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TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS
Seven older handicap competitors will go postward in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2) on Saturday, with graded stakes winners FAIRBANKS (Giant's Causeway) and MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades) leading the way. While neither one has been great in 2008, they seem formidable in this field. Fairbanks romped by more than five lengths at Saratoga last out and is a very dangerous customer when getting into a race in the early stages. The well-bred bay has experience over this oval, finishing second in the Bill Hartack Memorial H. (G3) in the spring, and the Kentucky-bred has posted a trio of solid works in preparation of this test. Richard Migliore has the call, and we expect the five-year-old to track in second before pouncing in the lane. Magna Graduate has been a shell of himself this year and could really use a solid effort to boost his confidence against this cast. The six-year-old hasn't won a race in some time and was just waxed by Fairbanks at the Spa, but a second try for trainer Steve Asmussen and a race where someone pressures Fairbanks could do the trick. Chris Emigh will be in the irons. Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. (G3) upsetter WAYZATA BAY (Roar) had a useful prep for this when second in the Shakopee S. at Canterbury, and the solid six-year-old could be in the mix late with his best effort. The Judith Hicklin trainee has finished first or second in six straight, and it seems like a good time to try a race like this due to the average foes lined up to his outside. Israel Ocampo will break from the rail aboard the in-form dark bay. We've never been BARCOLA (Old Trieste) fans, and the likely pacesetter hasn't done much to instill confidence in us as of late. The Mark Hennig charge will likely be leading the field early, but we envision him slowly fading in the lane. BETTER THAN BONDS (Sweetsouthernsaint) hasn't won a race in some time yet will surely take some money in this contest for Graham Motion. The six-year-old has put in some creditable efforts as of late, but the outside post and the question mark surrounding the bay of excelling at 10 furlongs leads us to throw him out. BROTHERS NICHOLAS (Smart Strike) has won two in a row over Arlington's Polytrack and will hope to transform his decent form to the main oval for Jerry Calvin. The gelded four-year-old could get a small piece with his best from off the pace. CANELA (El Corredor), who is cross-entered to Saturday's Kentucky Cup Classic (G2), was claimed for $25,000 in May and seems ambitiously placed in this heat, so we can't endorse the chestnut, whose last two dirt efforts have been less than inspiring.
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