Locust Grove

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A well-matched group of 12 turf distaffers will line up on Saturday in the

$100,000 Locust Grove H. (G3) at Churchill Downs, and the one-mile turf test

features the rematch of ACOMA (Empire Maker) and KEERTANA (Johar). The pair met

in the Mint Julep H. (G3) under the Twin Spires last out, with Acoma getting

her head in front of Keertana on the wire to take second. Keertana actually led

in the stretch of that 8 1/2-furlong affair before being passed late, and could

use the slight cutback here to score, but we're going with Acoma to once again

hit the line first.

Trained by David Carroll, Acoma is a Grade 2 winner over the course and

closed out 2009 with a victory in the Cardinal H. (G3) here. The five-year-old bay

earned a nice 102 BRIS Speed rating for that score, and has posted triple-digit

BRIS Late Pace ratings in her past two. She excels at this level of competition

and owns a 4-3-1-0 mark over the Churchill turf. Our only concern is the

distance, as she is used to going 1 1/16 miles more often than not, but we think

Acoma has the talent to add this one to her already impressive resume. Robby

Albarado has the call.

Like Acoma, Keertana owns an excellent record on the Churchill turf (6-3-2-1)

and hasn't finished off-the-board in her past 12 starts. She captured last

year's Regret S. (G3) under the Twin Spires and was a neck winner of a turf

allowance at Keeneland on April 11 to begin her four-year-old season. The Tom

Proctor-conditioned dark bay garnered a 101 Speed figure for that one and should

be close to the pace throughout. Keertana will be tough to hold off at the end

under Miguel Mena.

C. S. SILK (Medaglia d'Oro) ran second to Keertana in an allowance/optional

claimer over the course to open the year on May 9 and could find herself filling

out the trifecta here for trainer Dale Romans. The dark bay four-year-old has

been working well over the course of late and has the past form to make a run in

the exotics.

DANZON (Royal Academy) was claimed out of a June 4 allowance/optional

claiming score over course and distance, and will be making her first start for

new trainer James Baker in this one. The seven-year-old mare has now won three

of her last four turf tries and earned a nice 95 Speed rating for that recent

allowance victory. The Grade/Group 3 veteran has been well spotted here and will

likely offer up nice odds. She could make a place for herself in the top three.

WAR TIGRESS (War Chant) was second to Danzon in that allowance in her third

start off a near year-long break. The four-year-old's last win came in the 2008

Caressing H. over course and distance, and she could continue to move forward

from the long layoff.

MEADOW SAFFRON (Military) successfully defended her title in the Indiana

Live! Casino S. last out on yielding turf. That was her first win since taking

the 2009 edition of that race, but a place in the bottom of the gimmicks is not out of the

question. LADY'S LAUGHTER (Distorted Humor) was third behind Meadow Saffron in

that stakes in her first try on turf and could earn a check in this spot as

well. SWEETEST SONG (Unbridled's Song) will be making her stakes bow here off a

nice second against allowance rivals under the Twin Spires. An upset is a

possibility with Calvin Borel in the saddle, but we're just going to tab for a

share.

AWESOME GRANNIE (Awesome Again) was a troubled sixth in the Indiana Live!

Casino S. and might be out of her class against these. HAPPINESS IS (Dynaformer) hasn't

been all that competitive against stakes competition of late. We can't

recommend. We can see GO ASK ALEX (Afleet Alex) leading this early, but not

hanging around at the end. WINTER'S CIRCLE (Commendable) doesn't appear fast

enough to keep up.