Allaire duPont Distaff

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The $150,000 Allaire duPont Distaff S. (G2) will kick off the stakes action at

Pimlico on Saturday, and the seven-horse field, which includes a coupled entry,

could lose a couple of cross-entered runners to Saturday's Shuvee H. (G2) at

Belmont Park. With practically no speed in the line-up, we'll look for Garrett

Gomez to seize the initiative from the start aboard STRIKING TOMISUE (Smart

Strike) and lead wire-to-wire.

Trained by Nick Zito and cross-entered to the Shuvee, Striking Tomisue reeled

off a couple of victories, including a one-length score in the Wayward Lass S.

at Tampa Bay Downs, in South Florida before finishing a non-threatening fourth

in the Rampart S. (G2) last time. She's earned BRIS Speed ratings this year as

high as 96, which compares favorably to her top rivals in this spot, and is two-for-two at the 1 1/16-mile distance. We'll tab her for a small upset.

SKYLIGHTER (Sky Mesa) and SEA CHANTER (War Chant) are coupled, and we won't

be surprised to see the latter scratch in favor of the Shuvee. Both deserve

serious consideration for the win, but we like Skylighter better in this spot.

The four-year-old filly got good last fall, reeling off three consecutive

victories, including an impressive three-length tally in the Indiana Oaks (G2),

and concluded 2008 with an excellent second in the Falls City H. (G2) at

Churchill Downs. The Bobby Frankel charge didn't offer her best when returning

this season with a fourth in an allowance/optional claiming event at Gulfstream

Park, but she's been freshened off that race and has trained forwardly in

preparation for this start, recording a six-furlong work at Belmont last Sunday.

Skylighter owns some tactical speed and will look to strike from just off the

pace on Saturday.

ALL SMILES (Awesome Again) will step up off a second as the overwhelming

favorite in the April 18 Geisha S. at Pimlico, but the Maryland-bred mare owns

solid BRIS Speed numbers and should enjoy a forwardly placed trip under Jeremy

Rose. We'll give her a shot to hold for a minor award.

Sea Chanter turned in an encouraging performance when making her dirt debut

last time, finishing second in the Rampart at Gulfstream, but the

late-running filly must avoid leaving herself too much to do from off the pace

if she starts here.

UNFORGOTTEN (Northern Afleet) hasn't handled "off" tracks in her last two

starts and will be an automatic toss if the track is wet Saturday. Under "fast"

conditions, the Dallas Stewart-conditioned mare merits consideration for the top

three. She doesn't like to win, but Unforgotten placed in five consecutive

stakes, including three graded events, prior to catching a sloppy track two

back.

TAMMY'S VICTRESS (Yankee Victor) was no threat last time in the Bayakoa S. at

Oaklawn Park and doesn't look fast enough to offer a serious challenge here. TWO

COLUMBUS (Two Punch) doesn't appear to be in good form and could easily find

herself overmatched on Saturday.