Falls City

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The $150,000 Falls City H. (G2) is the Thanksgiving Day feature at Churchill

Downs, and the exciting SKYLIGHTER (Sky Mesa) will bring a three-race win skein

into the 1 1/8-mile event. She recorded an impressive three-length score in the

Indiana Oaks (G2) last time out, registering a career-best 101 BRIS Speed rating

in the process, and she's trained forwardly in preparation for this start for

Bobby Frankel. The sophomore filly struggled when racing primarily over

synthetic tracks earlier in her career, but she improved greatly when switching

back to dirt three starts back, posting consecutive wins at Belmont Park before

shipping to Hoosier Park last time. Skylighter owns good tactical speed and is

well drawn in post 6 with Julien Leparoux, and we'll look for her to continue

her winning ways in the Falls City.

Despite the large field size, there isn't much speed in the line-up and that

makes DEVIL HOUSE (Chester House) dangerous. Trained by Rusty Arnold, the

four-year-old filly will be stretching out to nine furlongs for the first time

and is no certainty around two turns, but she does own an advantage with her

speed. Devil House ran away to win the two-turn Lighthouse S. by 10 1/4 lengths

this summer when left unopposed on the front end, and she looms a wire-to-wire

threat here under Jesus Castanon.

BROWNIE POINTS (Forest Wildcat) is a classy mare and it will be no surprise

to see her in the winner's circle. She's made her last five starts on turf, but

the five-year-old mare is versatile, placing in three straight graded stakes on

the main track, including a runner-up effort in the Apple Blossom H. (G1), before

starting her recent turf run. Brownie Points will be able to save ground from

her rail post on Thursday, and the stalker should be in position to offer

serious challenge turning for home.

SPRING WALTZ (Silver Charm) is an intriguing candidate. Also trained by

Frankel, the gray mare will likely show some speed under Robby Albarado and is a

threat to parlay a front-running trip into a top three position. She hasn't run

back to her winter form in her last three outings, but Spring Waltz did record a

decent runner-up finish in the Turnback the Alarm H. (G3) last out. We won't be

surprised to see her keep moving forward.

INITFORTHEKANDY (Kandaly) likes running beneath the Twin Spires (12-2-3-4) and merits

consideration for the exotics at nice odds. Her Speed ratings are a little low,

but she gave a fine account of herself when finishing fourth in the Chilukki S.

(G2) last time and ran well around two turns earlier this year in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2) over the track. Chilukki runner-up UNFORGOTTEN (Northern Afleet) is

another one to consider for part. The late-running filly probably won't get much

pace in front, but she likes the track and is a candidate to run past a lot of

rivals in the stretch given her good present form.

COPPER STATE (Jump Start) faltered as the favorite in the Chilukki, and we'll

take a stand against from the far outside post on Thursday. SWIFT TEMPER

(Giant's Causeway) owns some decent Speed and Class numbers, but she's unplaced

in two previous starts at nine furlongs. Illinois shipper STOP A TRAIN (Devil

His Due) will bring good form into the race, but we can't endorse her chances on

the class hike.

MISS ISELLA (Silver Charm) doesn't look fast enough to be a serious factor.

TELL IT AS IT IS (Chester House) has raced only once on dirt, recording a

last-place finish at Aqueduct, and would be a surprise in this spot. TIZ TO

DREAM (Tiznow) owns only a third from four previous starts over the track and

probably prefers a little less ground.