San Clemente

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A full field of 10 sophomore fillies will run in Saturday’s $150,000 San Clemente H. (G2) at Del Mar, and we’re not going to take a short price in the
contentious event. ACTING LADY (Theatrical [Ire]) was an upset winner of the
Providencia S. (G2) in April and recorded a good second in the Honeymoon H. (G2)
two starts back, but she was no factor at long odds in the American Oaks (G1)
last time. She won’t offer a ton of value here, but she’s taking a big class
drop off her last start and runs her best races at a mile (5-2-1-1). We’ll give
the Doug O’Neill runner top billing.

STRAWBERRY TART (Atticus) has won two straight since switching to turf for
trainer Jeff Bonde, including a half-length tally in the Flawlessly S. last out,
and she’s a serious threat to garner her first graded win in this spot. The late
runner didn’t earn the best BRIS Speed or Pace ratings in those efforts, but we
like her present form and give her a solid chance at the win.

INTERNALLYFLAWLESS (Giant’s Causeway) will return off the layoff for Bob
Baffert. A close second in the Miesque S. (G3) last November, she’s training
well for her 2009 bow and will be reunited with Garrett Gomez, who was up for
her maiden win and Miesque. We feel the chestnut filly will thrive at longer
distances and are a little worried that the late runner could leave herself with
too much to do here, but the pace should be legitimate. Internallyflawless will
look to run past all of her rivals in the stretch.

NAN (High Yield) is eligible to show more off a 10th in the American Oaks.
The Craig Dollase charge owns plenty of experience against better foes, making
her last five outings at the Grade 1 level, and she hit the board in her first
three turf starts. The dark bay should save ground from her rail post beneath
Victor Espinoza, and we’ll use her in the exotics if the price is right.

HAMEILDAEME (GB) (Storming Home [GB]) will enter off of a trio of solid
showings on the grass at Hollywood Park, but the filly drew the far outside for
her first stakes start. We like the fact that she’s doing well presently
and should offer some value, so we’ll probably have to include her on a couple
of tickets. KAWEAH PRINCESS (Soto) has never run on turf or past six furlongs.
The Northern California shipper owns a three-race win skein, though, and she’s
bred to handle a mile on the turf. Consider the Jerry Hollendorfer pupil for the
gimmicks.

Hollywood Oaks (G2) winner CARLSBAD (Rocky Bar) will look to transfer her
form to turf, but there’s other speed in the line-up and we’ll take a stand
against her in this route. WAKE ME NOW (Ire) (Almutawakel [GB]), a winner in
England against much lesser, will need to
draw in from the also-eligibles list and will be breaking from the far outside
if she does. We’ll watch to see how she performs in her first
stateside outing, if she gets in for new trainer Gary Stevens.

FASTONGRASS (Forest Wildcat) looks more comfortable in turf sprints at this
point in her career. STARLARKS (Ire) (Mujahid) will need to improve
significantly off her recent efforts to challenge. OILGONEWILE (Montbrook) is a
confirmed speedball, and we can’t envision her sustaining it.