Fred W. Hooper

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 12 is entered to contest the 21st running of the $100,000

Fred W. Hooper H. (G3) Saturday at Calder. The 1 1/8-mile event is the

closing race to a card filled with stakes-packed action. SUPER FROLIC (Pine

Bluff) has performed particularly well in his last two races, coming off a

two-length score in the Mel's Hope S. and falling just short in the Spend a

Buck H. (G3) one race prior. The added distance should give the four-year-old

chestnut what it takes to pull off the win here. Conditioned by Milton Wolfson,

Super Frolic earned triple-digit BRIS Speed figures in both of those contests

and should feel at home as he will make his 15th start on the Calder dirt. Joe

Bravo, who owns one win and another second on the chestnut, will be aboard.

TWILIGHT ROAD (Cahill Road) finished a well-beaten fourth in the Spend a

Buck, but looks to return in good form here after a 56-day layoff. Trainer David

Fawkes has put the seven-year-old through a series of bullet works since

the gelding took to the shelf, and Twilight Road returns with regular rider Phil Teator. Prior

to the Spend a Buck, he put out an excellent effort which involved a

four-run streak of triple digit performances, including an impressive closing

effort in the Thats Our Buck S. to pass Super Frolic in the end, earning a 107

Speed rating.

PIES PROSPECT (Crafty Prospector) is coming off a pair of disappointing

performances but can improve here. His last win came three back in

the Pegasus H. (G3) over some pretty good competition. Trainer Nick Zito should

have the three-year-old colt ready to go for this one. Edgar Prado, who rode

Pies Prospect to the Pegasus victory, returns to the saddle here.

SCOOTER ROACH (Mi Cielo) is cross-entered in the W. L. McKnight H. (G2) on

the same card. He has a handful of notable BRIS Late Pace figures under his

belt, which should be a benefit if he runs here because of the early speed most likely

to be set by BOB'S PROUD MOMENT (Proud and True) and HEAR NO EVIL (Carson City).

The David Kassen trainee is one to keep in mind with morning-line odds of 15-1

and breaking from an inside post, which has been winning at a 21 percent clip of

late. Cornelio Velasquez will be in the saddle.

A HUEVO (Cool Joe) followed an impressive 19 1/4-length victory in the West

Virginia Breeders' Classic S. by a sixth-place outing in the Frank J. De Frances

Memorial Dash (G1), an event he won in 2003. Despite six wins under his belt,

none of them have been against such tough opponents and the extra class could hurt

the Michael Dickson charge in the end.

THE JUDGE SEZ WHO (Judge T C) exits off a fifth-place outing in the Mel's

Hope after he was forced to steady in the first turn, but still earned a 120 Late

Pace figure in the stretch. Jockey Jose Santos will attempt to put the

five-year-old back in the winner's circle. If Hear No Evil doesn't get caught up in early torrid fractions, he could hold on for part. The

four-year-old is conditioned by trainer Larry Pilotti, who is 12-4-1-0 in the

past two weeks and will be ridden by Eddie Castro, who has 11 wins in the past

seven days.

GOLD DOLLAR (Seattle Slew) has only placed off the board once in seven career

starts at Calder. He could improve here while returning to two turns. Bob's

Proud Moment was steadied at the start of his last race and ended up in ninth, 5

1/2 lengths back. He performed well three back, losing to Eddington (Unbridled)

by only a head.

DUSTYS BIRTHDAY (Known Fact) came up just short in the Mel's Hope. He could

be outclassed in this one, however. UNCIVIL (Wild Again) has not performed well

against strong opposition and is not a strong contender for this one. CAIMAN

(Malibu Moon) ran sixth in the Mel's Hope and was finished before the race was

completed. Don't expect a strong run in this one.