Gulfstream Park Turf

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

KIP DEVILLE (Kipling) is the big name in Sunday's $300,000 Gulfstream Park

Turf H. (G1), but the gray six-year-old is more of a miler and we think the

extra eight of a mile will prove his undoing in this test. For that reason,

we're tabbing KISS THE KID (Lemon Drop Kid) to come out on top in Gulfstream

Park's feature event.

The Amy Tarrant-trained six-year-old will be going for his third straight

stakes score in this spot, having rounded out 2008 with a neck win in the Cliff

Hanger S. (G3) and opened the new year with that same margin of victory in the

Ft. Lauderdale S. Kiss the Kid was a game competitor last season, and racked up

some nice numbers, including a 101 BRIS Speed figure when third in the Donn H.

(G1) on the main track. With rain a possibility on Sunday in the Hallandale,

Florida, area, this race could be moved to the dirt, which shouldn't bother Kiss

the Kid anymore than running on the turf would. The versatile dark bay might get

the hat trick with Elvis Trujillo retaining the mount.

COURT VISION (Gulch) is another who could make a run for the top spots on

both turf and dirt. The Bill Mott trainee captured the Hollywood Derby (G1) and

Jamaica H. (G2) in his last two, earning a 104 Speed figure for his effort in

the former test. He's proven at route distances and also ran third in last

year's Fountain of Youth S. (G2) over Gulfstream's dirt. The dark bay

four-year-old will be tough to deny no matter the surface and gets Ramon

Dominguez back in the irons.

RED ROCKS (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), hero of the 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) and

last year's Man o' War S. (G1), is an inconsistent sort but shouldn't be

discounted from the top three. The six-year-old, who will be making just his second start for Mark Hennig

in this one, wasn't able to challenge in the 2008

Breeders' Cup Turf but could easily turn that around with a huge run here. Red

Rocks is just too unpredictable for us to throw out and will have Javier Castellano aboard.

NERGAL (Fr) (Simon Du Desert) has finished off-the-board only once since

coming to the United States in April 2007. His other six races have been evenly

split between wins and third-place runs, including a show finish in the Cliff

Hanger two back. The gray gelding's Speed numbers aren't all that impressive, but

his BRIS Late Pace ratings are lofty, and he

could grab a piece of the gimmicks with a career-best performance. Kip

Deville is an obvious choice in here, but the gray usually doesn't do so well

when stretched out past a mile. He could challenge on talent alone, but we'll

just include in some exotics.

SUMMER PATRIOT (Unbridled's Song) just missed second by a nose in the Joe

Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) two back and was a dominant 7

3/4-length winner of the John's Call S. prior to that one. The five-year-old

gray could add another Grade 1 placing to his record against these. SLIGOVITZ

(Sligo Bay [Ire]) owns only two starts on the turf, but one of those came as a

second in the third and final leg of Canada's Triple Crown, the Breeders' S.,

last year. If he runs back to that performance, he could find a place in the

gimmicks.

UIGUR (Brz) (Astor Place [Ire]) is something of a question mark in this race

while making his U.S. debut. The bay won at nine furlongs in his native Brazil,

but has spent his past six races running at a mile. The five-year-old will

challenge if he can transfer his foreign form to Gulfstream's turf, but we're

going to give him a race first. JUST AS WELL (A.P. Indy) was beaten by lesser

last time out. We can't recommend. PICK SIX (Dynaformer) comes off a

disappointing effort behind Kiss the Kid in the Ft. Lauderdale.

PHIL THE POWER (Red Bullet) will run only if this race is transferred to the

main track, but probably won't be able to make his presence felt even then.