Eight Belles

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 10 sophomore fillies will line up on Saturday in the $100,000

Eight Belles S. (G3) going 7 1/2 furlongs at Churchill Downs on Saturday, and

we're tabbing FOUR GIFTS (Even the Score) to pull out the victory. The Steve

Asmussen pupil hasn't won since taking the Delta Princess S. (G3) in her

juvenile finale, returning to run third in the Tiffany Lass S., second in the

Silverbulletday S. (G3) and fourth last out in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Four

Gifts should relish the cutback in distance of this one, and will get the

hot-riding Shaun Bridgmohan in the saddle.

JUST JENDA (Menifee) was the winner of the of the Tiffany Lass, but finished

behind Four Gifts in third in the Silverbulletday. She returned to add the

Honeybee S. (G3) to her line, then was third once again in the Fantasy S. (G2).

The Larry Jones-trained chestnut was a dominant nine-length victress sprinting

six furlongs last season in the Brandywine S., and recorded a sharp half-mile in

:48 on Monday to prepare for this one. She'll be tough to hold off under Gabriel

Saez.

LOVEYOU EVERYBODY (Five Star Day) might offer some value to balance out our

top two picks. The Kenny McPeek charge was sixth last out while making her

seasonal bow in the Beaumont S. (G3) over Keeneland's Polytrack, and could show

more in her second start off the layoff. She ended her two-year-old campaign

with a fourth in the Delta Princess, and will probably enjoy the return to

Churchill's dirt, over which she has already won and placed in two tries.

Loveyou Everybody will keep Miguel Mena in the irons.

AUSPICOUS (Indian Charlie) suffered her first career loss when third in the

Prima Donna S., but captured her first two starts by a combined 13 1/4 lengths.

She took her maiden debut at Churchill on November 1 while going six furlongs,

and could challenge for the top spot while making her graded bow here. C. S.

SILK (Medaglia d'Oro) has been well beaten in her two tries so far this year,

but the dark bay miss might show more while returning to Churchill. The Grade 3

winner was third in her debut last summer at the oval before breaking her maiden

by 6 1/4 lengths on July 6. Rafael Bejarano will have the call. LADY'S LAUGHTER

(Distorted Humor) doesn't appear fast enough to threaten, but could improve

enough while returning to a dirt track to grab a check.

WARRIOR MAID (Holy Bull) has been competitive against fellow Louisiana-breds,

but might not be fast enough to keep up with these. We'll take a stand against. We'll

let her beat us. SHE'S EXTREME (Unbridled's Song) was second by a half-length in

the Dixie Belle S. most recently, but has been well beaten by others in here in

the past. We'll just watch as DAVE'S REVENGE (The Cliff's Edge) makes her dirt

debut in this spot. LARAGH (Tapit) is a likely scratch after competing in

Friday's Edgewood S. on turf.