Ben Ali

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Favorites have generally taken a beating this spring at Keeneland, especially

in graded stakes where the likes of Country Star (Empire Maker), Pyro (Pulpit)

and Panty Raid (Include) have all gone down to defeat. The overwhelming favorite

in Sunday's $150,000 Ben Ali S. (G3), GO BETWEEN (Point Given), may or may not

reverse that trend, but finding a plausible upset candidate will present a

challenge to even the most hardened contrarian.

Go Between enters the Ben Ali with excellent credentials. Already a winner

over this course and distance in the 1 1/8-mile Fayette S. (G3) last October, Go Between

this year has won the Sunshine Millions Classic and finished a close second in

the Santa Anita H. (G1) behind Heatseeker (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), who ran an

excellent race in defeat when second in the Oaklawn H. (G2) two weeks ago.

Besides having run well against one of the best older horses in the country this

year, Go Between has worked well for this race and has run well off brief

layoffs in the past.

CROSSWORD (A.P. Indy), twice stakes-placed at Delta Downs earlier this year,

is still winless in stakes company. He has, however, placed in both synthetic

surface appearances, and his sire, A.P. Indy, has a growing reputation getting

synthetic surface performers.

STERWINS (Runaway Groom), who has raced exclusively on turf since July, has

shown talent on dirt, too, so there is a strong possibility he will find Polytrack to his liking as well. Sterwins placed twice in Grade 3 company at

Fair Grounds over the winter, including a good third to Daytona (Ire) (Indian

Ridge) in the Fair Grounds H. (G3).

SIR WHIMSEY (Jump Start) perhaps will be second choice in the wagering off his win in the Gulfstream Park H. (G2), but that race came up quite weak this

year and he is an unknown over a synthetic surface of any kind.

A known quantity on Polytrack is LEONNATUS ANTEAS (Stormy Atlantic), who

possesses a  4-2-2-0 mark over the surface at Woodbine. While the return to his

favorite footing is a plus, questions remain about the relative quality of the

company he faced up north. At the very least, the Gulfstream Park H. fourth

should have a better chance of turning the tables on Sir Whimsey on this course.

Likely pacesetters in the Ben Ali include MAYAN KING (Stephen Got Even) and

IT'S A BIRD (Birdonthewire). The former recently returned from a layoff of more

than a year in an optional claimer at Aqueduct, finishing fourth when failing to

show his customary speed. While he figures to be much sharper for this race, he

has struggled in prior graded attempts. It's a Bird wired an allowance/optional

claiming field at Hollywood Park nearly a year ago, which to date has been his

only start on a synthetic surface. However, he has not yet established his

credentials as a stakes-quality runner.