Frank J. DeFrancis

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A full field of 14 is entered in the season’s last major sprinting contest,
the $300,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. (G1) at Laurel Park, going six
furlongs
Saturday with two also-eligibles waiting at the ready.

ELUSIVE JAZZ (Elusive Quality) highlights an evenly matched field in which several horses
can boast of a winning chance. The Bobby Barnett trainee is on the top of his
game right now, coming off a solid fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1)
after a troubled start. Prior to that one, the four-year-old annexed the Phoenix
Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) from just off the pace over a speed-biased track at Keeneland.
He’s versatile enough to sit close or rally from far off the pace, and jockey Eibar
Coa can overcome an outside post to win his first ride aboard the chestnut.

GATORS N BEARS (Stormy Atlantic) has never missed the board in his 10 starts
over the Laurel, Maryland, track, winning four of those attempts. The
five-year-old comes off a disappointing fifth in the Friendly Lover H. when he
stumbled badly at the break, but he has
been working solidly for conditioner Leo Nechamkin II and should fare better off
a two-month freshening. Gators N Bears returns to his home surface and can
challenge for it all with Abel Castellano Jr.

TIGER HEART (Scatmandu) has improved dramatically since moving to the shedrow
of Richard Dutrow three starts back. Since then, the four-year-old has recorded
two victories and a close second in the Vosburgh S. (G1),
finishing behind Taste of Paradise (Conquistador Cielo), who was subsequently an
unlucky runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Although his charge is untested over this track, Dutrow has the chestnut in sharp form, and
Tiger Heart will be one to deal with under Edgar Prado.

I’M THE TIGER (Siphon [Brz]) is well suited to six furlongs, missing the
board just once in 10 tries. The five-year-old gelding handles a fast pace well
and should be in the thick of things in the final furlong for trainer Bobby
Frankel. He comes off a close fifth in the Vosburgh and receives a jockey switch to
Jerry Bailey.

CLEVER ELECTRICIAN (Clever Trick) didn’t respond well over the slop in the
Hudson H. at Belmont last out, defeated 4 1/4 lengths by fellow rival FRIENDLY
ISLAND (Crafty Friend). Entering this race off a maintenance move for
conditioner Bruce Levine, he should be
kept in mind for the exotics. Jeremy Rose will ride.

Friendly Island comes off his second consecutive victory in the Hudson and
has won five of six at Saturday’s distance. His first test of the graded stakes
waters proved a little disappointing as he finished seventh in the Fall Highweight H. (G3) at Aqueduct last year. Although this is only his second start
of the year, the Todd Pletcher trainee’s good late speed could land him
on the board under jockey John Velazquez.

Another entrant with a good late kick is WILD TALE (Tale of the Cat), who
earned a 118 BRIS Late Pace rating when coming up just three parts of a length
short in the Sport Page H. (G3) on the Breeders’ Cup undercard. The
four-year-old dark bay also put that late speed to good use when coming in
second to Elusive Jazz in the Phoenix. Rene Douglas has the call.

DALE’S PROSPECT (Pioneering) exits a close third in the Dave’s Friend S. at
Laurel Park late last month to ABBONDANZA (Alphabet Soup) and FOREST PARK
(Forest Wildcat). Trainer Dale Capuano and jockey Ryan Fogelsonger have teamed
up to a 15-4-3-1 record in the past two weeks. He is experienced at this track
and distance and could make a surprise showing in the gimmicks.

Forest Park has placed second in his last two, posting triple-digit BRIS
Speed figures for both of those efforts. So far this year, he has finished either
first or second in eight starts and has captured six of nine at six furlongs.
Despite the rise in class, the four-year-old should be in the midst of
things at the end. ATTILA’S STORM (Forest Wildcat) comes off a good fourth in
the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and could make another solid showing here with his
front-running style.

Abbondaza is undefeated in two starts here and returns with jockey Enrique Jurado,
who rode the four-year-old to a neck victory in the Dave’s Friend with a ground-saving trip. However, class concerns will lead us to bet against
here. SAAY MI NAME (Not for Love) has won two of nine starts at Laurel and six of
16 at six furlongs, but he will be facing a class test here.

MINISTERS WILD CAT (Deputy Minister) has proved successful at Woodbine but
hasn’t fared as well outside of Canada. He will be making his first start for
trainer Mark Casse and we will go against. WHO’S THE COWBOY (Intensity) comes
off two consecutive victories, including a win in the City Zip S. However, the
three-year-old will be facing elders and a major class hike. Others appear more
likely for this one.

GOLD CLUSTER (Formal Gold) and BLOWN AUDIT (Devil His Due) are both listed as
also-eligibles, but neither seems up to the task if they make the cut.

TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS:		1st-ELUSIVE JAZZ
		2nd-GATORS N BEARS
		3rd-TIGER HEART