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AMERICAN GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS
RICHARD'S KID (Lemon Drop Kid) will be tough to beat in Friday's $125,000 Cougar II H. (G3) at Del Mar. Runner-up by a nose in the 1 1/2-mile event last year, the Bob Baffert trainee went on to capture the Pacific Classic (G1) in his next outing. The five-year-old horse is cross-entered to Saturday's San Diego H. (G2), but we have to think he'll start in this spot since Martin Garcia, Baffert's go-to rider, is listed to ride. In the San Diego, Garcia is named aboard Mythical Power (Congaree) and Russell Baze is listed with Richard's Kid. Winner of the San Antonio H. (G2) in his 2010 debut, Richard's Kid offered a decent run for seventh, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) in late March. He returned from a lengthy layoff with a solid third in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), offering a strong middle move to reach contention before weakening in the lane of the 10-furlong event, and has trained forwardly since returning to Del Mar's Polytrack, registering a four-furlong bullet move in :47 1/5 on July 19. We expect to see him rally for the win. TEMPLE CITY (Dynaformer) looks like the probable pacesetter and we'll tab him to hold for the place. A head second in the grassy American H. (G2) last time, the front-running horse recorded a solid fourth in last year's San Diego H. (G2) over the Polytrack and will be making his third start off the layoff for Carla Gaines. Jockey Joe Talamo could get away with some soft fractions on the front end. RENDEZVOUS (Victory Gallop) owns a commendable 7-2-1-2 mark on synthetic tracks, including a close second in the Tokyo City H. (G3) at the distance three starts back. The Grade 2 winner will get blinkers off and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer wins at a 31 percent rate, with 54 percent in the money, on the equipment change. He merits serious consideration for the bottom of the exotics. UNUSUAL SUSPECT (Unusual Heat) closed from far back for a 24-1 upset in last year's Cougar but has lost 11 straight since then. The Barry Abrams runner exits a third in the Sunset H. (G3) at Hollywood, but he's very inconsistent and often leaves himself too much to do. It wouldn't surprise us to see him grab part, but we'll take a stand against. DELIGHTFUL KISS (Kissin Kris) is also eligible to rally for a minor award, but the confirmed closer exits a pair of dull efforts and won't have much pace in this spot. The mare PRINCESS TAYLOR (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) is winless from eight previous synthetic attempts in Europe and appears better suited for grass events off her surprising runner-up finish in the Beverly Hills H. (G3). She did show some speed that afternoon, but the six-year-old doesn't look very quick to us. LIFELINE (Pulpit) doesn't appear fast enough to challenge.
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