Honeymoon

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

EVENING JEWEL (Northern Afleet) has never raced on turf before, but the Jim

Cassidy filly has plenty to recommend her in Monday's $150,000 Honeymoon H. (G2)

at Hollywood Park. From the perspective of both form and tactics, the Ashland S.

(G1) winner appears to hold the upper hand. The admirably reliable bay has twice

come within inches of beating the nation's top three-year-old filly, Blind Luck

(Pollard's Vision), in Grade 1 events. Just denied by Blind Luck in the one-mile

Las Virgenes S. (G1) in February, Evening Jewel lost a heartbreaker to the same

rival in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks (G1) last out, where she was nabbed on the

line. Hence Evening Jewel is proven at Monday's nine-furlong trip in the best of

company, and a bullet six-furlong drill over the Hollywood turf on May 23 helps

to assuage concerns about the surface. Evening Jewel also looms as potentially

the controlling speed in a race without an obvious pacesetter, so we'll stick

with the established class of the field. Victor Espinoza has the call.

COZI ROSIE (Pleasantly Perfect) strikes us as the best of the local turf

brigade. The John Sadler pupil was virtually eliminated in deep stretch of the

Providencia S. (G2) when she was tightened up, squeezed out of contention, and

wound up seventh. She proved that run was all wrong next time out in the

Senorita S. (G3), rallying smartly to defeat the top two from the Providencia.

The strapping chestnut is bred to prefer nine furlongs to the flat mile of the

Senorita, and her superiority should only be reinforced over her familiar foes

here. Cozi Rosie probably won't get much of a pace to set up her late kick,

however. Regular rider Mike Smith will be back aboard the Jerry and Ann Moss

homebred.

ANDINA (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) has yet to run a bad race from six career

starts, and will arguably continue to improve with added distance and maturity.

Trained by Ben Cecil, the chestnut has closed strongly for runner-up honors in

both the Providencia and Senorita. One of these days, things are going to fall

into place for this talented and genuine filly, but we're not convinced that

will happen Monday. Like Cozi Rosie, Andina won't be helped by a paceless

affair, so she may have to settle for a minor award beneath Joe Talamo again.

The experienced CITY TO CITY (City Zip) ruled the roost in the division

earlier this season, capturing the China Doll S. and Providencia over Andina and

IN THE SLIPS (More Than Ready). The Jerry Hollendorfer filly was beaten fair and

square when third in the Senorita, suggesting that her rivals have caught up to

her. Not only did Andina finally get the better of her for second, but City to

City was also all out to save third from recent maiden winner TRIPLE CREAM (Tapit).

On the other hand, City to City has the tactical speed to keep tabs on Evening

Jewel, and the closers will have to run her down again late.

In the Slips has been freshened since her third in the April 3 Providencia,

where she may have fallen too far behind early. She also had an excuse in the

China Doll, having been steadied at the top of the stretch en route to checking

in fourth. Prior to those efforts, In the Slips had gotten up in time in the

Blue Norther S. and finished second in the Miesque S. (G3). If she runs back to

that level, she can be involved at the finish for new rider Rafael Bejarano.

Triple Cream ran with promise when making her stakes debut in the Senorita.

While further improvement can be expected, we'd like to see more tangible

evidence before endorsing. DREAMED TO DREAM (Deputy Wild Cat), who was a

troubled third in the Boynton Beach S. at Gulfstream Park, is experimenting by

taking blinkers off in her California debut for Brian Koriner. We'll give her a

start to see how she fits in on this circuit.