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TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
Sunday's $400,000 Eddie Read H. (G1) at Del Mar shapes up as a rematch on two levels -- another face-off between defending champion SWEET RETURN (GB) (Elmaamul) and last year's runner-up FOURTY NINERS SON (Distorted Humor), and a second clash between last-out Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G1) winner ARAGORN (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) and Shoemaker third SILENT NAME (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). What makes the turf contest even more fascinating, and inscrutable, is that the quartet is meeting three other respectable individuals at the in-between distance of 1 1/8 miles. Will one of the established routers, Sweet Return and Fourty Niners Son, hold the upper hand, or will high-class milers Aragorn and Silent Name demonstrate their brilliance over the extra furlong? We suspect the latter, and although we fear Silent Name, we will give the endorsement to Aragorn. The royally bred Aragorn appears to be the complete package -- the Neil Drysdale trainee has tactical speed, smart acceleration and terrific gameness. After battling to a photo-finish victory in the Oak Tree Derby (G2) at this distance last October in his second American start, the chestnut was put away for the winter. Returning to action in the March 4 Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1), he stalked a brutally fast pace yet finished with a late thrust to miss by a head in second, an exceptional effort in an ultra-deep field after a layoff, especially considering that it was his first stakes attempt outside of his own age group. Aragorn's training was interrupted prior to the April 29 San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile (G2), so he didn't run up to his best when finishing second by a length to the classy Charmo (Fr) (Charnwood Forest [Ire]). Next time out in the Shoemaker, however, Aragorn convincingly turned the tables on Charmo, throwing in an explosive final quarter to spurt away by 1 3/4 lengths, earning a 105 BRIS Late Pace rating. The four-year-old has recorded triple-digit Speed figures in three of five U.S. outings, is training forwardly for this engagement, and figures to enjoy a stalk-and-pounce trip beneath a returning Corey Nakatani. Silent Name ran a fairly flat third in the Shoemaker, never really landing a blow against Aragorn, but he's a bit better than that. The Gary Mandella charge had won both of his previous American starts, roaring from near last to capture a Santa Anita allowance and then racing much more forwardly when striding out an impressive winner of the one-mile Arcadia H. (G2). If the Silent Name of the Arcadia shows up, the bay could well give Aragorn something to think about. Note that the weights for the Eddie Read have shifted in Silent Name's favor: whereas the pair carried equal weight in the Shoemaker, now Aragorn must give Silent Name three pounds (121 to 118, respectively). Drysdale's other hopeful, Fourty Niners Son, was a Grade 1 winner at 1 1/4 miles last year and probably would prefer more ground and a livelier early pace. In his latest venture, the American Invitational H. (G2), he was compromised by the steady tempo rationed out by The Tin Man (Affirmed) and could do no better than a one-paced third. The chestnut is likely to encounter a similar set-up in this spot, but this represents his third start after a layoff, and the chestnut is eligible to move forward. Moreover, he's never been off the board at this trip (5-0-3-2), and we expect another creditable performance. This is likely his prep for the August 12 Arlington Million (G1), as his sharp runner-up effort in last year's Eddie Read set the stage for his better-than-appears third in the Arlington showpiece. John Velazquez picks up the mount, with Nakatani sticking with Aragorn. Sweet Return has been a shadow of himself since garnering the 2005 Eddie Read, failing to finish in the frame in five subsequent starts. The Ron McAnally charge still merits serious consideration, however, for he looms as the controlling speed here and looks to be rounding into form at last. The six-year-old was a weakening sixth in his 2006 bow in the Arcadia, then a somewhat more encouraging sixth in the San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile, beaten 3 3/4 lengths. His last race gives the most hope, as he just lost third by a nose in the 1 1/4-mile Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1). While Sweet Return may produce something approaching his best this time, the key question is whether that's good enough against a few talented younger rivals. The much improved HENDRIX (Sultry Song) has run two outstanding races in a row, narrowly defeating a returning Fourty Niners Son in a Hollywood Park allowance and, most recently, rallying from last to grab an excellent second in the American Invitational, again finishing ahead of Fourty Niners Son. The Craig Dollase runner is eminently qualified to be involved at the finish, but we aren't sure he can turn in his third straight dynamic performance in this top-class, Grade 1 field. McAnally's other entrant, FAST AND FURIOUS (Fr) (Singspiel [Ire]), has loads of back class as a multiple Grade 1-placed campaigner, but we're hesitant about him at this distance, especially against this caliber of opponent. We tremble to dismiss the Julio Canani-trained QUASIMODO (A.P. Indy), who's flown through his allowance conditions and enters this contest riding a four-race winning streak. Still, this doesn't look the easiest spot for a stakes debut, so we feel slightly safer watching him this time.
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