Lake Placid

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of nine three-year-old fillies, including one main-track only runner,

has been entered for Friday's $150,000 Lake Placid S. (G2) at Saratoga, and the

1 1/8-mile turf test is likely to come up less than firm with thunderstorms

forecast to hit the area. KEERTANA (Johar) captured the Regret S. (G3) over

good turf at Churchill Downs in mid-June, and she's our pick to come out on top

in this affair no matter the going.

Trained by Tom Proctor, the dark bay lass brings a three-race win skein into

the Lake Placid. She passed her first-level allowance condition in May at

Churchill, then added a neck victory in the nine-furlong Regret to her record

two back. Keertana earned a career-best 97 BRIS Speed rating last out when

scoring in the Indiana Downs Distaff S., and has been working well over

Saratoga's turf of late. Jose Lezcano will take up the reins aboard the

three-year-old miss, who could make it four in a row in this spot.

SHARED ACCOUNT (Pleasantly Perfect) made her turf debut two back in the

Perfect Sting S. on yielding ground, and immediately showed her preference for

the surface switch with a third-place finish. The Graham Motion charge

encountered soft turf in the Virginia Oaks (G3) most recently, and responded

with a game second, just missing the win by a head. The more give in the ground,

the better this bay lass seems to like it, and she could offer a square price

when the gates open. Having Edgar Prado aboard can only help her chances for the win.

CONSEQUENCE (El Prado [Ire]) will enjoy returning to the turf after running a

distant fourth and last in the Lake George S. (G3), which was moved from

Saratoga's turf to the sloppy main track. Prior to that outing, though, the

chestnut posted a game half-length win in the American One Thousand Guineas over

Arlington Park's firm green. The lightly-raced Shug McGaughey runner broke her

maiden on Saratoga's grass exactly one year plus one day ago, and Consequence

could keep her Spa turf record perfect here. John Velazquez has the call.

MARY'S FOLLIES (More Than Ready) captured the Boiling Springs S. (G3) in her

grass bow two back at Monmouth Park while under the tutelage of trainer John

Forbes. Transferred following that win to Richard Dutrow, the bay was no match

for Be Fair (Exchange Rate) in the Lake George but was easily best of the rest.

She earned a nice 93 BRIS Speed rating for that run, and could show more in this

event, either on or off the turf.

MISS KELLER (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) has yet to finish out of the top four in

her career, but owns just two wins from seven starts. The Roger Attfield trainee

will be making her U.S. debut in this spot, and could jump up to find a spot in

the exotics. MY MAGIC MOMENT (Forest Wildcat), a stakes winner on the turf, has

finished off-the-board only three times and might earn another check under Rajiv

Maragh.

KATARA (Pulpit) finished third in the Virginia Oaks last out, but might not

be fast enough to keep up with these. We'll take a stand against KIDDARI (Smarty

Jones) in her turf debut.

CASANOVA MOVE (Langfuhr) will only run if the race is moved to the main

track, but will be tough to deny if that eventuality occurs.