Kentucky Juvenile J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES

PREVIEWS

Thursday's $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3) at Churchill Downs will feature

nine youngsters, including five fillies, and six of the contestants in the

five-furlong test are exiting maiden special weight victories at Keeneland.

Todd Pletcher sent out MISSION IMPAZIBLE (Unbridled's Song) to an impressive

one-length tally over the Polytrack on April 16, with the gray colt making up a sizable deficit in the stretch

and registering a

promising 102 BRIS Late Pace rating for the effort. They'll be winging it on the

front end here, and we'll look for a stalk-and-pounce score from Mission Impazible.

JEALOUS AGAIN (Trippi) drew off to a 11 1/4-length rout on Keeneland's

opening day, but she'll lose John Velazquez to Mission Impazible. Rene Douglas

will pick up the mount for Wesley Ward, who will saddle two in the field, and

Florida-bred filly could prove to be the speed of the speed from post 2. She

looks dangerous.

WESTERN SMOKE (Smoke Glacken) didn't run as fast early as Jealous Again, but

he was a superb debut winner for Steve Asmussen, drawing clear to a 5 1/4 length

decision in wire-to-wire fashion. We'll look for him to be tracking the pace

under new rider Brian Hernandez and will use the gray colt in our top three.

KINSOLVING (Posse) is one of three in here for Asmussen, and Shaun

Bridgmohan, who rode all of them in their debut, will stick with her. She waited

momentarily before closing strongly to win by a neck last time, and the bay

filly looms a threat to run by her opposition here. We recommend including her

in the exotics.

HEAVENVILLE (Offlee Wild) swung wide and drew clear quickly last time,

winning off by 4 1/4 lengths, and he's another one to consider for at least

part. The dark bay Asmussen runner registered commendable BRIS Speed and Pace

ratings last time, and the stalker will pick up the services of Robby Albarado.

GATOR PROWL (Roar of the Tiger) ships in for John Salzman off a 11 1/2-length

thrashing at Laurel Park. We have a feeling that the competition was a lot more

difficult at Keeneland this spring, and we'll have to let him beat us from

Maryland.

KITTY IN THE BAG (Wildcat Heir) posted a good-looking win in a two-furlong

event at Santa Anita, but we'll give her a race on dirt. AEGEAN (Northern

Afleet) broke on top and sprinted clear early in her debut, but we don't like

the rail draw here with plenty of speed to her outside. After being soundly

beaten last time in his debut at Lone Star Park, SEATTLE COURT (Consolidator)

will step up into a much more difficult spot here.