Allaire duPont Distaff

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Nine fillies and mares will travel 1 1/16 miles in the Allaire duPont Distaff

S. (G2) at Pimlico on Saturday, and we like a pair of New York shippers on this

occasion. WOW ME FREE (Menifee) has reached new heights since transferring to

the barn of Kiaran McLaughlin and we were extremely impressed with the

chestnut's turn of hoof last out. The Kentucky-bred was one of the more visually

impressive debut winners we've seen, dusting a maiden special weight group by 6

1/2 lengths in early September 2006, and she has finally begun to live up to that effort

with the change of scenery. Most recently, the four-year-old inhaled a solid

group in the Next Move H. (G3). Something resembling that showing would find her

tough to upend beneath Alan Garcia, if she chooses to run here instead of her

alternative engagement in Saturday's Shuvee H. (G2) at Belmont.

ALTESSE (A.P. Indy) outgamed RUNWAY ROSIE (Include) in the recent Sweetzie S.

at Aqueduct and we'll tab the Shug McGaughey trainee to complete the exacta in

this affair. The bay Kentucky-bred is well drawn on the rail and has earned

triple-digit BRIS Late Pace numbers in her last pair, so we could expect a

strong late showing from the five-year-old under Ramon Dominguez. We feel that

her best distance would be a bit farther than the 1 1/16 miles in here, but her

talent should make up for that.

Grade 2 queen BEAR NOW (Tiznow) will surely be forwardly placed and could

endure a dream trip in second turning for home for Reade Baker. The dark bay

miss earned her best triumph to date when upsetting the Cotillion H. (G2) at

Philadelphia Park last fall and had a great prep for this when second in the

Whimsical S. (Can-G3) at six furlongs. The dark bay, if ready, could be the one

to catch late under Jamie Theriot.

Runway Rosie has already raced six times in 2008, winning three and placing

in a pair for Gary Contessa. The gray filly has been first or second in her last

five, she owns a wealth of tactical speed, and she gets a rider upgrade to Kent

Desormeaux for this test. The four-year-old is a very logical top-three threat

with a sensible trip.

LEXI STAR (Crypto Star) sports a nifty 9-5-2-0 mark at this distance and is a dual

winner over the Pimlico oval, so she deserves mention for those accomplishments

alone for conditioner Chris Grove. The six-year-old has held up well against

graded fields in the past and gets to take a crack at this bunch in her home

state, following a nice win in a prep for this affair. The dark bay is a live

exotics threat under the guidance of Jeremy Rose.

BUY THE BARREL (E Dubai) likes to win, evidenced by her 15-6-2-0 line, and

she comes in off a career-best effort for sharp conditioner Larry Jones. The

chestnut filly cruised home by 5 3/4 lengths in the Bayakoa S. at Oaklawn last

out, registering a 101 BRIS Speed number, and is another gimmicks threat with

anything close to her last.

PEACH FLAMBE (Flying Chevron) is the speed of the field and will likely take

this group into the first turn for Mark Hennig. The five-year-old chestnut

dominated an overmatched field in the Cicada S. at Gulfstream last out and will

be stepping up considerably in class in here, but a soft pace with little or no

pressure could find her hanging around late under Edgar Prado.

CASH'S GIRL (Northern Afleet) took her lone two-turn start to date for Tim

Ritchey, but the dark bay acts more like a sprinter and could be in deep versus

this bunch. The talented Florida-bred is a two-time stakes winner going short

and will need her absolute best to finish in the top three in this route. SILVER

KNOCKERS (Silver Deputy) humbled an allowance field most recently but has never

raced two turns on the dirt, and we simply don't think she's good enough to

challenge these.