San Luis Obispo

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Eight horses are set to line-up in Saturday’s $150,000 San Luis Obispo H.
(G2) at Santa Anita, and this could be the year that CONTINENTAL RED (Flying
Continental) finally breaks through with a win. The chestnut gelding has run in
the 1 1/2-mile turf test since 2002, earning a second, third and fifth, and
enters off a close fourth-place finish in the Sunshine Millions Turf. That was
his second start of the year and he earned a stellar 104 BRIS Speed rating for
his come-from-behind effort. Continental Red returned off a five-month layoff
three back to finish third in an optional claimer and has been working well to
prepare for this one, getting five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on February 13. Jockey
Gary Stevens stays in the saddle and the pair could finally earn a first win
together.

T. H. APPROVAL (With Approval) made his stakes debut in the San Marcos S.
(G2) last out, putting up a nice 98 Speed figure as well as a 98 BRIS Late Pace
rating. Prior to that one, the Eduardo Inda-trained four-year-old captured an
allowance and an optional claimer at Hollywood Park, with the allowance coming
at Saturday’s 12-furlong distance. The gray colt will be reunited with jockey Rene
Douglas, who was aboard for the two wins as well as a second before them, and
they could surprise here at good odds.

LICENSE TO RUN (Brz) (Exile King) is a Group 1 winner in his native Brazil
and came close to duplicating that feat in his first U.S. start. The Bobby
Frankel trainee shipped in and finished third, beaten just a neck, in the
Hollywood Turf Cup S. (G1) in early December. He regressed a bit off that one to
run fifth in the San Marcos last out, but his 99 Speed rating for the Turf Cup
tells us he shouldn’t be ignored. The dark bay five-year-old could outrun his
rivals to the wire under Patrick Valenzuela.

SIGFRETO (Spunky Rascal) took the lead from the gate in a nine-furlong
optional claimer last out and dueled throughout before fading a bit at the end
to finish third. That was only the third turf start the Doug O’Neill trainee has
made recently, but he earned some nice numbers, indicating he might be ready to
step up his game a notch. The gray seven-year-old will be tough in the exotics
under Omar Figueroa.

BALUSTRADE (Green Dancer) doesn’t own quite the numbers we’d like to see when
competing for this race, but the five-year-old could still surprise in the top
three at a price. The bay horse will be returning off a three-month layoff for
his new trainer, Leonard Powell, who could have his charge ready to fire off the
freshening. GORYLLA (Brz) (New Colony) was originally given to Kenny
McPeek when he first came to the United States, but the eight-year-old has been switched to Paulo
Lobo for 2005. His one start this season wasn’t very inspiring, but his past form
encourages us to give him another chance. Consider for the bottom of the
exotics.

SPECIAL MATTER (River Special) captured an optional claimer over our top pick
two back, but the seven-year-old gelding might not have the speed to keep up
with these. We’ll let him beat us. CALIFORNIAN (GB) (Zafonic) looks out of his
class in this spot.