Bewitch

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The story of Thursday's $150,000 Bewitch S. (G3) at Keeneland is the total

lack of speed in the 1 1/2-mile turf event for fillies and mares. A SHE'S

ADORABLE (Johar) and FLOATING HEART (Giant's Causeway) are perhaps the most

likely candidates to set the pace, but that's far from certain. At any rate,

we'll set aside that unsolvable question and hope the potent duo of CHANGING

SKIES (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and jockey Kent Desormeaux can take down another

win. The former European mainstay, who was Group 3-placed in France, won at

first asking on these shores at Belmont under Desormeaux, lost in that ride's

absence over this course last October, then rebounded to take The Very One S.

(G3) over 11 panels at Gulfstream. She displayed a strong turn of foot on the

final turn to reach contention in the two races she won, and we wouldn't be

surprised to see the scenario play out again in the Bewitch.

A She's Adorable, who started her career in the maiden claiming ranks, is

peaking at the right time. Never off the board in seven outings, she owns a

solid 4-2-2-0 mark on turf and narrowly missed to the quality performer

Tizaqueena (Tiznow) in the Bayou H. at Fair Grounds last time. That's a good

frame of reference and, if she can settle well enough to last 12 furlongs, she

should be right there with a continuance of her current form.

After scratching from numerous races, the connections of LADY SHAKESPEARE

(Theatrical [Ire]) finally allowed her to run in the March 28 Orchid S. (G3).

However, she was a bit hampered by the soft pace and missed catching a

loose-on-the-lead Speak Easy Gal (West Acre) over the Bewitch distance. Lady

Shakespeare has turned in two strong works since arriving in Lexington,

Kentucky, but we wonder if she can

overcome another negative pace scenario.

NEHANTIC KAT (Tomorrows Cat), a seven-year-old New York-bred, missed by less

than a length in both The Very One and Orchid and is surprisingly at her best

right now despite her advanced age. Though the margins of defeat have been small

in her last two, it never appeared as if she was going to win either of those

races. We have a feeling she's bound to regress at this level soon, and Thursday

might be the day she does so. Floating Heart has been quite busy already this

season chasing the West Coast's best main-track fillies and mares, including

Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]). She grabbed the show money in the Paseana H., La

Canada S. (G2) and Santa Margarita Invitational H. (G1) on Pro-Ride, but does

own a win over this course and trip against allowance foes last October. We

might be underestimating her, but others enter this race more fresh as she's

been on the go since December.

SWEET AND FLAWLESS (Unbridled's Song) was a close third in the Claire Marine

S. last September after chasing a dreadfully slow pace. In her only other turf start,

she came home fast to grab fourth in the Suwannee River S. (G3) in her seasonal

bow in February. While relatively deficient from a class and speed perspective,

there are some things to like about her grass form and she's not out of the

question as an exotics kicker. MAGICAL THEATER (Smart Strike), fifth in the

Orchid, is another who seems a cut below most of these and would probably look

better in an allowance.