Longacres Mile

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

DESERT BOOM (Boomerang) enters Sunday’s $250,000 Longacres Mile H. (G3) at
Emerald Downs off three straight wins, including the Berkeley H. (G3) two back.
The Art Sherman trainee is tops in terms of BRIS Speed but drew
the far outside post in the 11-horse field, so we’re going with defending
champion ADREAMISBORN (Kris S.) to take this one for a second straight time.

The dark bay six-year-old earned his last win on the dirt in last year’s
edition of this mile test, but his most recent score came last out on the green
in the Joseph T. Grace H. at Santa Rosa. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the
versatile gelding also captured the grassy Stanford Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) this
year, earning a 100 Speed rating, and has yet to finish off the board in seven
starts this season. Adreamisborn could succeed for a second time here under
regular rider Russell Baze.

Desert Boom has earned triple-digit Speed ratings for his past five races and
could steal this one on the front end. The five-year-old gelding did just
that in his past two, both stakes, and has won seven of his past nine races. He
posted a nice four-furlong move last Saturday in :48 at Bay Meadows to get ready
for this event, but seems to prefer distances longer than a mile, as evidenced
by his 1-0-0 record from four starts at the distance. Though the dark bay looks
much the best in here, we’ll take a chance against.

FLAMETHROWINTEXAN (Way West [Fr]) owns only two off-the-board placings from
16 career starts, and most recently took the Mt. Rainier Breeders’ Cup H. over
the track. Prior to that one, the Jim Penney-trained chestnut was second by just
a nose after setting the pace in the 8 1/2-furlong Independence Day H. His
numbers are comparable with others in here, and the former claimer could take
that next step up by adding a graded win to his record. Ricky Frazier has the
call.

HARVARD AVENUE (You and I) captured the Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup H. (G2)
earlier this year and then proceeded to take on some of the best in the sprint
division. After three out-of-the money finishes, trainer Doug O’Neill has
entered the four-year-old here and adds blinkers. These tactics just may
get the dark bay back into the winner’s circle. SABERTOOTH (Petersburg) drew the
rail post with stablemate Flamethrowintexan just his outside. The uncoupled
Penney charge is returning off a more than two-month break but has been going
well of late, earning a 103 Speed figure two back for a 3 3/4-length win in the
Fox Sports Network H. Winner of the Longacres in 2002, the seven-year-old
veteran could challenge the top three.

R. ASSOCIATE (Crafty Prospector) has given new meaning to the term musical
barns. The bay five-year-old has had seven different names listed under the
trainer category, with a couple showing up more than once. He most recently ran
third in the Mt. Rainier, leading us to believe he’s either acclimated himself
to the revolving door situation or he’s a better horse than appears on paper.
Either way, give the gelding a chance in the exotics. QUIET CASH (Real Quiet)
will be making his first start for trainer Grant Forster in this spot and has
held his own against others here in the past. Consider for the bottom of the
gimmicks at a price.

NO GIVEAWAY (He’s Tops) loves Emerald Downs (9-5-3-0), but seems to prefer
shorter distances. We’ll let him beat us. TURBAN (Lord Avie) is making only his
third start off a 22-month break. Yet another Penney entry in this race, the
six-year-old gelding ran well back in his last stakes attempt and might not be
back to his 2003 form just yet. We’ll take a stand against. Neither MR. MAKAH (Majesterian)
nor SNORTER (Awesome Again) appear fast enough to keep up with this bunch.