Crackerjack field set for Palomar

A strong group of six turf distaffers has been assembled for Saturday's

$200,000 Palomar Breeders' Cup H. (G2) at Del Mar. Grade 1 queen

INTERCONTINENTAL (GB) (Danehill) wound up third when making her making her

seaside bow in the John C. Mabee H. (G1), but the Bobby Frankel-trained

millionaire was sawed off through much of her troubled stretch run and finished

only 1 1/4 lengths back of the winner. The classy mare cuts back to a more

favorable 1 1/16-mile distance and will likely go favored under regular rider

Jerry Bailey.

AMORAMA (Fr) (Sri Pekan) captured the nine-furlong Mabee and loves the Jimmy

Durante Turf Course, winning the 2004 Del Mar Oaks (G1). Trained by the

ever-dangerous Julio Canani, the four-year-old filly can not be dismissed from

win consideration in this spot. Multiple Grade 1 heroine TICKER TAPE (GB) (Royal

Applause [GB]) remains winless from four attempts in 2005, but the $1.3 million

earner offered a good run over the course last time in the Osunitas H. and may

continue to show more for conditioner James Cassidy. KATDOGAWN (GB) (Bahhare) is

another classy member of the field, having won three Grade 2 events and

finishing a close second in last year's Palomar.

Amorama leads the post parade under a 119-pound impost that includes jockey

Martin Pedroza. Next comes Intercontinental, 122; Katdogawn, Corey Nakatani,

119; COTOPAXI (With Approval), Garrett Gomez, 112; Ticker Tape, Kent Desormeaux,

117; and FLIP FLOP (Fr) (Zieten), Alex Solis, 116.

Later on the program, a field of 11 sophomores will square off over a mile on

the main track in the $100,000 El Cajon S. San Rafael S. (G2) runner-up ICED OUT

(Comic Strip), stakes hero BOGGY CREEK (Menifee), stakes-placed CHIPS ARE DOWN

(Distorted Humor) and KHYBER PASS (Running Stag), who finished a close fifth in a

division of the Oceanside S. most recently, are all contenders.