Crown Royal American Turf

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Eleven sophomores will travel 1 1/16 grassy miles in the $150,000 Crown Royal American
Turf S. (G3) at Churchill Downs on Friday. We have always been huge fans of PRUSSIAN (Danzig)
for trainer Bill Mott, and we think that the well-bred three-year-old will be
ultra-tough in this one. A superb winner in his debut at Saratoga last summer,
the bay colt captured his second start in the Summer S. (Can-G3) before
concluding his juvenile year in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, where he led to
the stretch before tiring on the bog-like turf at Monmouth. In his 2008 debut,
the Kentucky-bred didn’t look like himself in the off-the-turf Transylvania S. (G3),
but we’re willing to give him a pass since the race was switched to Keeneland’s
Polytrack. New rider John Velazquez will likely take
this horse right to the front, and stay there at the wire.

SAILOR’S CAP (Distant View) couldn’t have been much more impressive in
crushing allowance foes at Keeneland last out, which should set him up for a big
chance on this day. Trained by turf dynamo James Toner, the bay has excellent
tactical speed and rated kindly in his last, leading us to believe he’s putting
it all together after a sporadic initial three outings. The
Kentucky-bred has won on both yielding and firm ground, gets a positive rider switch
to Edgar Prado, and will likely get a good trip just off the flank of our top
pick.

NISTLE’S CRUNCH (Van Nistelrooy) dusted a stakes-quality allowance field at
Keeneland last out, earning a whopping 119 BRIS Late Pace number for Ken McPeek.
The bay New Jersey-bred was a closing third in his lone effort over this lawn
last November and showed a nice run when third in the grassy Eddie Logan S. at
Santa Anita in his juvenile
conclusion. Calvin Borel picks up the mount on the colt, who is obviously better
on the green than the main track.

FREE FIGHTER (Out of Place) is another whose subpar
showing in the Transylvania will be forgiven, and the Chris Block trainee could be live in here
from the rail post. The chestnut colt has crossed the wire first in three of his
four grass starts, and was visually impressive in his allowance romp at Fair
Grounds two prior. The closer will probably have to overcome slow fractions and
might not be the strongest win play in here, but he might possess the best late
kick in the field. Miguel Mena has the call.

CANNONBALL (Catienus) was third in the Juvenile Turf last year after winning
the King Cugat S. for Wesley Ward, and the dark bay put in a pair of solid
stakes tries on the green this year prior to an unplaced effort in the Lane’s
End S. (G2) on the Polytrack at Turfway. The gelding has good tactical speed and has kept good
company this year, so a top three finish is well within reach under Alex Solis.

HALO NAJIB (Halo’s Image) and BLACKBERRY ROAD (Gone West) were both on the
Triple Crown trail prior to their defeats in Kentucky Derby (G1) preps, and each will be
making their turf debuts in here. We’re treating this duo the same, because
each has some class to him, but neither of the pair has run on the turf. Your
call.

BOSS LAFITTE (Dynaformer) won the Transylvania with a strong rail rally last
out and is in very good form for the always dangerous Tom Amoss. The dark bay
colt likes to come from off the pace, and he’s earned triple-digit Late Pace
numbers in his last three, but there might not be much early tempo in here, which
could compromise his chances. We wouldn’t be shocked to see this one challenging
for a top three placing under the right scenario.

PROCESSOR’S TURF (Sky Mesa) went last-to-first in a downhill sprint at Santa
Anita last out for Todd Pletcher, but the bay will need vast improvement in his
first turf route to have a chance with these. TIZDEJAVU (Tiznow) took a lot of
early money in his recent Polytrack allowance race and ran well when third for Gregory Fox, but this
field is substantially better than his last. He’s also an unknown quantity on
the turf, so we’ll look for others. CAPE OF
STORMS (Cape Town) has some early gas but has never raced on the green, and he’s
drawn widest of all in here. We can’t recommend the dark bay.