Gravesend

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Six sprinters will contest Saturday's $100,000 Gravesend H. (G3) over

Aqueduct's inner track, and we'll tab P. KERNEY (Pleasant Tap) for a

wire-to-wire score. A sharp 4 3/4-length, front-running winner of an

allowance/optional claiming event at Laurel Park last out, the six-year-old

gelding earned an excellent 108 BRIS Speed rating for that effort. The Michael

Trombetta runner shows a 6-3-2-0 mark at six furlongs, and the four-time stakes

victor owns graded experience. P. Kerney looks to be the speed of the speed, and we'll look

for Travis Dunkelberger to send him from the start.

GOLD AND ROSES (Gold Token) likes the inner track, posting a stakes win at

the Big A last winter, and he exits a good second over the main track in the

Thunder Rumble S. for New York-breds. Conditioned by Thomas Bush, Gold and Roses

owns some speed and should settle into a perfect stalking position before

offering his rally, and we won't be surprised to see him challenge for it all

against open rivals.

CITY ATTRACTION (Vicar) is a threat for Richard Dutrow. The four-year-old has

found his best form this season, recording a pair of wins and three runner-up

finishes in five starts prior to his close third in the Fall Highweight H. last

out, and his recent Speed numbers are encouraging. City Attraction will break

from the far outside in this short field with Mike Luzzi.

DEBUSSY (Concerto), who is listed at 10-1 on the morning line, is a candidate

to hold for a placing. Trained by Gary Contessa, the five-year-old gelding was

racing in claiming events earlier this season, but he owns some speed and

shows a nice work preparation for this appearance. Debussy didn't disgrace

himself when fifth in the Fall Highweight last time, and he's a candidate to

improve off that effort.

Grade 3 winner JOEY P. (Close Up) is another top three candidate, but the New

Jersey-bred gelding has never competed over Aqueduct's inner oval. He just

missed last time in the Fall Highweight following a wide trip, but we'll take a

stand against him here. PAVO (Marquetry) was claimed from his last outing, and

his recent form isn't good enough for us to recommend his chances.