Delta Downs Princess

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A tough-to-decipher renewal of the $500,000 Delta Downs Princess S. (G3)

awaits handicappers in search of a winner in Saturday's one-mile feature. Most

of the nine juvenile fillies have never gone this far nor have had to deal with

the nuances of a track as small as Delta Downs.

PROMISE ME A CAT (D'wildcat) has never been worse than second in four starts,

comes off easy scores in a maiden and overnight stakes at Belmont, and is the

5-2 morning-line favorite. That judgment seems about right and we think she has

the class and tactical foot to get around this tight oval fairly well. We also

like the fact she was able to get a work in over the strip earlier in the week,

nearly pulling off the bullet in a three-furlong blowout. She'll have plenty of

pace to chase here.

GRANDACIOUS (Grand Slam), a wire-to-wire winner of her last two starts, might

be in the best position to take early control from post 2. By setting a moderate

pace last time, its suggested she might not be totally one-dimensional, a good

thing in a field where there is plenty of other speed breaking outside of her.

Perhaps the winning experience over the track gives her a leg-up on the

competition.

Last-out graduate NIJI'S GRAND GIRL (Candy Ride [Arg]) just won over a mile

at Churchill, so there are no doubts about her stamina. The third-place finisher

from that race came back to win by 6 1/2 lengths at the Louisville track on

Thursday, enhancing this one's credentials. She's one of several likely to

benefit if the pace is hot.

The speedy FISCAL POLICY (Wildcat Heir) has not raced since winning the

Bassinet S. at River Downs by 6 1/4 lengths over Labor Day weekend, and she

might prove a little too fresh once the gates open. She's won easily in her past

two, also handing BOUQUET BOOTH (Flower Alley) a decisive defeat in a Hoosier

Park maiden in August. In general, we feel she'll be vulnerable with all the

other speed entered. Bouquet Booth, a Keeneland graduate, has the pedigree and

running style to excel over a route of ground and could be rated higher.

PERFECTLY CANDID (Pleasantly Perfect) and ALL ABOUT ALLIE (Storm and a Half)

are undefeated in four and three starts, respectively, and both have enjoyed

stakes success against restricted company. Like Fiscal Policy, they bring a lot

of speed to this contest, but will be facing opponents hailing from

traditionally tougher racing circuits.

The multiple stakes-placed PATTY'S PRIDE (Special Rate) has raced exclusively

on turf up to this point, and we're just not comfortable sticking our neck out

on a horse who has not raced on dirt despite having shown some ability. LITTLE

WIDOW MAKER (Orientate), a multiple stakes winner against the boys at Assiniboia

Downs in Winnipeg, can be forgiven her recent turf flop at Retama but otherwise

does not appear fast enough to contend.