Lake George

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Friday's $100,000 Lake George S. (G3) at Saratoga has attracted a competitive

field of 11 three-year-old fillies. Ordinarily, we'd try to look for value in a

spot like this, but we can't look past the 3-1 morning-line favorite,

RUTHERIENNE (Pulpit). The Christophe Clement trainee has a potent late kick,

scoring triple-digit BRIS Late Pace numbers in every outing since her debut, and

she delivers that same rally regardless of how slow the early pace is. The dark

bay has won three stakes in a row, including a dead-heat victory in the Sands

Point S. (G3) and a promotion via disqualification in the Boiling Springs S.

(G3) last time out. Rutherienne was clearly inconvenienced by RED BIRKIN (Belong

to Me) that day, but still missed by only a neck. While she might prefer a tad

longer than the grassy 1 1/16 miles she'll negotiate here, Rutherienne will come

charging beneath Garrett Gomez.

GOOD MOOD (Ire) (Danehill Dancer) was visually impressive when taking the

Regret S. (G3) at Churchill Downs in her latest, exploding inside the final

furlong to score going away by 1 3/4 lengths. She earned a field-topping 99 BRIS

Speed figure for that effort, and a repeat would see her in the winner's circle

with horseman Patrick Biancone. Good Mood will be facing a deeper group at

Saratoga, but note that the Regret fourth-place finisher, Communique (Smart

Strike), filled that same spot in the American Oaks Invitational S. (G1). Edgar

Prado will be back aboard the bay.

Canadian shipper Red Birkin made what appeared to be a winning move in the

Boiling Springs, but when Rutherienne threatened, she drifted out badly and was

properly disqualified. Prior to that, the Roger Attfield pupil had finished a

close third in the one-mile Appalachian S. at Keeneland, then came right back to

defeat older distaffers in a Woodbine allowance. Red Birkin will receive six

pounds from Rutherienne and Good Mood, and if she can keep straight, she rates

as a major threat with Javier Castellano.

MISS TIZZYNOW (Tiznow) looks like an overlay at 20-1 on the morning line. One

of two uncoupled runners in the field for Graham Motion, the bay filly has

respectable form at Delaware Park. In a pair of recent stakes, she split

decisions with New Edition (Stormy Atlantic), who was most recently runner-up to

champion Dreaming of Anna (Rahy) in the Virginia Oaks. With her best effort,

Miss Tizzynow could add serious value to the exotics beneath Jeremy Rose.

CLASSIC NEEL (El Corredor) has come close in both of her stakes attempts, a

battling second in the Appalachian and a third in the Sands Point. The Kiaran

McLaughlin filly should enjoy cutting back slightly in distance here, and she

doesn't need to improve much to be involved at the finish. Our only concern is

that Classic Neel is starting to look like a "nearly horse." SHARP SUSAN (Touch

Gold) landed the Herecomesthebride S. (G3) in commanding, wire-to-wire fashion

in March, but she hasn't been able to build upon that success. After winding up

a rank fourth in the Sands Point, she faded to third in the Boiling Springs.

Bill Mott is taking the blinkers off on Friday, and that equipment change could

make all the difference for Sharp Susan. 

Stakes-placed BEES (Rahy) will be making her turf debut for Motion. She

hasn't won since breaking her maiden, but she was a close third to subsequent

American Oaks heroine Panty Raid (Include) on Keeneland's Polytrack in April.

Her pedigree suggests she should like the grass, and the presence of Ramon

Dominguez in the saddle bespeaks a degree of stable confidence. LADY ATTACK (Mutakddim)

doesn't boast the best Speed ratings as she approaches her stakes bow, but the

Neil Howard trainee is exiting smart maiden and allowance tallies over her

elders at Churchill. AWESOME ASHLEY (Unbridled's Song) warrants respect, as she

represents the all-conquering Todd Pletcher stable. The gray has never raced on

turf, however, and her dirt resume isn't particularly compelling.

DASHES N DOTS (Aptitude) held third in the Regret after controlling the pace.

Although that performance was respectable, it will be difficult to duplicate

with expected pace pressure in a tougher field. SILKY SMOOTH (Mr. Greeley) is

coming off a modest third versus older distaffers in an allowance/optional

claimer at Woodbine and isn't the likeliest candidate to succeed.