Bewitch S.

Wednesday's $150,000 Bewitch S. (G3) features SAFARI QUEEN (Arg) (Lode),

BARANCELLA (Fr) (Acatenango) and five longshots. Barancella has finished one

spot behind Safari Queen in her last two outings, but we'll give her a slight

edge to turn the tables in this marathon 1 1/2-mile turf test.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Barancella opened her racing career in

long-distance routes in France and recorded runner-up finishes in her first two

starts stateside, the Garden City Breeders' Cup H. (G1) and Queen Elizabeth II

Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1) in 2004. She raced sparingly the following

season, making only four starts, and began to round into top form last fall,

winning an allowance at Belmont before posting a second in the E. P. Taylor S.

(Can-G1) in late October. The six-year-old mare is eligible to improve upon a

late-running third in The Very One H. (G3) at Gulfstream Park while returning to

a turf course at Keeneland that she showed an affinity for in her lone previous

attempt.

Safari Queen didn't enjoy the cleanest trip, but she finished off-the-board

in her lone Keeneland appearance versus allowance rivals last spring. The Todd

Pletcher trainee has come a long way since then, recording a pair of Grade 2

triumphs at the end of 2006 and a sharp score in the Orchid H. (G3) most

recently, and the five-year-old mare owns some terrific BRIS Late Pace numbers.

Safari Queen will be on or very close to the early lead with her tactical speed,

and we have a lot of respect for her chances under John Velazquez.

MAXINE'S HYMN (Seeking the Gold) will be making her stakes debut for Neil

Howard. She captured her turf debut two starts back, winning an allowance at

Saratoga, and headed to the sidelines until March 10, returning a fast-closing

third versus allowance rivals at Fair Grounds. The four-year-old lass notched a

101 Late Pace number and is eligible to improve off that tightener, and we'll

use her on the bottom of the trifecta.

INDY TROUBLE (A.P. Indy) captured a Keeneland allowance at this distance in

October, but she's been no factor in two starts this year at Gulfstream. The

Rusty Arnold charge could react favorably to the change in scenery, but we

would've liked to have seen more in her recent outings.

Brazilian Group 3 queen MOON BERRY (Brz) (Burooj) is still trying to discover

her best form in America for trainer Kenny McPeek, and she was no threat in her

last two starts versus graded rivals. She turned in a decent effort last out

over the local turf course, finishing third by 1 1/2 lengths in an April 13

allowance/optional claiming affair, but she'll need to show much more here to

grab a minor award. Irish maiden winner ZULU QUEEN (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) didn't

fire when making her U.S. debut in an April 7 allowance at Keeneland, but she's

eligible to improve for leading trainer Patrick Biancone. However, we'd like to

see something encouraging before we endorse her chances. MAMA I'M HOME (Wheaton)

is winless in her last 10 starts, mostly allowance events, and is probably

overmatched in this spot.