Cornhusker J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES

PREVIEWS

A less than stellar group will vie for a purse of $300,000 in the Prairie

Meadows Cornhusker Breeders' Cup H. (G2) on Saturday night in Altoona, Iowa. The

nine-furlong event consists of a Grade 2 winner, a trio of Grade 3

winners, and others with lesser credentials. DRY MARTINI (Slew Gin Fizz), who

will make his first start for trainer Barclay Tagg, is our top choice by virtue

of his stalk-and-pounce victory in the Memorial Day H. (G3) at Calder. In his

previous start, the gray encountered trouble on the first turn, then rolled to

an impressive 8 3/4-length score going this distance at Gulfstream Park. Before

that, he closed willingly and finished a close fourth, beaten just 1 1/2

lengths, in the lucrative $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic. Dry Martini

brings good form into this event and has been training forwardly at Belmont

Park. Despite being listed at 6-1 on the morning line, it would be no surprise if he entered the starting gate as the favorite.

PATRIOT ACT (A.P. Indy) finished second to Master Command (A.P. Indy) in both

the Mineshaft H. (G3) and New Orleans H. (G2) at Fair Grounds earlier this year.

He may not have cared for the Polytrack at Keeneland in his next start, but

broke through and earned his first black-type victory with a decisive 3

1/4-length triumph in the Jim Rasmussen Memorial S. over this surface last out.

The Neil Howard trainee gets reunited with Robby Albarado and is a good one to

use in the exacta.

It's a toss-up between the two speedsters -- JONESBORO (Sefapiano) and SILENT

PLEASURE (Real Quiet) -- but we're going to give the

edge to the former because he has been keeping better company. Trained by Randy

Morse, Jonesboro has set the pace in every start this year, except his last

start, where he was taken back to last and then closed for fourth money in the

rich Stephen Foster H. (G1). Prior to that, he won the Essex H. (G3) and placed in

three other stakes races, including the Lone Star Park H. (G3) and Razorback H.

(G3). Jonesboro could be a need-to-lead type, but figures for a share with

these. Silent Pleasure has gotten really good this year, winning three straight

stakes races around multiple turns before gamely turning back Grade 1 winner Bob

and John (Seeking the Gold) to post a neck victory in the Texas Mile S. (G3)

last out. The Howard Scarberry charge likes to run on or near the lead and

figures to be in the early mix. Our concern is that he must lug top weight of

121 pounds in this spot.

The Dallas Stewart-trained SMOKEYJONESSUTTON (You and I) has been running

well, but getting beat as the favorite against second-level allowance company

at Churchill Downs. The dark bay has a little bit of back class, finishing a

good second to Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr) in the St. Louis Derby last season and

third in the New Orleans earlier this year. Julien Leparoux, who is known for

saving something for the finish and is currently the leading rider at Churchill

Downs, retains the mount. He has some sleeper potential for the vertical

exotics.

MORE THAN REGAL (More Than Ready) has finished behind Silent Pleasure,

Patriot Act, Smokeyjonessutton and Jonesboro this year, but is conditioned by

the ever-dangerous Steve Asmussen. He is a useful sort who could eke out a minor

placing. Local hope WAYZATA BAY (Roar) has won six of 12 starts at Prairie

Meadows and exits a runner-up effort to Patriot Act in the Jim Rasmussen

Memorial. He would have to improve significantly to factor, as would ALPHA TEJANO

(Tejano Run), who has been running well against lesser on a variety of surfaces:

mud, Polytrack and turf.

We have the utmost respect for trainer Greg Fox, but it's hard to make a case

for last year's Ohio Derby (G2) winner DEPUTY GLITTERS (Deputy Commander), who

comes off a dull ninth against questionable types in the grassy Memorial Day H.

at Mountaineer Park. On the other hand, the bay colt ran deceptively well

against a salty group in his seasonal debut at Churchill Downs. Given his back

class and recent bullets, Deputy Glitters is worth a saver. BARBICAN (A.P.

Indy), who will fly the colors of Darley, was finishing on the fringes before

capturing a second-level allowance on Polytrack at Keeneland. In his most recent

outing, he chased fast fractions before fading to ninth in the Hanshin Cup H.

(G3) on Polytrack at Arlington Park. He's hard to recommend presently.