Mambo Meister poised for Spend a Buck repeat

MAMBO MEISTER (King Cugat) has spent the last month enjoying the comforts of

his Calder home and looks set to defend his title in Saturday's $100,000

Spend

a Buck H. (G3) over 1 1/16 miles. The Phil Gleaves trainee used this race a

year ago as a springboard toward the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and the

November 6 heat at Churchill Downs will likely be on his itinerary again with a

solid performance here.

Having not raced on Pro-Ride prior to last year's Dirt Mile at Santa Anita,

Mambo Meister did well to finish two lengths behind in fifth. After a mixed

winter campaign at Gulfstream, the gelding perked up on the return to Calder

taking the Miami Mile H. (G3) on grass and the Memorial Day H. (G3) on dirt. He

next closed for second in the Smile Sprint H. (G2) going six furlongs, but

enters the Spend a Buck off consecutive sixth-place efforts in the Alfred G.

Vanderbilt H. (G1) and Presque Isle Downs Mile.

Career-best efforts would be needed by most everyone hoping to upset the

Spend a Buck. Among these are recent Washington Park H. (G3) third-placer MAD

FLATTER (Flatter) and local mainstays EL KINGDOM (El Prado [Ire]), DREAM MAESTRO

(Concerto), SINCERO (Repent), CINNAMON ROAD (Delaware Township), WINGEDLIE

(Winged Foot Willie) and RIVERSRUNRYLEE (Outflanker).

The Spend a Buck is one of eight added-money events on the stakes-laden card.

The richest of these are the final legs of the Florida Stallion S. for juveniles

-- the

In Reality and

My

Dear Girl -- each worth $350,000 and run over 1 1/16 miles. GOURMET DINNER

(Trippi) will seek to become the latest colt to sweep the open division ending

in the In Reality, having already taken the August 7 Dr. Fager and August 28

Affirmed divisions. LITTLE DRAMA (Burning Roma), whose older half-brother Big

Drama (Montbrook) swept the series in 2008, is the main threat. A 9 1/2-length

winner of the Frank Gomez Memorial in July, Little Drama was a sub-par sixth

over the slop in the Dr. Fager but rebounded to take an entry-level allowance on

September 18.

AWESOME FEATHER (Awesome of Course) is attempting a sweep of the filly series

after dominating wins in the Desert Vixen and Susan's Girl divisions. She will

renew rivalry with BLUE EYED SWEETIE (West Acre), who won the unrestricted Brave

Raj S. and Linday Frolic S., both around two turns, after running second to

Awesome Feather in the Desert Vixen and J J'sdream S. TRISTANME (Bwana Charlie),

a close second in the Debutante S. (G3) two back, invades for trainer Steve

Asmussen.

If it stays dry, FLY BY PHIL (Act of Duty) looks solid in the $75,000

Calder

Derby over nine grassy furlongs. Hero of the Tropical Park Derby (G3) on New

Year's Day, the gelding was sidelined until the off-the-turf Needles S. on

September 25 where he finished fourth. Grade 3-placed MARCELLO (Johannesburg)

will debut for the dangerous Marty Wolfson barn after a pair of unplaced efforts

in graded company.

The remaining stakes on the card are the $75,000

Calder

Oaks for three-year-old fillies at nine furlongs on the turf; the $65,000

Birdonthewire S. for two-year-olds at six furlongs; the $65,000

Cassidy

S. for juvenile fillies at six furlongs; and the $55,000

Cinnamon Girl S. for fillies and mares at one mile and 70 yards.