Lane's End J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

El Camino Real Derby (G3) winner CONNEMARA (Giant's Causeway) is the 9-5

morning-line favorite in Saturday's $500,000 Lane's End S. (G3), but the

well-bred colt posted only an 85 BRIS Speed rating in his last two starts. We'll

try to beat him with OUTLAW MAN (Forest Wildcat).

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Outlaw Man broke his maiden two starts back on the

turf at Santa Anita and registered a career-best 90 BRIS Speed rating, as well

as a 105 BRIS Late Pace number, when rallying for fourth in his stakes debut,

the Sham S. (G3). He was a little rank during early stages and didn't benefit

from a fast pace last time, but the gray colt appears capable of an improved

showing in the Lane's End with the addition of blinkers and plenty of speed in

the field. We like seeing Alex Solis fly in for the mount, and Outlaw Man could

be finishing fastest of all in the Turfway stretch.

Connemara has plenty of room for improvement and we can understand anyone who

doesn't put much stock in the Speed ratings that he earned over the Tapeta at

Golden Gate Fields. However, he was pretty workmanlike in both efforts and

strikes us as a grinder who could leave himself with too much to do in the

stretch. On the plus side, the chestnut broke his maiden by five lengths when

making his career bow at Turfway Park last October and appears to be training

forwardly in preparation for this appearance. We won't be surprised to see the Todd

Pletcher trainee continue to move forward on Saturday, but we're not enthused

about backing him at short odds.

DOUBLES PARTNER (Rock Hard Ten) exits a turf allowance score over Lentenor

(Dynaformer) and was flattered when that rival came back to finish fourth in the

Florida Derby (G1). Trained by Pletcher, the bay colt didn't handle Polytrack

last fall at Keeneland, but he's taken significant strides forward since then

and is eligible to run much better in his return to synthetics on Saturday.

Listed at 10-1 on the morning line, he merits inclusion in our top three.

LETSGETITONMON (Maria's Mon) also offers appeal for the exotics at long odds.

The Steve Asmussen runner is only a maiden winner, but he offered a terrific run

for third in the Lecomte (G3) two back and has registered BRIS Late Pace ratings

of 110-113-112 in his last three outings. There are still some class concerns,

but the gray colt broke his maiden on Polytrack and looks capable of getting

involved in the stretch run with all the speed in the field.

DEAN'S KITTEN (Kitten's Joy) ranks first in BRIS Prime Power (136.2) and

exits a good rallying second in the Palm Beach S. (G3) over a speed-favoring

Gulfstream turf course. The Mike Maker trainee didn't draw the best post (9) and

has limited experience on all-weather tracks, but the classy colt has plenty of

stakes experience and figures to receive a good pace set-up. He should be

running late under Cornelio Velasquez. KETTLE RIVER (Congaree) faltered when

stretching out to 1 1/8 miles in the Sham most recently. He reeled off two encouraging victories prior to his

last and is a candidate to rebound with an improved showing, but we still have

some doubts about him at the distance. However, we wouldn't dissuade anybody

from using him in their top three.

NORTHERN GIANT (Giant's Causeway) finished a close third at 53-1 in the Risen

Star S. (G2) last time, but he stuck in the same spot the entire way in a yo-yo

race and is a candidate to regress off that effort. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee

was unplaced in his lone start on an all-weather track and could get caught

chasing fast fractions here with his early speed. RANGER HEARTLEY (Lost Soldier)

is a confirmed front runner for John Sadler. He deserves credit for knocking off

Connemara in the California Derby two starts back, but the gelding could face

too much early pressure and hasn't been running fast enough for us to recommend

his chances.

VOW TO WAGER (Broken Vow) was placed first via disqualification in the John

Battaglia Memorial S. last time, but that was a pretty slow race and he'll face a

significant class hike from the far outside post. CHIEF COUNSEL (Officer) looks

like a pace presence from his inside post, but he's never been past seven

furlongs and doesn't have an enticing pedigree for nine furlongs.