Churchill Distaff Turf Mile

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A smart field of nine turf distaffers will go postward in the $150,000

Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. (G3) on Saturday, led by champion DREAMING OF

ANNA (Rahy). We respect the favorite but will look to upend her on this

occasion.

DANZON (Royal Academy) was a troubled third versus the boys in the Woodford

Reserve Turf

Classic S. (G1) last season over this lawn, and we feel that the Todd Pletcher

trainee could duplicate that effort to beat this bunch. The dark bay

five-year-old was outclassed in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) in her

2007 finale and was a lackluster third in an allowance tune-up for this event,

but big improvement is likely in here. The Kentucky-bred mare has a nice turn of

foot and didn't embarrass herself against the best of her division last

campaign, and we especially like the fact that she'll be a square price in

here. A fast pace appears to be in the offing, which should be to the liking of

this one, who will be guided by John Velazquez.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred VENTURA (Chester House) has been just short of

brilliant in her two tries on U.S. soil for Bobby Frankel, and the

four-year-old could be the next in a long line of awesome turf performers for

her owners. The dark bay was very sharp in a downhill romp in March and looked

the part in a fast-closing score in the Madison S. (G2) at Keeneland most

recently. This one-mile trip suits the miss to a tee, and her best gives her a

huge shot under Garrett Gomez.

SHARP SUSAN (Touch Gold) is a really nice filly who could be a major contender

in this division for conditioner Bill Mott. The well-bred four-year-old began

her season in excellent fashion by topping the superb Criminologist (Maria's

Mon) in a recent allowance prep, and she should get a nice trip on the hedge

right off the early tempo. Kent Desormeaux will be in the irons of the

talented dark bay.

Dreaming of Anna rolled in the soggy Hillsborough S. (G3) in her latest and

sports a sparkling, 9-7-2-0 mark on the green for conditioner Wayne Catalano.

The chestnut star has won five of her last six, with her lone loss coming in a

brave runner-up performance in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup

S. (G1), all in virtual front-running fashion. The fleet miss could face some

serious heat in this field, and if she does, we think she may be vulnerable at a

low price. The four-year-old could obviously win this under Cornelio Velasquez,

and she's a must use in the gimmicks.

YOU GO WEST GIRL (Mr. Greeley) captured her 2008 debut in a sprint and should

be primed for a nice effort for top conditioner Tom Proctor. The dark bay miss

owns a win and a second over this course and is well drawn on the rail, so she

has a logical chance at a placing beneath Julien Leparoux. 

BAYOU'S LASSIE (Outflanker) has solid turf form and is plenty quick from the gate, but we can't

see her winning this race with the expected robust pace which she'll have to

deal with. The five-year-old will be saddled for the initial time by Dale Romans

and could get a small piece if she can work out a sensible pace beneath Edgar

Prado.

We liked NEW EDITION (Stormy Atlantic) some last year and she is eligible for

improvement in her second try for Steve Asmussen, but her best would only have

her fighting for a top three finish at best from what we've seen from her in

the past. LADY CARLOCK (Chester House) earned a career-best 101 BRIS Speed figure

last out when toppling allowance foes at Keeneland and she's never been

worse than second in four tries over the Churchill turf, but she's in a tough field on this day and

she's hard to back with confidence.

V. I. P. PRINCESS (Thunder Gulch) has never won on the grass and hasn't been

close in a trio of tries this season, so we'll look elsewhere.