Dwyer J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES

PREVIEWS

Sunday's Dwyer S. (G2) at Belmont Park has drawn a lackluster field of seven

sophomores, with READY'S IMAGE (More Than Ready) the only graded winner in the

bunch. That particular victory came when the Todd Pletcher runner was a juvenile,

however, and we're going against the dark bay in this one based on his two

starts so far in 2008.

MINT LANE (Maria's Mon) has done well for himself in New York and should come

out on top in this 1 1/16-mile affair. The James Jerkens charge took an

allowance/optional claimer at Aqueduct by a widening 8 1/2 lengths, just missed

by a head in the Federico Tesio S. at Pimlico next out and ran into the classy

star Casino Drive (Mineshaft) when making his graded debut two

back. He was best of the rest on that day, finishing a half-length in front of

eventual Belmont S. (G1) third Ready's Echo (More Than Ready), and returned to

the winner's circle last out with a dominating 5 3/4-length score in the

Postponed S. Neither the distance nor the track holds any surprises for Mint

Lane, who will have Eibar Coa in the irons once again.

PASCAL (Menifee) has been alternating between the claiming ranks and

allowances, and will be making his stakes bow in this spot. Despite all that,

the bay colt could jump up to take second under Cornelio Velasquez. Making his

first start for new trainer Gary Contessa last out, the three-year-old recorded

a front-running, 2 1/2-length score despite bobbling at the break. He also

earned a 105 BRIS Speed rating, and anything resembling that effort here could

see him filling out the exacta.

WEB GEM (Fusaichi Pegasus) was behind Pascal two starts back and might take up

that position here, too. The Nick Zito-conditioned chestnut is still looking for

his first win since breaking his maiden last October, but has chosen a good spot

to pick up some graded credit. Jorge Chavez has the call.

Ready's Image hasn't been able to reproduce his juvenile form in two starts

this year, despite winning the Adjudicating S. in his three-year-old bow. He

barely got up in time in that 6 1/2-furlong event, and was a well-beaten seventh

when stretching out to seven furlongs in the Woody Stephens S. (G2) last out.

The dark bay remains eligible to pick up a check here, but we don't see him factoring in the top

three. FIDELIO (Awesome Again) is in a similar situation. The Bobby Frankel

trainee may be forgiven for running a distant seventh in a Grade 1 over

Polytrack while stretching out to 1 1/16 miles last year, but we think he

prefers much less ground, as evidenced by his two easy wins in seven-furlong

allowance/optional claimers so far this season.

HALO NAJIB (Halo's Image) may show more while returning to a conventional

dirt track in this spot, but his prior efforts don't offer much encouragement.

We'll take a pass on the chestnut. TIZBIG (Tiznow) appears out of his class,

even against this group.