Ballerina

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A well-matched field of eight distaffers has been entered to go seven

furlongs in Sunday's $250,000 Ballerina S. (G1) at Saratoga, and we think

MISTICAL PLAN (Game Plan) will come out on top in her second straight Grade 1.

The Doug O'Neill charge jumped up in a huge way last out at Calder, taking the

six-furlong Princess Rooney H. (G1) by 5 3/4 lengths while earning a field-best

111 BRIS Speed rating. The bay miss appears to relish the sprint distances, but

also did well to finish third to reigning champion Ginger Punch (Awesome Again)

in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) prior to her Princess Rooney score. Mistical Plan

could follow in the hoofsteps of last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

winner and fellow O'Neill trainee Maryfield and book her ticket to that October

24 event at Santa Anita with a victory here under Cornelio Velasquez.

SUGAR SWIRL (Touch Gold) also has a good chance at a Ballerina win. The

five-year-old chestnut is a specialist at the seven-furlong distance, taking

both the Hurricane Bertie H. (G3) and Shirley Jones H. (G2) earlier this year.

She tired late in the Humana Distaff S. (G1) in her next try and was given a

two-month break before returning to score in the Scotzanna S. last out. The

Bobby Frankel trainee owns the numbers and the talent to begin a new win streak

and will get Javier Castellano back in the saddle.

JIBBOOM (Mizzen Mast) might be just the one to offer some value in the

exotics. The Frankel charge has yet to finish worse than second from five career

starts, and captured last year's Raven Run S. (G2) at Keeneland. She was given a

more than nine-month break following that victory, and returned on August 1 to

finish second in a grassy allowance/optional claimer at Saratoga. The gray four-year-old

will be making her first start on a conventional dirt surface here, and if she

handles the switch, will be tough to hold off on the wire. Edgar Prado has the

call.

MIRACULOUS MISS (Mr. Greeley) was third in this event last year before going

on to just miss by a half-length when second in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare

Sprint. One month after that race, the Steve Klesaris trainee took

on the boys in the six-furlong Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G1) and was a

closing third. If she runs anywhere near that form, the five-year-old chestnut mare could

easily add this one to her record with Ramon Dominguez aboard. Note that she

rallied for second to Mistical Plan in the Princess Rooney last time out.

INTANGAROO (Orientate) won the Humana Distaff two back, then returned to

Hollywood Park's Cushion Track to be fourth in the A Gleam H. (G2) most

recently. The dark bay four-year-old has more than proved her Santa Monica H.

(G1) victory in February was no fluke and could also challenge for it all with

regular Alonso Quinonez flying in for the mount. LEAH'S SECRET (Tiger Ridge)

just got up last out to score a three-quarter of a length win in the

seven-furlong Chicago H. (G3) and was second by just a half-length in the 1

1/8-mile Arlington Matron H. (G3). The dark bay mare has proven herself both

sprinting and going route distances, and could easily challenge in the top three

in this spot.

BAYOU'S LASSIE (Outflanker) is a Grade 3 winner on the dirt, but has spent

nearly all of her racing career on the turf. She might not be able to keep up

with others in here. BARONESS THATCHER (Johannesburg) will either show up and

threaten for the win or finish well back in the field. Based on her past races,

the four-year-old filly has talent but is far too inconsistent for us to back.