Bern Identity meets Pletcher trio in Hopeful

Bern Identity will be coupled in the wagering with his stablemate Vegas No

Show, another George and Lori Hall colorbearer. Sired by Hard Spun, and a

half-brother to 2009 Grade 1 Whitney Handicap hero Bullsbay, Vegas No Show comes

off a one-mile Delaware Park maiden win in his second attempt.

Bern Identity's former rider, Rosie Napravnik, maintains her partnership with

the Pletcher-trained Shanghai Bobby. The son of Harlan's Holiday got off to an

early start this season, rallying to a four-length score at Aqueduct in April.

He then led throughout to add the June 27 Track Barron Stakes at Belmont to his

resume, garnering a 103 Speed rating.

Plans called for Shanghai Bobby to line up in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on

August 12, but the promising colt had to be scratched because of a fever. The

Starlight Racing colt regrouped to make the Hopeful and will break from the

outside in post 9.

Shanghai Bobby forms half of a coupled entry along with stablemate Lawn Man,

who likewise sports the Starlight silks. The Flatter colt was overlooked at 10-1

in his July 28 debut at the Spa, but left bettors kicking themselves after he

wired the field by 4 1/2 lengths. Javier Castellano stays aboard.

Pletcher has a third top contender in Repole Stable's Overanalyze. A Dixie

Union half-brother to 2006 Grade 1 Matron Stakes victress Meadow Breeze, the

$380,000 Keeneland September yearling ran his rivals ragged in an August 9

maiden at Saratoga and registered a 101 Speed figure. John Velazquez will once

again team up with the speedy colt.

Pletcher would have had a fourth threat in Palace Malice, but the promising

son of Curlin has been sidelined by a bucked shin. The trainer commented on his

remaining triumvirate.

"Maybe some horses will show a little more in the morning than others,"

Pletcher said, "but occasionally the dynamics of the race will unfold and

perhaps the one you think has a little better chance doesn't perform as well as

another one. In this situation, you take them all over there and hope it works

out for well for all of them and that one of them can get lucky and win it."

Note that both Overanalyze and Lawn Man are cross-entered to Sunday's Grade 3

Sapling at Monmouth.

Steve Asmussen sends out Show Some Magic, who was arguably unlucky to take

four starts to break his maiden. The son of Any Given Saturday finished second

to Circle Unbroken, subsequently the Grade 3 Bashford Manor winner, and Spurious

Precision, who came back to land the Saratoga Special. Show Some Magic showed

heart to survive intense pace pressure in his overdue maiden win here August 16,

and figures to feel more heat from his rail draw.

Rounding out the nine-horse field is Royal Art, a $410,000 Keeneland

September purchase who checked in third to Overanalyze in his only start for D.

Wayne Lukas.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Imperial Pippin has had mixed results in allowance

company so far in the United States, but has been running over inadequate trips.

The stretch-out promises to spark improvement from the daughter of Empire Maker,

who was thriced stakes-placed at 1 1/4 miles or beyond in England.

The main-track-only entrants are Heatherten heroine Cash for Clunkers, who

nearly upset It's Tricky in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps two back, and Acting Happy,

who has fallen off her past Grade 2-winning form.

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