Revved Up, Nightmare Affair top draws for Grand Slam II

Saturday's $200,000 W. L. McKnight H. (G2) is but one of the four graded

events making up Grand Slam II at Calder, and an overflow of 13 has been entered

in the 1 1/2-mile turf test. REVVED UP (Sultry Song) has been assigned the highweight of 122 pounds off three straight stakes victories, including a

two-length score in the Sycamore Breeders' Cup S. (G3) at Keeneland. Most

recently, the Christophe Clement-trained eight-year-old captured the

Bonnie Heath Turf Cup H. for the second straight year. Revved Up will keep Eddie Castro

in the saddle.

To get his third consecutive victory, Revved Up will have to withstand the

likes of Grade 2 hero ALWAYS FIRST (GB) (Barathea [Ire]) and multiple Grade 2

victor DREADNAUGHT (Lac Ouimet). In his past two races, the former captured the

Cape Henlopen S. and finished third in the Sycamore. Dreadnaught

won the W. L. McKnight in 2004 and most recently ran third by a

neck in the Laurel Turf Cup.

Also included in the field are Kentucky Cup Turf S. (G3) hero EMBOSSED (Ire)

(Mark of Esteem [Ire]) as well as stakes winner and multiple Grade 2-placed

SPIDER POWER (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]).

RAMAZUTTI (Honor Grades) will break from the rail under John Velazquez while

carrying 117 pounds. To his outside will be INTERPATATION (Langfuhr), Tom

Turner, 115; DEVIL'S PREACHER (Pulpit), Rafael Bejarano, 113; Always First, Rene

Douglas, 118; DAVE (Ends Well), Edgar Prado, 114; Dreadnaught, Jean-Luc Samyn,

117; BOB'S PROUD MOMENT (Proud and True), Manoel Cruz, 115; Revved Up; Spider

Power, Joe Bravo, 114; Embossed, Larry Melancon, 117; BIG PRAIRIE (Danzig),

Javier Castellano, 115; and TEOFILO (Per) (Riyadian), Jeffrey Sanchez, 115.

Also-eligible BEE

CHARMER (Ire) (Anabaa), who has been given a 112-pound assignment with Prado,

will need a defection to make the field.

Group 2 queen ROYAL HIGHNESS (Ger) (Monsun) is one of a talented group of six

turf distaffers entered in the $200,000 La Prevoyante H. (G2). Trained by

Clement, the bay four-year-old made her U.S. debut a third in the Joe Hirsch

Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) against the boys before filling the runner-up

spot in the Long Island H. (G2). She'll have to carry the topweight of 120

pounds, including Prado.

Another expatriate looking for her first stakes win in the United States is

BARANCELLA (Fr) (Acatenango). The five-year-old mare was second in the 2004

Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1) and most recently finished

second in the E. P. Taylor S. (Can-G1) at Woodbine. Also entered in the La

Prevoyante is SAFARI QUEEN (Arg) (Lode), who captured the Long

Island and will be making her first start at Calder in this 12-furlong

grass race. She made her stateside bow at Gulfstream Park in February, but

started moving up the East Coast, eventually ending up at Aqueduct for

the Long Island last out.

Safari Queen drew the inside under Velazquez and will have to carry 117

pounds. Next in line will be DORYPHAR (Gone West), Cruz, 111; PRIVATE BETTY

(Lost Soldier), Jose Lezcano, 111; Barancella, Castellano, 118; Royal Highness;

and WAIT IT OUT (Swain [Ire]).

Nightmare Affair will try to end the year with a win (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) Smile Sprint H. (G2) hero NIGHTMARE AFFAIR (Out of Place) headlines the $100,000 Kenny Noe Jr. H. (G3) in his final start of the year. The five-year-old gray has been assigned the highweight of 120 pounds off his third-place finishes in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (G1) in his past two races. The veteran stakes competitor, who last non-stakes race came in March of 2005, has run up a 4-1-3 mark from 12 starts this season and will get Prado, who was aboard for the Breeders' Cup, in the saddle. Among Nightmare Affair's rivals in the seven-furlong Kenny Noe are Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship H. (G2) winner MISTER FOTIS (Diligence) and Grade 3 victor WEIGELIA (Safely's Mark), who was third in the Smile Sprint during the summer. PARADISE DANCER (Langfuhr), a two-time stakes winner this year and second in the 2004 non-graded edition of this race, as well as 2003 King's Bishop S. (G1) winner VALID VIDEO (Valid Wager) are also part of the field. HOW'S YOUR HALO (Halo's Image) will lead the post parade under a 113-pound impost, including Elvis Trujillo. He'll be followed by CARROTS ONLY (Defrere), Turner, 115; Paradise Dancer, Lezcano, 115; Valid Video, Cruz, 115; ISTAN (Gone West), Velazquez, 114; Nightmare Affair; Mister Fotis, Bejarano, 117; ROBBIES CHARM (Slew Gin Fizz), Eduardo Nunuez, 110; and Weigelia, Castro, 117.

REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit), winner most recently of the Carl G. Rose Classic H. at Calder, will share the highweight of 117 pounds with Grade 2 winner

SIPHON CITY (Siphon [Brz]) in the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper H. (G3). Also entered

in the nine-furlong test is Chilean champion WE CAN SEEK (Chi) (Seeker's Reward)

and Grade 3 hero SUPERVISOR (Skip Trial).

The 11-horse field, with jockeys and weights, is HESANOLDSALT (Broad Brush),

Bejarano, 113; ITSAWONDERFULIFE (Skip Away), Lezcano, 114; Supervisor, Aurelio

Toribio Jr., 116;  We Can Seek, Prado, 116; BIG LOVER (Ecton Park),

Castellano, 115; DAZZLING DR. CEVIN (Cutlass Fax), Velazquez, 115; SIR JACKIE

(Sweetsouthernsaint), Nunez, 114; B. B. BEST (Yes It's True), Castro, 116;

Rehoboth; Cruz, 117; DRY MARTINI (Slew Gin Fizz), Trujillo, 111; and Siphon

City, Douglas, 117.