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TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
Saturday's $100,000 Cardinal H. (G3) has attracted a contentious field of nine turf distaffers, led by Churchill course specialist ACOMA (Empire Maker). Although we believe that the David Carroll filly will rebound from her last two subpar efforts, we're not so bullish as to endorse her for the win as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Instead, we'll go value-hunting with the Jonathan Sheppard-trained LONG APPROACH (Broad Brush), a 12-1 chance who missed narrowly in last year's running of the 1 1/8-mile Cardinal. Long Approach has been sparingly campaigned over the past two seasons, and she enters this test off a nearly seven-month layoff, but we have full confidence in Sheppard's ability to have her ready to fire off the bench. Two starts ago, the five-year-old chased home Mushka (Empire Maker) in an off-the-turf Keeneland allowance, an effort that looks even better since Mushka's promotion to victory in the Spinster S. (G1) at the same venue. When last seen in April, Long Approach rallied to finish second to the classy Criticism (GB) in the La Prevoyante H. (G2) on Calder's turf. The tactical filly figures to settle just off an honest early pace, and she should get first run on the deep closers. Kent Desormeaux has the return call. Acoma is two-for-two over the Matt Winn Turf Course, having captured the Mrs. Revere S. (G2) a year ago and the Mint Julep H. (G3) in June. She had valid excuses in her last pair -- irregular bloodwork signaled something was amiss following her poor sixth in the Delaware H. (G2) on the main track, and Keeneland's soft turf may not have been to her liking when she trailed home ninth in the First Lady S. (G1). Acoma still has to prove that she's back to her best, however, for new rider Jesus Castanon. Note also that she's spotting five pounds to Long Approach (121 versus 116). MY BABY BABY (Bernstein) typically gives a good account of herself, and the Ken McPeek trainee has never finished worse than second on the Churchill lawn (3-1-2-0). Runner-up to Acoma in the Mrs. Revere, she was a close second to Cocoa Beach (Chi) (Doneraile Court) in the De La Rose S. in her belated 2009 bow. In her latest venture, My Baby Baby rolled to a good-looking allowance/optional claiming score on Keeneland's Polytrack. Her regular rider Robby Albarado, who guided Acoma last time out, interestingly sticks with My Baby Baby in this spot. LEAMINGTON (Pleasant Tap) benefited from being lone speed when capturing the Voodoo Dancer S. two back, soundly defeating My Baby Baby in fourth, but she won't get that luxury Saturday. Still, the Graham Motion filly is strikingly consistent, boasting a 5-2-2-0 mark this season. Her lone blemish was a retreating fifth in the boglike Flower Bowl Invitational (G1), and she'll improve considerably back on better ground. Leamington is a must-use in the exotics with Calvin Borel, who piloted her to an allowance score over this course and distance in June. Southern California shipper LEMON CHIFFON (Lemon Drop Kid) runs her race every time. While we don't think that she's quite good enough to win outright, we won't be surprised if the hard-trying mare works her way into the superfecta. The Sean McCarthy pupil threw a scare into Black Mamba (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) in the C.T.T. and Thoroughbred Owners of California H. two back, and she was most recently a solid fourth in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1). Jon Court will partner the late runner. YOU GO WEST GIRL (Mr. Greeley) made mincemeat of fellow New York-breds in the Ticonderoga H. last time, and a duplication of that effort would make her a top-tier contender in this spot. On the other hand, the Tom Proctor mare is taking a jump in class to graded company and might be overbet. The deep-closing SOCIAL QUEEN (Dynaformer) is capable of uncorking a big late run, but she tends to leave herself too much to do. TIZFIZ (Tiznow) deserves credit for just hanging on in the San Gorgonio H. (G2) in January, and for beating an iffy bunch of males in the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. H. on Labor Day. If she were lone speed, we'd take a closer look, but her chances diminish with other early speed in here in the form of ZASKAR (GB) (Anabaa). It's feast or famine for Zaskar, who either turns in bold front-running efforts or drops right out of it. The John Terranova II trainee could make us look bad for dismissing her, yet we're not sure about the cutback in distance in this spot.
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