John C. Mabee

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The top-three finishers from the June 29 Beverly Hills H. (G2) return on

Sunday in the $400,000 John C. Mabee H. (G1) at Del Mar, and we can't pick

against the winner of that 10-furlong event. BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black

Minnaloushe) earned her first stakes score in the Beverly Hills and will have to

cut back here to nine furlongs. She hasn't finished off-the-board in nine races

since coming to the United States in March of 2007, taking an allowance in her

stateside debut before joining graded company in her next five events. The

five-year-old mare has placed in such races as the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1),

Palomar H. (G2) and Dahlia H. (G2), and recorded century-topping BRIS Speed

ratings in her past two tries. Garrett Gomez will be back in the saddle and

could guide Black Mamba all the way to the winner's circle.

PASSIFIED (GB) (Compton Place) captured the San Clemente H. (G2) over this

course last year and added a win in Hollywood Park's Redondo Beach S. to her

line two back, earning a 98 Speed figure and a 103 BRIS E2 Pace rating. She was

fourth last out in the CashCall Mile Invitational S. (G2) and has been training

well over Del Mar's turf to get ready for this race. The James Cassidy charge

could lead all the way to the wire under Mike Smith.

GREEN LYONS (Ire) (Green Desert) was third in the Beverly Hills last out, but

captured her last race at nine furlongs, a Santa Anita allowance in her U.S.

debut. A listed winner in France, the bay four-year-old was a little farther

back in the Beverly Hills than normal and could challenge for it all if she

stays closer to the front runners. Regular rider David Flores will be aboard.

FOXYSOX (GB) (Foxhound) nosed out a win in the Santa Barbara H. (G2) two back

and but could do no better than sixth in the Beverly Hills most recently. That

was the chestnut mare's worst finish this season, but she can easily rebound

back into the top-three form which has defined her 2008 campaign so far. Trained

by Carla Gaines, the five-year-old missed by just a half-length when fourth in

the Santa Ana H. (G2) going 1 1/8 miles in March and will get a jockey switch to

Rafael Bejarano here. PLACID LAKE (Greenwood Lake) is another who could make a

run in the exotics. The two-time stakes winner will be making her graded bow in

this spot but has finished off-the-board only two times in her 15-race career,

so consider for a share.

RANSOM CAPTIVE (Red Ransom) has won her past two, but never really threatened

in listed events overseas and we don't see her doing so here in her U.S. stakes

debut. SOLVA (GB) (Singspiel) was second in the Beverly Hills last out, but has

never done well at this distance and might need a little more ground. I CAN SEE

(Flying Chevron) has been well beaten by Black Mamba in previous outings and we

don't think she can reverse that form in this spot.