Alcibiades

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The 54th running of the Alcibiades S. (G2) is the opening-day feature at

Keeneland. Only one of the entrants, JOINT EFFORT (Runaway Groom), has raced

around two turns. Only two of the entrants, DIXIE DREAMER (Mutakddim) and SHE

SAYS IT BEST (Stormy Atlantic), are multiple winners. And there is a maiden,

RAINBOW POND (Lemon Drop Kid), entered as well. While this may not be the

strongest edition of the 1 1/16-mile event, it could produce a couple of runners

for the October 29 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Belmont Park.

MAGGIE SLEW, the last foal by the great racehorse and sire Seattle Slew,

rates our top choice. The dark bay filly broke slowly from the rail, advanced

into traffic, then had to steady near the three-sixteenths pole, before

finishing a better-than-appears fourth in the six-furlong Sorority S. at

Monmouth Park in her last start. Prior to that, she broke her maiden

impressively at the New Jersey seashore track, with a four-wide move on the turn

before drawing off by 6 1/4 lengths. Maggie Slew could be overlooked in the

wagering and gets the services of John Jacinto, the leading rider at the current

Louisiana Downs meet.

Rainbow Pond waited in a pocket around the turn, split foes in upper stretch,

then lugged in and finished greenly in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race at Saratoga

last out. The Rusty Arnold-trained filly ran second to PERFORMING DIVA (Storm

Cat) that day, but figures to improve with first-time blinkers and brings her

rider, Javier Castellano. She could add value to the exotics.

The Bernie Flint-trained MORE THAN PRETTY (More Than Ready) could be the

speed-of-the-speed. She wheels back in 14 days after just missing in a game

effort in the Monmouth Park N.A.T.C. Futurity. Prior to that, she just missed

to the highly regarded Lizzy's Township (Delaware Township) in the Mountaineer

Juvenile Fillies S. She could be hard to catch at a price under Rafael Bejarano.

COOLWIND (Forest Wildcat) broke her maiden at first asking, then rolled up

four wide and looked a winner turning for home before finishing third in the

Arlington-Washington Breeders' Cup Lassie S. (G3) last out. She finished one

length behind EX CAELIS (Fusaichi Pegasus), but could improve and is a juicy

15-1 on the morning line. Ex Caelis, who is trained by D. Wayne Lukas, bid three

wide before outfinishing the one above for runner-up honors in the

Arlington-Washington Lassie. She figures to get pounded at the windows and has

the look of a serious underlay beneath Edgar Prado.

The speedy Dixie Dreamer outdueled She Says It Best through the stretch to

win the Bassinet S. by a head at River Downs in her latest. She breaks on the

rail and could stick around for a share. She Says It Best captured the Anna M.

Fisher Debutante S. at Ellis Park in her prior outing and has some upset

potential.

The Dale Romans-trained Joint Effort finished an even third in the one-mile

Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies S. in her last start and could be in the mix

late. She is worth a second look at square odds. Performing Diva set the pace

while under little pressure before edging away to a three-length victory over

Rainbow Pond in her last start. The Bill Mott-trained lass will get tested for

class in her first start around two turns here and could be overbet.

TRICK'S PIC (Favorite Trick) looked pretty good breaking her maiden from off

the pace at Monmouth Park in her most recent outing but this could be too much

too soon. She is, however, trained by Patrick Biancone. EASY SHAM (Grand Slam),

also trained by Lukas, must overcome the far outside post and looks overmatched.