Harold C. Ramser Sr.

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday’s $100,000 Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. (G3) at Oak Tree features a smart
group of 11 sophomore turf fillies, but MRS KIPLING (Ire) (Exceed and Excel)
could be a class apart. After a promising two-year-old campaign in Europe, in
which she captured an Italian listed race and finished third versus males in the
Cornwallis S. (Eng-G3) at Ascot, the bay was sold for $258,385 at Tattersalls
last December. Mrs Kipling reappeared with Neil Drysdale in Southern California,
and in her U.S. debut, she checked in a strong second in the Providencia S. (G2)
at this course and one-mile distance. She predictably improved off that effort
to win the Senorita S. (G3) at Hollywood Park in grand style, even more
impressively than her 2 1/2-length margin might suggest. Things went awry when
Mrs Kipling stretched out to 1 1/4 miles in the July 5 American Oaks
Invitational (G1), where she was virtually eased in 12th, but she is training
sharply in advance of her return from the three-month layoff. Mrs Kipling may be
sitting on a Senorita-like performance here, and if so, the late runner will be
tough to beat with regular rider David Flores.

We’ll go out on a limb and expect a much better run from APRIL PRIDE (GB) (Falbrav
[Ire]), who hasn’t yet justified our early-season hopes for her. A reliable
Group 3-level performer as a juvenile in England, she was imported to America
and flopped in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Trainer Jim Cassidy
found that April Pride required plenty of work to get fit. After a pair of
seconds over the winter, she posted a career-best in the third start of her form
cycle in the China Doll S., handily defeating subsequent Providencia winner
ACTING LADY (Theatrical [Ire]). April Pride was then sidelined for more than
five months, and her first two starts back haven’t been eye-catching. Like the
China Doll, the Ramser is her third start off the layoff, and the tactical filly
picks up the services of Garrett Gomez.

MINUTE LIMIT (Ire) (Pivotal) will be making her stakes debut for John Sadler.
Judging by her near-miss effort to eventual San Clemente H. (G2) queen STARLARKS
(Ire) (Mujahid) in an allowance/optional claimer in her U.S. bow two back,
Minute Limit fits at this level. In her only subsequent outing, the Team Valor
International filly captured a similar event at Del Mar. She runs well fresh and
figures to come charging from off the pace with Joel Rosario.

Starlarks, who got up in the last jump in the San Clemente, was only sixth in
the Del Mar Oaks (G1) last out. The Paddy Gallagher trainee was compromised by a
dawdling pace scenario that day, and she should get a relatively better set-up
here. Having said that, Starlarks is not demonstrably better than the rival she
just denied in the San Clemente, STRAWBERRY TART (Atticus), who chased a
ridiculous pace that day but held on well. Strawberry Tart is coming off a pair
of unplaced efforts, but she relishes the one-mile trip and is eligible to
return to her best in this spot.

Acting Lady has been a stalwart on the circuit this season, usually giving a
good account of herself in a sequence of graded races. Like Strawberry Tart, she
was arguably too close to the scorching pace in the San Clemente and retreated
to sixth. Doug O’Neill has given her a break since then, and the dark bay has
responded by firing a bullet in her most recent work. The game and genuine filly
is a logical exotics threat, but we don’t think that she’s quite good enough to
win.

Although the inconsistent PRIDE DANCER (Ire) (Fasliyev) is capable on her
day, as demonstrated by her rallying third to Mrs Kipling in the Senorita, she
is equally capable of throwing in clunkers and has not raced since June. We’re
not sure what to expect, but Bobby Frankel enjoys a 24 percent strike rate with
horses returning from similar layoffs. CENTURY PARK (General Meeting) has been
beaten by several of her Ramser rivals when she tried rating tactics. The Bob
Baffert filly has done her best work on or near the lead, as proven by her score
in the Santa Ysabel S. (G3) on Pro-Ride in January and the California Cup
Distance H. last time out. If she shows speed from the rail here, she could hang
on for quite a while, but we can’t envision her fending off the leading
contenders.

AIR FAIR (Yes It’s True), POINT OF REFERENCE (Benchmark) and MALIBU WIN
(Malibu Moon) all appear to have class concerns in this spot.