Fred W. Hooper J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

An even dozen handicappers will go nine panels in the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper

H. (G3) at Calder on Saturday. Pegasus S. (G3) hero ACTIN GOOD (Yes It's True)

is perfect from two route races and we feel he could overcome the widest post

to top his 11 foes. Trained by Robert Dibona, the improving sophomore flashed

ability in his juvenile year at sprint distances but has really turned the

corner since stretching out to two turns, including a career-best 102 BRIS Speed

figure last out. The bay has plenty of early speed but has shown the ability to

rate and should get a good trip under Cornelio Velasquez.

Carl G. Rose Classic H. victor ELECTRIFY (Delaware Township) has won three of

his last four and ranks first in BRIS Prime Power (142.4) for conditioner Eddie Plesa Jr. The Padua Stables homebred loves this strip, evidenced by his

11-7-1-1 mark at Calder, and has won or placed in three of his four outings at

this distance. The stalking chestnut will be making his fourth start off the

bench and should be relatively fresh for this, giving him a big shot at the win

beneath Elvis Trujillo.

Midwest shipper WAYZATA BAY (Roar) has kept good company as of late, posting

respectable finishes in the Hawthorne Gold Cup S. (G2) and Cornhusker H. (G2).

The Judith Hicklin trainee has the right running style for this race and isn't

that far off from the top picks, so we wouldn't be shocked to see the

five-year-old challenging for a placing beneath Jose Lezcano.

INDY WIND (A.P. Indy) comes off a fine tally in the Alysheba S. and captured

the Skip Away S. and Frisk Me Now S. earlier in this campaign, so the New Jersey

shipper merits attention in this spot. The five-year-old chestnut has proven that

this trip is well within his reach, and if he can handle the quirky Calder

surface, he should be in the running late for Amy Tarrant.

Carl Rose second-placer IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY (Wild Event) has won just three of

his 19 lifetime tries but always fires late, and he's another who could crash

the exotics party. The three-year-old shows a solid 10-3-2-2 record over this

strip and posted a sharp six-furlong bullet work recently in preparation. The

Bill Kaplan charge will be ridden by Manoel Cruz.

GOLDEN STRATEGY (Strategic Mission) has speed and is well drawn on the rail,

making him a dangerous commodity in this field. The four-year-old colt is a

two-time stakes winner over this surface, both on wet going, and zipped a bullet

half-mile leading up to this event. The distance will not pose a problem for the

four-year-old, but the competition might wear him down late. Eddie Castro will

ride for Martin Wolfson.

BIG LOVER (Concerto) has put in a pair of decent runner-up performances for

Daniel Hurtak and could make some noise from off the pace in this one. The

chestnut four-year-old has finished in the top three on 18 occasions in his

career, so he could be in the mix for a minor award late. Three-time stakes star

REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit), second in this contest in 2006, is zero-for-11 this year and would be best used on the bottom of the

gimmicks in his first try for Plesa.

POP GOES THE TIGER (Tiger Ridge) won his prep race for this in game fashion, but

he'll be making his 16th start of 2007 and might be a little tired in the

latter stages of this one. Multiple stakes winner WHOS CRYING NOW (Concerto) captured his last race and

is capable on his best day, but the gelded seven-year-old has not factored

against this type in some time and we'll look elsewhere.

Sunshine Millions

Classic S. runner-up SUMMER BOOK (Notebook) was third in the Carl Rose last out

but lacks the consistency to be backed in this spot. MOCORETA (Uru) (Menesto) probably isn't the next coming of 2006 Horse of the

Year Invasor (Arg), who also raced in Uruguay, and we'd prefer

to watch one before passing judgment on the bay colt.