Mother Goose

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A short field of five sophomore fillies will line up in the $250,000 Mother
Goose S. (G1) at Belmont Park on Sunday, and we can’t go against DEVIL MAY CARE
(Malibu Moon). The Todd Pletcher filly has experience winning over this track,
taking last year’s Frizette S. (G1), and has done well in just three starts this
season. She was close to the lead in the Silverbulletday after being fractious
in the gate and eventually flattened out to finish fifth, but rebounded when
scoring in the Bonnie Miss S. (G2) two back. Based on that performance, her
connections decided to give her a shot at the boys in the Kentucky Derby (G1),
and Devil May Care beat half the field when running 10th. The bay miss was given
a break following that grueling start and returns here off some nice works,
including a bullet five furlongs earlier this month in 1:01 1/5. John Velazquez
retains the mounts.

Pletcher opted to send Grade 3 winner AILALEA (Pulpit) to the Kentucky Oaks
(G1), and the bay filly tired to fifth after tracking the early pace. She came
back last out to take the one-mile Dogwood S. (G3) at Churchill Downs and is
another who has been training well of late. A four-length maiden winner at
Belmont last year, Ailalea could turn the tables on her stablemate, but we’re
thinking she’ll more likely complete the Mother Goose exacta for Pletcher under
Edgar Prado.

We’re actually thinking that Pletcher will have the trifecta in the Mother
Goose as KATY NOW (Tiznow) is also entered. The dark bay is something of a wild
card as she makes her stakes bow in this 8 1/2-furlong test. The lass broke her
maiden on Keeneland’s Polytrack, took an allowance on Churchill Downs’ main
track by four lengths. Those two starts were both accomplished under the
tutelage of trainer Ian Wilkes when she was a juvenile, but Katy Now was sold prior to her three-year-old season and was transferred to
Pletcher. She recorded a 4 1/2-length victory against
allowance/optional claiming rivals in her seasonal bow on May 28 and could
continue her forward progression in this spot. Our only concern is whether
she’ll be able to handle the stretch out from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Kent
Desormeaux has the call.

BIOFUEL (Stormin Fever) will be making her dirt debut in the Mother Goose and
could add this one to an already nice resume if she successfully transfers her
form. She was honored as the co-champion two-year-old filly in Canada following
a 4 1/2-length victory in the Mazarine S. (Can-G3) on Woodbine’s Polytrack and a
close fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on the Pro-Ride at Santa
Anita. Biofuel has gone undefeated as a sophomore from two starts so far, taking
the Star Shoot S. and La Lorgnette S., and earned triple-digit BRIS Late Pace
ratings for her last three races. She’ll be tough to deny if she takes to the
dirt with Eurico Da Silva aboard.

CONNIE AND MICHAEL (Roman Ruler) posted a 5 1/4-length, wire-to-wire score
against allowance rivals at Churchill last out in her first attempt on a
conventional dirt surface, but didn’t earn very impressive numbers for that win.
She might not be fast enough to keep up with these but is guaranteed a check
nonetheless.