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TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
Ten fillies and mares, one of whom is entered only for the main track, will travel 1 3/8-miles over the Saratoga lawn on Monday in the $100,000 Glens Falls H. (G3). Champion FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me) will look to get back in the winner's circle for the first time since August of 2009 for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, and we think the classy miss will do so on this occasion. The high-quality mare may have lost a bit of her prowess at the top of this division, but the class relief and added ground should catapult the gray into a first-place finish with anything close to her best. We're not thrilled that the six-year-old drew the outside post for this, but she should be a little closer to the pace at this distance and not have as much to do in the lane. Julien Leparoux has the call. De La Rose S. runner-up KEERTANA (Johar) is as consistent as they come and has run well in both tries at this locale, so we consider the dark bay a major player in here. The Tom Proctor trainee could be the one from off the pace if our top pick fails to fire. SWEET AND FLAWLESS (Unbridled's Song) is yet another longshot in here with a chance at a placing. The maiden winner has run some creditable races against this type, and while she is far from a win machine, the dark bay need only to repeat her effort from two prior to challenge for a top-four finish. The presence of jockey Ramon Dominguez adds to the appeal. GO ASK ALEX (Afleet Alex) is an intriguing longshot in here as the possible pacesetter over a course that has favored her kind of running style. The stakes winner lacks the class of some of these and failed to beat lesser in her tune-up for this, but she should enjoy this trip and could peak in her third off the short layoff. Multiple Group 1 heroine CASABLANCA SMILE (Chi) (Ocean Terrace) has shown enough in two U.S. starts to merit consideration for the exotics in here. The Shug McGaughey-trained four-year-old was a solid third in the All Along S. (G3) two prior before finishing second over this course in preparation of this. Javier Castellano will break from the rail atop the bay. Multiple Grade 3-placed KIAWAH CAT (Lemon Drop Kid) has finished in the top three in nine of her last 10 outings, and the miss should add some tempo to what could be a sharp early pace. The Kentucky-bred is another who has a shot at a graded placing with John Velazquez. Group 3 heroine BEAUTY O' GWAUN (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) has shown next to nothing in her pair of stateside tries for top conditioner Christophe Clement, but her presence alone in this race leads us to believe that she's primed for a big run. We can't back the four-year-old to win, but we could surely toss her in some of our vertical gimmicks. Grade 2 victress STRIKING DANCER (Smart Strike) clearly has ability, but we'd prefer if the Ken McPeek charge had a prep for this. LIBERALLY (Ire) (Statue of Liberty) has yet to finish better than third in seven starts in the United States, and we'll let her beat us. MCVICTORY (Victory Gallop) was third in the Bed o' Roses H. (G3) two back and has good dirt form, so the Todd Pletcher trainee would have to be included if this one comes off the lawn. With that said, we are concerned about her ability to handle a route of ground and would not consider her a cinch.
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