BRIS E2
Pace figures. Singletary returned off his Breeders’ Cup win to finish an
uncharacteristic seventh in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1), but got back to
his winning ways in the Arcadia H. (G2) last out. He worked a nice five furlongs
in 1:00 3/5 on May 24 and looks ready to finally earn a win in this race after
running second last year. David Flores, aboard in the Breeders’ Cup, has the
call.

BUCKLAND MANOR (Bien Bien) will knock heads with his rival once again. The
two horses have hooked up three times since October, with Buckland Manor
finishing ahead of Singletary in two of those races. He couldn’t quite get to
our top pick in the Arcadia last out, but was only a length back in third at the
wire. Trained by Juan Paco Gonzalez, the five-year-old chestnut earned a
century-topping 112 Speed rating for his runner-up effort in the Kilroe two back
and could finally earn that elusive first graded win here. Alex Solis, rider of
Singletary in his past two, takes over riding duties from Rene Douglas.

FAST AND FURIOUS (Fr) (Singspiel [Ire]) has done well since coming to the
United States. The dark bay four-year-old ran just 1 3/4 lengths back in fifth
in the Del Mar Derby (G2) in September, then took a slight break before trying
the Hollywood Derby (G1) in late November. The Ron McAnally trainee just missed
in that one after a six-wide, bumpy trip, running second by a half-length, and
could threaten for it all here with a cleaner ride. Victor Espinoza retains the
mount.

KING OF HAPPINESS (Spinning World) returned off a near seven-month layoff to
take the Inglewood H. (G3) last out in front-running fashion. The Neil
Drysdale-conditioned chestnut earned a 102 Speed rating for that score, eclipsed
in his career only by the 104 he garnered for a close fourth in the Eddie Read
H. (G1) last season. That particular race came after another fourth-place finish
that occurred in this event last year. King of Happiness has been working
bullets of late and could forget to stop if he gets away with an uncontested
lead on Monday. Corey Nakatani will be aboard.

WHILLY (Ire) (Sri Pekan) comes into this one off a runner-up finish in the
Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) in late March. The bay colt really blossomed in the
latter part of 2004 and seems to have carried his form over into this season. He
wired the San Marcos S. (G2) prior to his Dubai run and will challenge for
pacesetting duties. The four-year-old deserves win consideration and should be
included in all gimmicks.

CASTLEDALE (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) returned to the turf two back after
spending his three-year-old season on the dirt. Trainer Jeff Mullins left his
charge on the main track in his first two starts back this year, but finally
moved him to the green, where the bay colt immediately came to life. Castledale
ran second by only a head in that optional claimer and last out won the San
Francisco Breeders’ Cup Mile H. (G2). He is definitely back where he belongs and
could earn part in this one. SPECIAL RING (Nureyev) captured the Eddie Read last
year, but finished well back in his final two races as a seven-year-old. He’ll
be making his 2005 bow here and we just can’t back him until we see if he’s
reacquired his 2003 winning form.