Kentucky Juvenile

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Thursday’s $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3) at Churchill Downs will feature
nine youngsters, including five fillies, and six of the contestants in the
five-furlong test are exiting maiden special weight victories at Keeneland.

Todd Pletcher sent out MISSION IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled’s Song) to an impressive
one-length tally over the Polytrack on April 16, with the gray colt making up a sizable deficit in the stretch
and registering a
promising 102 BRIS Late Pace rating for the effort. They’ll be winging it on the
front end here, and we’ll look for a stalk-and-pounce score from Mission Impazible.

JEALOUS AGAIN (Trippi) drew off to a 11 1/4-length rout on Keeneland’s
opening day, but she’ll lose John Velazquez to Mission Impazible. Rene Douglas
will pick up the mount for Wesley Ward, who will saddle two in the field, and
Florida-bred filly could prove to be the speed of the speed from post 2. She
looks dangerous.

WESTERN SMOKE (Smoke Glacken) didn’t run as fast early as Jealous Again, but
he was a superb debut winner for Steve Asmussen, drawing clear to a 5 1/4 length
decision in wire-to-wire fashion. We’ll look for him to be tracking the pace
under new rider Brian Hernandez and will use the gray colt in our top three.

KINSOLVING (Posse) is one of three in here for Asmussen, and Shaun
Bridgmohan, who rode all of them in their debut, will stick with her. She waited
momentarily before closing strongly to win by a neck last time, and the bay
filly looms a threat to run by her opposition here. We recommend including her
in the exotics.

HEAVENVILLE (Offlee Wild) swung wide and drew clear quickly last time,
winning off by 4 1/4 lengths, and he’s another one to consider for at least
part. The dark bay Asmussen runner registered commendable BRIS Speed and Pace
ratings last time, and the stalker will pick up the services of Robby Albarado.
GATOR PROWL (Roar of the Tiger) ships in for John Salzman off a 11 1/2-length
thrashing at Laurel Park. We have a feeling that the competition was a lot more
difficult at Keeneland this spring, and we’ll have to let him beat us from
Maryland.

KITTY IN THE BAG (Wildcat Heir) posted a good-looking win in a two-furlong
event at Santa Anita, but we’ll give her a race on dirt. AEGEAN (Northern
Afleet) broke on top and sprinted clear early in her debut, but we don’t like
the rail draw here with plenty of speed to her outside. After being soundly
beaten last time in his debut at Lone Star Park, SEATTLE COURT (Consolidator)
will step up into a much more difficult spot here.