Friday Stakes

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COMELY STAKES (G3), 8TH-AQUEDUCT PARK, $100,000, 3YO, F, 1M, 4:20 P.M. EDT, 4-9

PP HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 RARE GIFT KIMMEL JOHN C BRIDGMOHAN S X 116
2 PLEASE TAKE ME OUT CALLEJAS ALFREDO GRYDER A T 118
3 DAYDREAMING MCGAUGHEY CLAUDE III CASTELLANO J J 116
4 IRISH MELODY PLETCHER TODD A VELAZQUEZ J R 116
5 TWO BAYOU REYNOLDS PATRICK J COTTO P L JR 116
6 SOCIETY SELECTION JERKENS H ALLEN CHAVEZ J F 122
7 BENDING STRINGS MCLAUGHLIN KIARAN P LUZZI M J 116
8 BALDOMERA PRECIADO GUADALUPE VEGA H 118
9 A LULU OFA MENIFEE TAGG BARCLAY SANTOS J A 116

Nine sophomore fillies are set to lineup in Friday's $100,000 Comely S. (G3) at Aqueduct, and SOCIETY SELECTION (Coronado's Quest) is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line. The Grade 1-winning lass has yet to break through with a win this year from two starts, but has the back class to take this mile event. However, she's missed as the favorite in her two previous so we'll try to beat her with A LULU OFA MENIFEE (Menifee).

Listed at 10-1, A Lulu ofa Menifee will be making her first start here for trainer Barclay Tagg. While under the tutelage of Ronny Werner, the bay filly didn't break her maiden until her fifth try, but seemed to find a running style she liked as she took the lead by the second call and never looked back en route to a three length victory. Next out in an optional claiming event at the same track, A Lulu ofa Menifee led from gate to wire to record an easy 8 1/2-length score and earned a 99 BRIS Speed rating in the process. She doesn't seem to face much competition for pacesetting duties on Friday and could forget to stop in her stakes debut with Jose Santos aboard.

IRISH MELODY (Unbridled's Song) is undefeated from two starts so far and garnered a 103 Speed figure last out for an allowance win at Gulfstream Park. The Todd Pletcher-trained gray will be stretching out an extra furlong here off that test, but comes from a barn that sends first-time routers to the winner's circle at a 21 percent clip. She could keep her record perfect while making the next step up. John Velazquez has the call.

Society Selection captured the Frizette S. (G1) last year before running off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She wasn't seen in competition again until early February in the Davona Dale S. (G2), where she ran third by just a half-length, and then tried the Bonnie Miss S. (G2) and finished second by two lengths. Society Selection hasn't proven anything to us yet, but still deserves win consideration just off past form. Jorge Chavez will be holding the reins for trainer Allen Jerkens.

TWO BAYOU (Two Punch) could add some value to the exotics at 20-1 on the morning line. The Patrick Reynolds-conditioned bay miss will be starting for her third trainer this year after being claimed for the second time, but captured her last four by wide margins. She's perfect in three tries at the distance and shows a win on the track. Two Bayou could hang around on the front end and surprise in the top three.

DAYDREAMING (A.P. Indy) hasn't been close in two previous tries in graded events, but won an allowance at Gulfstream Park last out while coming from off the pace. She could come running late and grab part. BENDING STRINGS (American Chance) has also finished off the board when facing graded company, but will be making her first start here for Kiaran McLaughlin. We can't completely ignore based on her new trainer.

RARE GIFT (Unbridled's Song) might not be fast enough to challenge these. PLEASE TAKE ME OUT (Take Me Out) has finished far back when trying graded races and might not be able to threaten. BALDOMERA (Doneraile Court) could be out of her class here.

TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS:
1st-A LULU OFA MENIFEE
2nd-IRISH MELODY
3rd-SOCIETY SELECTION

 

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MAKER'S MARK MILE STAKES (G2), 9TH-KEENELAND, $200,000, 4YO/UP, 1MT, 5:15 P.M. EDT, 4-9

PP HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 FREEFOURINTERNET SCOTT JOAN PERRET C 116
2 ROYAL SPY AMOSS THOMAS F ALBARADO R J 116
3 BURNING ROMA GIGLIO HEATHER A CASTANON J L 116
4 MILLENNIUM DRAGON (GB) MCLAUGHLIN KIARAN P MIGLIORE R 116
5 PERFECT DRIFT JOHNSON MURRAY W DAY P 116
6 STROLL MOTT WILLIAM I BAILEY J D 120
7 PERFECT SOUL (IRE) ATTFIELD ROGER PRADO E S 116
8 HONOR IN WAR MCGEE PAUL FLORES D R 116
9 NEEDWOOD BLADE (GB) WALSH KATHY SANTIAGO JAVIER 116
10 HEAR NO EVIL HATCHETT JAMES GARCIA J A 116

A crackerjack field of 10 turf milers meet in Friday's $200,000 Maker's Mark Mile S. (G2) from Keeneland, and defending champion ROYAL SPY (Peteski) is juicy a 8-1 on the morning line. His speed is dangerous, but we'll take a shot with STROLL (Pulpit).

He was the best turf three-year-old in training at the end of 2003, reeling off a pair of easy Grade 2 scores in New York before capping the season with a 3 3/4-length triumph in the Calder Derby (G3). Trainer Bill Mott gave him the rest of the year off, and Stroll returns in a tough spot, but he has trained forwardly for his return at Payson Park over the last 2 1/2 months. He has run well fresh, shown an affinity for eight furlongs and owns excellent BRIS Speed and Late Pace ratings. The dark bay figures to rate off fast early fractions before rallying gamely under Jerry Bailey.

