Blue Grass

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 11 will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Keeneland Polytrack in

Saturday's $750,000 Blue Grass S. (G1). The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained CHARITABLE

MAN (Lemon Drop Kid) turned heads as a juvenile with a dynamite maiden conquer

followed by a win in the Futurity S. (G2), and has yet to be seen since. The

ultra-talented sophomore has reportedly been training well in preparation of

this test and he should endure a dream trip just off the early tempo under Alan

Garcia, getting the jump on the closers in the field. If the dark bay is ready

and handles the surface, he'll be very tough to knock off at an expected decent

price.

TERRAIN (Sky Mesa) was second in the Breeders' Futurity S. (G1) over this

strip in the fall and made a decent late run for third last time in his seasonal

bow, the Louisiana Derby (G2). The Albert Stall Jr. trainee is as honest as they

come and is a proven synthetic performer, so we envision him being in the mix

late beneath Julien Leparoux.

HOLD ME BACK (Giant's Causeway) returned from a lengthy absence to dust his

foes in the Lane's End S. (G2) for trainer Bill Mott, and the visually

impressive three-year-old is perfect from three Polytrack tries. The

Kentucky-bred is not very fast early in a field with little speed in it, but

he's quite talented and should be good enough to rally for a share beneath Kent

Desormeaux.

Kempton Kentucky Derby Challenge S. winner MAFAAZ (GB) (Medicean) has already

earned his way into the Kentucky Derby (G1) field, winning his last race in

Great Britain, so we believe that the expensive colt will not be fully cranked

for this test. The chestnut sold sold for a lot as a yearling and showed good

form as a juvenile, so there is no doubting the talent that the colt possesses.

We'll include him on the bottom of the gimmicks under import jockey Richard

Hills.

THEREGOESJOJO (Brahms) is a very interesting player in this field, as he'll

be making his synthetic debut in this one for Ken McPeek. The talented colt had

a productive spring in Florida, finishing second in the Fountain of Youth S.

(G2) and third in the recent Florida Derby (G1). The colt is wheeled back on

short rest in here, and the move looks like a bit of desperation to us, but if

he takes to the surface he's a legitimate threat, nonetheless.

JOIN IN THE DANCE (Sky Mesa) outran his odds when just missing in the Tampa

Bay Derby (G3) for Todd Pletcher, and the improved colt will hope to take this

field gate-to-wire at a square price. The dark bay was flattered when Musket Man

(Yonaguska) rolled home in the Illinois Derby (G2) last weekend, and he's lone

speed in this one, so we'll use him in the exotics.

GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa), upset winner of the Sam F. Davis S. (G3) two

races back, comes in off a non-threatening fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby for Tom

McCarthy. A good second over this oval the last time he was here, the gray is

still a bit of a question mark at the distance, and he might be a cut below the

best in here, anyhow. MASSONE (Menifee) is just one for nine in his career, and

his best BRIS Speed number, which came at five furlongs in his debut, was 89.

The late runner is fairly consistent and gets the services of Garrett Gomez, but

we'll look elsewhere.

PATENA (Seeking the Gold) has positive experience on the Polytrack, bagging

the Display S. at Woodbine as a juvenile, but we still question the ability that

the colt possesses. Purchased by IEAH Stables after his Lecomte S. (G3)

runner-up showing, the bay colt flopped in the slop at Fair Grounds last out and

is stuck on the rail today. We were never big fans of this one, so we'll let him

beat us. CLIFFY'S FUTURE (The Cliff's Edge) impressively won the Rushaway S. on

the Lane's End undercard most recently, but he will need significant improvement

to top this field. LOCH DUBH (Friends Lake) has fared much better in one-turn

events and didn't impress in the Lane's End when ninth, so we'll pass.