Oceanport

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

PLEASANT STRIKE (Smart Strike) couldn’t make up enough ground when second in
the one-mile Battlefield S. at Monmouth Park on July 11, but the five-year-old
horse figures to get a much better pace scenario in Sunday’s $200,000 Oceanport
S. (G3) on the Haskell Invitational (G1) undercard. He’ll enter the 1 1/16-mile
turf affair in top form for trainer Todd Pletcher, recording excellent BRIS
Speed (101) and Late Pace (104) numbers last time, and he stretches out to a
more favorable distance (8-2-2-1). The late runner will be rolling in the stretch
beneath John Velazquez.

Multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire PROUDINSKY (Ger) (Silvano [Ger]) is the
class of the field, but he’ll offer no value (9-5 on morning line) and failed
last time in the Monmouth S. at short odds. The classy six-year-old doesn’t
appear to be in top form for Bobby Frankel, but he might not need his best to
get the job done here. The 123-pound highweight will pick up the services of
Kent Desormeaux.

GET SERIOUS (City Zip) is a New York-bred who does his best running over
Monmouth’s turf, winning five of seven starts, including the Battlefield and Elkwood S. in two attempts this year, and the John Forbes-trained gelding is a
wire-to-wire threat from his rail post. He’ll be tough to catch on soft
fractions, but the other speed in the field could soften him up.

KISS THE KID (Lemon Drop Kid) finished second in the 2007 Oceanport and owns
the back class to challenge for the win on Sunday. The multiple Grade 3 winner
has faltered in his last two turf starts, but he’s a four-time winner at this
distance and will be re-united with Elvis Trujillo, who won two of three starts
aboard the six-year-old earlier this season. Consider for the top three.

ROMAN TIGER (Tiger Ridge) faltered badly when making his 2009 bow in a July 4
allowance, but he’s recorded three works since then for Dennis Manning and could
be much sharper in this spot. We’ll look for him to come out running from post 2
before tiring from his early exploits. TIZDEJAVU (Tiznow) will also show speed
under Joe Bravo, but he doesn’t look as good presently as he was last summer.
RADICAL SABBATICAL (Harlan’s Holiday) isn’t the most consistent performer for
Barclay Tagg, and we don’t like him at this level.