PERFECT SOUL (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) also makes his seasonal bow and is doing well presently based on his morning workouts, including six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 around the dogs at Keeneland eight days ago. The Roger Attfield-trained six-year-old is two for two over the course, including a sharp win in the Shadwell Turf Mile S. (G1) last October, and an obvious top threat here from off the pace.

PERFECT DRIFT (Dynaformer) returned last year with an easy victory in an April turf allowance at Keeneland. The competition is much better here, but the Grade 1 winner has the class to challenge. He didn't give the best account of himself in the Arlington Million (G1) or Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1) last year, but the five-year-old gelding could keep getting better with age. Perfect Drift should finish well under Pat Day.

MILLENNIUM DRAGON (GB) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]) was a convincing winner of the one-mile Appleton H. (G3) two starts back and just missed last time over the main track at Gulfstream. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, the classy five-year-old relishes middle distances and appears to going very well right now. He's another strong win candidate.

Grade 1 victor HONOR IN WAR (Lord at War [Arg]) owns a 3-1-2-0 mark over the course and appears to be training well for his second start of the season. The Paul McGee-trained chestnut should get plenty of pace to run at. BURNING ROMA (Rubiano) likes the turf (3-1-2-0) and should sit a good trip with his tactical speed from his inside post. Consider for the exotics.

Royal Spy, who set the pace last year, figures to face more pressure this time around and hasn't shown the best form at Fair Grounds in two starts this year, finishing second and third as the odds-on favorite both times. He may re-discover his best returning to Keeneland in his third start off the layoff, but we'll try to beat the speedy six-year-old.

FREEFOURINTERNET (Tabasco Cat) owns back class but hasn't been that same performer in two turf starts this year. He faces a difficult task here. NEEDWOOD BLADE (GB) (Pivotal) must overcome an outside post and hasn't shown enough in three North American starts for us to recommend his chances. HEAR NO EVIL (Carson City) could come blazing from the far outside but doesn't figure to last the entire way on the front end.

TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS:
1st-STROLL
2nd-PERFECT SOUL (Ire)
3rd-PERFECT DRIFT

 

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FANTASY STAKES (G2), 10TH-OAKLAWN PARK, $200,000, 3YO, F, 1 1/16M, 5:29 P.M. CDT, 4-9

PP HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY WT
1 HOUSE OF FORTUNE MCANALLY RONALD SOLIS A 121
2 SLEWPY'S STORM FREDERICK EDWARD D'AMICO A J 121
3 ELUSIVE DIVA GLATT MARK VALDIVIA J JR 117
4 STEPHAN'S ANGEL SERVIS JOHN C ELLIOTT S 121
5 MISS CORONADO FRANKEL ROBERT J VELASQUEZ CORNE 121
6 SHADOW CAST HOWARD NEIL J BOREL C H 121
7 TRUE BLONDE BEAUTY NORMAN COLE THERIOT H J II 117
8 YOURSMINEOURS VON HEMEL DONNIE K PETTINGER D R 121
9 STELLAR JAYNE LUKAS D WAYNE MCKEE J 121
10 PLATINUM BALLET VON HEMEL DONNIE K MARTINEZ W 117
11 ISLAND SAND JONES J LARRY THOMPSON T J 121

MISS CORONADO (Coronado's Quest), who ships in for trainer Bobby Frankel, rates our top choice in Friday's $200,000 Fantasy S. (G2) at Oaklawn Park. The bay three-year-old broke her maiden in her second start on the grass then went wire to wire in the 1 1/16-mile Davona Dale S. (G2) in her first start on dirt. In her stakes bow, she set a modest pace before finishing strongly and earning a BRIS Late Pace rating of 114. Miss Coronado figures to offer playable odds and Frankel wins with 35 percent of his shippers.

Grade 1-placed HOUSE OF FORTUNE (Free House), won the 1 1/16-mile California Oaks at Golden Gate by a remarkable 17 lengths in her last start, and will likely set or press the pace from the one-hole. The Ron McAnally trainee worked three-quarters in an eye-popping 1:09 4/5 on March 31 and is extremely dangerous under Alex Solis.

Silverbulletday S. (G2) winner SHADOW CAST (Smart Strike) finished a troubled third to Ashland S. (G1) runner-up Ashado (Saint Ballado) in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in her latest. A natural stalker, she will likely make her presence felt in the drive.

Both YOURSMINEOURS (Belong to Me) and STEPHAN'S ANGEL (Crypto Star), the one-two finishers of the Honeybee S., could get a share. The former likes to be with the early leaders and is training well, while the latter could come running late in her graded stakes debut for trainer John Servis.

ISLAND SAND (Tabasco Cat) won the Busanda S. at Aqueduct in her last start. She makes her first start for new trainer Larry Jones and seeks her fourth straight victory, but must overcome the outside post to factor. ELUSIVE DIVA (Elusive Quality) exits a maiden and a one-mile allowance score at Santa Anita and has some upset potential under Jose Valdivia Jr. Closer STELLAR JAYNE (Wild Rush) has been keeping good company in Southern California for trainer D. Wayne Lukas and could surprise.

PLATINUM BALLET (Skip Away) owns good local form but will get tested for class in this spot. The gray lass will offer large odds. Valdale S. winner SLEWPY'S STORM (Storm Creek) drew an inside post and adds Lasix. She's worth a second look at a price. TRUE BLONDE BEAUTY (Proudest Romeo) broke her maiden last out and looks overmatched.

TRACK BANDIT SELECTIONS:
1st-MISS CORONADO
2nd-HOUSE OF FORTUNE
3rd-SHADOW CAST