Mac Diarmida

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 12 has been entered to go 1 3/8 miles in Sunday's $150,000 Mac

Diarmida H. (G2) over Gulfstream Park's turf, and DEVIL'S PREACHER (Pulpit)

appears ready to take his second straight victory. The George Weaver-trained

four-year-old was last seen winning the off-the-turf W. L. McKnight H. (G2) at

Calder in mid-December, tracking the pacesetters before coming three wide and

scoring by 1 1/2 lengths. The bay gelding broke his maiden at Gulfstream last

February before just missing in the Palm Beach S. (G3) when third by a length.

Devil's Preacher has been working well in advance of this one and could show

even more while returning to the turf. Rafael Bejarano has the return call.

RAMAZUTTI (Honor Grades) ran third in the McKnight last out and could earn

his first stakes score here while moving back to the green. Conditioned by Tony

Sciametta Jr., who is handling trainer Todd Pletcher's Florida string while he's

serving out a suspension, the chestnut gelding led nearly all the way in the

Wicapi S. before being caught in late stretch. That was the five-year-old's third close runner-up finish, as he ran

second by a neck in both the Pan American H. (G3) and Louisville H. (G3) last

year. Ramazutti is slightly inconsistent on the numbers he throws up, but is due

for another big BRIS Speed figure. He could lead all the way to the wire under

John Velazquez.

CAN'T BEAT IT (Atticus) captured the Calder Derby (G3), Pete Axthelm S. and

Hallandale Beach S. last year in Florida, with the latter event coming on

Gulfstream's turf. The dark bay four-year-old ran second by a half-length

in the American Derby (G2) in July, but was placed last via disqualification.

The Marty Wolfson charge earned a 99 Speed figure and 104 BRIS Late Pace rating

for his Pete Axthelm victory last out, and finishes close even when he doesn't

win. He'll be tough in the top three with Eddie Castro aboard.

DREADNAUGHT (Lac Ouimet) hasn't visited the winner's circle since taking the Laurel

Turf Cup in 2005, but is another who usually seems to be close at the wire. The

seven-year-old bay put up a 101 Speed rating in his last three races, including

a half-length third in the 2006 edition of the Laurel Turf Cup and a neck

second in the Ft. Lauderdale S. most recently. Dreadnaught owns the numbers to

get his picture taken once again. GIN AND SIN (Go for Gin) posted a 107 Late

Pace figure for his fifth, just 1 1/2 lengths back, in the Ft. Lauderdale last

out and has been switching back and forth between the Polytrack and turf in his

past four races. The dark bay gelding has yet to finish in the money from three

turf races at Gulfstream, but has shown enough improvement of late to challenge

in the exotics.

BEE CHARMER (Ire) (Anabaa) has won both of his races since coming to the

United States, the most recent of which came on Gulfstream's turf. The Michael

Matz trainee earned a 99 Late Pace rating for that allowance victory, and he

could come with a good enough late run to make his presence felt in the top

three on Sunday. SPIDER POWER (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) won the Wicapi before

being pulled up in the sloppy McKnight last out. The four-year-old was competitive against

graded company on the turf last year and could finally earn that elusive first graded win

here.

MENDING FENCES (Forestry) was transferred to Wolfson in the fall and

subsequently scored in all three of his starts. The five-year-old finished off-the-board only three times last year and could continue that trend here

while taking home a share. INTERPATATION (Langfuhr) was fourth in the Joe Hirsch

Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) in early October and could show up in the

bottom of the gimmicks.

TISSY FIT (Lasting Approval) posted three straight wins during the fall

before running third and second in his past two races. The dark bay former

claimer is progressively making his way up the conditions ladder but may find

this bunch too much, too soon. We'll just watch to see how he handles his stakes

debut. MUSTANFAR (Unbridled) hasn't been seen in competition since running off

the board in the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) last March. He'll probably need a

race in his return. REQUEST FOR PAROLE (Judge T C) seems to have lost a step in

the past year. We can't recommend.