Buena Vista

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A talented field of 13 fillies and mares will line up Monday for the $150,000

Buena Vista H. (G2) at Santa Anita. ELUSIVE DIVA (Elusive Quality) comes into the one-mile turf

event off a close third in the Wishing Well H. in her five-year-old debut for

conditioner Mark Glatt. The bay mare chased the pace after a late break, but was

not able to make up the ground in that 6 1/2-furlong affair. Elusive Diva owns

the best early speed here, which should benefit her in a field of late

runners. She could get away with slow fractions here to go wire to wire. Jon

Court rides.

ROYAL COPENHAGEN (Fr) (Inchinor [GB]) is winless at Santa Anita, but has hit

the board in three of four starts at the Arcadia, California, track. The dark

bay four-year-old ran second in four outings at a mile and has room for

improvement. The Laura de Seroux trainee has been displaying her best form of late,

earning triple-digit BRIS Speed figures in her past two outings -- winning the

Pucker Up S. (G3) while earning a 101 and coming back in her next start to run

third in the San Gorgonio H. (G2), receiving a career-best 102. She could be

hindered by an outside post, but should be taken into consideration for the

victory. David Flores has the call.

SILVER CUP (Ire) (Almutawakel [GB]) comes off a solid win in the San Gorgonio,

garnering a career-high 104 Speed figure. She is unplaced only once since coming

to the shedrow of Patrick Biancone four starts back and will retain the services

of Victor Espinoza, who has been to the winner's circle eight times in the past

week.

TICKER TAPE (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) came back from a half-length second in

the San Gorgonio to win the Tuzla H. over this same course and distance in her

second start on the year. The James Cassidy trained five-year-old is very class

tested and always a danger to bet against. Veteran rider Kent Desormeaux returns

to the saddle for this one.

SHINING ENERGY (Rahy) ended her sophomore campaign with a close second in the

Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. The chestnut will be making her first start as a

four-year-old and looks to have a promising year. She has been working well for

conditioner Julio Canani lately and her late speed should make her a

consideration for the bottom of the gimmicks.

THREE DEGREES (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) has room for improvement returning to

the turf after a disappointing seventh-place finish in her dirt debut, the El Encino S. (G2).

She is perfect in two starts over the Santa Anita grass and has put together

back to back bullets for trainer Pat Gallagher. Jockey Alex Solis has been hot

lately, winning four races on Saturday, including the San Carlos H. (G2).

BEAUTYANDTHEBEAST (GB) (Machiavellian) will be making her second U.S. start,

annexing her first by a length against allowance company here in December. She

earned a 100 Speed figure for that one and will be interesting to watch. A

stakes winner in her homeland, she finished fourth in the Brownstown S. (Ire-G3) in

a blanket finish in July. Keep the chestnut miss in mind for the exotics.

MIRABILIS (Lear Fan) comes off a solid fourth to Chilean Group 2 winner

Wild Storm (Chi) (Hussonet). Trainer Bobby Frankel and jockey Patrick Valenzuela

have been a hot combo lately, earning a 10-3-1-3 record over the past two weeks

when paired together. Interesting prospect. Your call.

KATDOGAWN (GB) (Bahhare) broke sluggishly in the Cardinal H. (G3) in her last

appearance and finished seventh. Although class tested, she has not performed at

her best at Santa Anita and we'll take a stand against her here. HALO OLA (Arg)

(Southern Halo) has not won a race since moving north of her homeland early last year. We will

bet against.

FLIP FLOP (Fr) (Zieten) has not produced the BRIS numbers of her rivals and could

be outmatched. We will just watch TOUPIE (GB) (Intikhab) to see how she handles her U.S.

debut here. AWESOME LADY (Bianconi) has not shown that much promise on the turf,

winning only once in 11 tries.