First Flight

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

GREAT INTENTIONS (Cat Thief) heads a field of 10 in Saturday's $150,000 First

Flight H. (G2) at Aqueduct, and the Michael Hushion trainee will be going for her

second straight and third overall win of the year. She made her 2006 debut on

the inner dirt at Aqueduct, running third in the Correction H. before scoring an

easy win in the Flip's Pleasure S. The bay four-year-old traveled to Woodbine in

May, then wasn't seen for three months and needed a race after the layoff. Just

one race later, though, Great Intentions was back to her true form, finishing

second in the Floral Park H. (G3) before capturing the Gallant Bloom H. (G2)

last out by an easy four lengths. She earned a nice 101 BRIS Speed rating and

will be tough to deny here under Javier Castellano.

CARMANDIA (Wild Rush) loves the seven-furlong distance of this event and also

won her last start. The Richard Dutrow-trained chestnut competed at distances of

a mile or more all year until scoring her first victory of 2006 when dropping

back to 7 1/2 furlongs most recently. She posted 101 Speed and 105 BRIS Late

Pace figures for her effort in that Belmont allowance/optional claimer, and

might move forward in this spot. Carmandia could offer some value in the top

three and even challenge for the win.

SPLENDID BLENDED (Unbridled's Song) didn't do so well last out when

stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on the Turfway Polytrack, running a distant

fourth in the Turfway Breeders' Cup S. (G3). Though a multiple Grade 1 winner

last year at route distances, the four-year-old lass is another who has shown a

preference for sprints this season, as evidenced by her victories in the Shirley

Jones Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and Steve Van Buren H. The Bill Mott charge worked a

nice half-mile in :48 2/5 on Churchill Downs' good dirt last week and will have

Eibar Coa in the irons.

WIN MCCOOL (Giant's Causeway) won the Floral Park two back over our top pick,

then finished fourth to that one last out in the Gallant Bloom. The sophomore

miss owns century-topping BRIS E2 Pace ratings and could lead this one from

gate-to-wire if she gets away with an uncontested lead.

NOTIMETOQUIT (Toolighttoquit) was second to Splendid Blended in the Steve Van

Buren last out, and has finished off the board only once this year. The chestnut

mare owns competitive numbers and could challenge in the top three. GRECIAN

LOVER (Friendly Lover) has also been training well in preparation for this one,

getting four furlongs in a bullet :48 1/5 on Belmont Park's fast training track

on Wednesday. Though tough against allowance/optional claiming company, the

Allen Jerkens-trained dark bay hasn't been able to break through in the stakes

ranks yet. She could still make a run for the gimmicks, so don't discount

completely.

ANNIKA LASS (Mister Jolie) was fairly competitive against graded company

earlier this season, but seems to have tailed off a bit this fall. We can't

recommend. SWAP FLIPAROO (Exchange Rate) won the Test S. (G1) in August but

couldn't keep up against others in here in her past two. We'll let her beat us.

Neither HEAVENLY PSALM (Distorted Humor) nor PLEASANT LAUGHTER (Coronado's

Quest) appear fast enough to challenge in here.