Deputy Minister

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of eight will contest Saturday’s $100,000 Seabiscuit Breeders’ Cup H. (G3), named
for the famous handicap horse who was undefeated from four starts at Bay
Meadows, including two victories in the Bay Meadows H. The 1 1/16-mile event has
drawn last year’s winner, YOUGOTTAWANNA (Candi’s Gold), and
we find it hard to go against the six-year-old.

The chestnut is one of two uncoupled Jerry Hollendorfer entrants. Touting a
2004 record of 11-5-3-1, Yougottawanna ran three wide throughout
his only start this year, finishing third by five lengths in the Lafayette H.
That contest was run over a sloppy track and the gelding may not have taken to
the mud. Previously, he capped off his five-year-old campaign in winning fashion
when taking the Forty-Niner H. at this distance. Yougottawanna owns six victories from 11 tries. With the ability to close
or run on the lead, you’ve gotta want to use this horse.

HABANEROS (Tabasco Cat) switches back to the dirt here and rates our second
choice. The gelding shows a record of two wins from three starts at the
Seabiscuit distance and also has a win at this level in the Carleton F. Burke H.
(G3), although that came at 1 1/2 miles on the grass. Still, with the six-year-old’s
back class, we find it hard to deny his closing speed.

Hollendorfer also sends out ADREAMISBORN (Kris S.), who enters off a
second-place finish to JAKE SKATE (Arch) but ahead of our top selection in the
Lafayette. Two back, the gelding recorded the same BRIS Speed rating (106) as
Yougottawanna when finishing second by a neck in the Forty Niner. The
six-year-old owns a win at this level, taking the Longacres Mile H. (G3) last
year, but that contest was run over an off track as well, which he may need.

Jake Skate has a class test here, but he did beat two of our top choices last
out. If the five-year-old can improve off that win, he may continue his perfect
record of hitting the board at the distance (6-2-3-1). We’ll use the dark bay in
the gimmicks. The lightly-raced FREDDY (Arg) (Roy) has had three North American starts,
none of which replicated the multiple Group 1 winner’s performances in his native
Argentina. In 2002, the chestnut was named Horse of the Year in his native
country. If he can return to that form, as a recent trio of works
suggest, the Donald Burke trainee could surprise.

THIRD HALF (Silver Deputy) has put in some nice works recently for conditioner Bobby
Frankel, but has been on the shelf for two months and steps up in class. We’ll
watch for the five-year-old to come running late, but we’ll let him beat us.
DESERT BOOM (Boomerang) has six wins from his last 10 starts, four of which came
at the Seabiscuit distance, but takes a serious class jump here and we can’t
recommend. Roy Lumm claimed PURE (Unbridled’s Song) last out in a 6 1/2-furlong Santa
Anita turf event, in which the gray finished eighth by 10 lengths. Now the
four-year-old, who has run anywhere from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, will
attempt to switch surfaces, jump in class and add another quarter mile. We’ll
go against.