Azeri BC

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Recently re-named in honor of the all-time leading female money earner and

2002 Horse of the Year, Saturday's Azeri Breeders' Cup S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park

has attracted a small field of six three-year-olds and up. Acorn S. (G1)

victress ISLAND SAND (Tabasco Cat) has been installed as the morning-line

favorite at 8-5, but we'll try to beat her with FENCELINENEIGHBOR (Wild Rush),

who could steal it on the front end. With two bullet workouts under her belt

this year, the five-year-old Michael Machowsky trainee appears in top form and

ready for the upset, recording a win in the San Gorgonio H. (G3) in her 2005 bow

before coming up just 1 1/2-lenghts short in the Sunshine Millions Distaff S.

last time.

Larry Jones will send out Island Fashion for the Azeri fresh off a

second-place effort in her only start this year, the Pippin S. The four-year-old

may have needed a race and we find it hard not to use the classy dark bay,

especially if she regains her form from this time last year. Terry Thompson has

the mount.

CASUAL ATTITUDE (Formal Gold) won the Pippin over Island Sand last time,

validating her jump in class here. The five-year-old enters here amidst a

three-race win streak and we'll be using the multiple stakes winner in every

part of the exotics.

Todd Pletcher has a dangerous contender in COLONY BAND (Dixieland Band), who

has made one start stateside. The bay recorded a 102 BRIS Speed rating when

taking a one-mile optional claimer but steps up here. We'll give her one race

against stakes rivals while still keeping the four-year-old in mind for the exotics.

LA REASON (Labeeb [GB]) is the only competitor in the field to have ran

against Azeri, finishing fifth both times in stellar fields. The bay's

form has slipped more recently, and we'll have to go against for now. INJUSTICE

(Lit de Justice) freaked last out, recording a career-best Speed rating of 101.

Still, the gray may be outclassed here and we'll give her a race for new

conditioner Wayne Catalano.