Chilukki J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Grade 2 queen LEAH'S SECRET (Tiger Ridge) will seek to return to the winner's

circle on Sunday while taking on 10 rivals in the $150,000 Chilukki S. (G2) at

Churchill Downs. Fourth in her past two -- the Ballerina S. (G1) and Beldame S.

(G1) -- the Todd Pletcher-trained five-year-old recorded her last victory in the

Chicago H. (G3) over Arlington Park's Polytrack, but has experience with

Churchill's dirt. The dark bay mare was second in the Louisville S. (G2) earlier

this season and captured the 2006 Lazer Show H., both under the Twin Spires.

Leah's Secret has also won going the Chilukki distance of a mile and will get

Rene Douglas, aboard for the Chicago, back in the saddle.

COPPER STATE (Jump Start) may try to lead this one all the way home. The bay

four-year-old has run second to Grade 1 winners Ginger Punch, Tough Tiz's Sis

(Tiznow) and Unbridled Belle (Broken Vow) in her past three, including the

Ruffian H. (G1) where she earned a 101 BRIS Speed rating and 115 BRIS E2 Pace

figure. Those three races occurred after Copper State was transferred to trainer

Steve Asmussen's shedrow, and she could finally earn that elusive graded score

in this spot. Shaun Bridgmohan has the call.

SWIFT TEMPER (Giant's Causeway) may not own quite the same speed as others in

here, but the chestnut four-year-old appears to have turned a corner in her last

one. She pulled off to record a 4 1/2-length win in the Gardenia H. (G3) last

out while going a mile, making her second start for new trainer Dale Romans.

Swift Temper could continue her forward progression in this spot under jockey

Kent Desormeaux.

BARONESS THATCHER (Johannesburg) just missed by a head in the May 3 Humana

Distaff (G1) over the track, but didn't show much in her subsequent three starts

in New York. She returned to Keeneland last out to take a 1 1/16-mile test by a

neck while racing on the front end, and could utilize those same tactics here to

begin a winning streak. AMAZING SPEED (Langfuhr) was competitive in Florida last

year and has raced just three times this season. Two of those resulted in

off-the-board finishes on synthetic tracks, but she put forth a much better

effort when transferring back to a dirt surface, running second last out. The

chestnut mare could find herself filling out the exotics once again.

INITFORTHEKANDY (Kandaly) doesn't appear as fast as others in here, but the

six-year-old mare loves Churchill (11-2-3-4) and should be included in all

exotics. STRIKING TOMISUE (Smart Strike) likes the mile distance and was second

to recent Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) runner-up Cocoa Beach (Chi)

(Doneraile Court) in her last one. She could show up in the bottom of the gimmicks.

MARQUEE DELIVERY (Marquetry) could improve while returning to dirt, but we'll

just watch for now. SUPER FREAKY (Smart Strike) has spent much of her career

racing on turf, and her three tries on synthetic tracks weren't all that

impressive. We can't recommend. TIZ TO DREAM (Tiznow) might need an easier spot

to factor. UNFORGOTTEN (Northern Afleet) may not be fast enough to keep up with

these.