Meadowlands Cup J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Friday night's $300,000 Meadowlands Cup (G2) drew a talented cast of nine to

go 1 1/8 miles on the main track, but we're going with turf runner KISS THE KID

(Lemon Drop Kid) to take down the top prize in this race.

Kiss the Kid has spent the majority of his career running on the grass, but

has had success on the dirt as well. The Amy Tarrant trainee, a last-out third

in the Cliff Hanger S. (G3) on Meadowlands' yielding turf, captured the 2007

Cozzene S. over the main track by 5 3/4 lengths. He also just missed by a neck in

the off-the-turf Oceanport S. in August at Monmouth Park, and owns placings in

last year's Donn H. (G1), Gulfstream Park H. (G2) and Philip H. Iselin S. (G3).

The dark bay six-year-old's BRIS Speed ratings are on par with others in here,

and he could get the job done at a nice price under Pascacio Lopez.

When COOL COAL MAN (Mineshaft) wins, he usually does so by nice margins, as

shown by his 12 3/4-length score in the Albert the Great S. in August and his 5

1/2-length victory in the Lord of the Night S. in May. However, the Nick Zito

charge hasn't done so well in a pair of graded stakes, running eighth in the

Suburban H. (G2) and seventh in the Woodward S. (G1). He won't be facing the

likes of Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) this time around, though, and earned

a very nice 107 Speed figure for his Albert the Great win two back. The

four-year-old bay should have no trouble adding another graded placing to his

line, and might even challenge for it all against this group. John Velazquez has

the call.

ETCHED (Forestry) has had a very sporadic career, only racing five times during the course of three seasons so far.

Easily capturing his first two starts, including the 2007 Nashua S. (G3), the

chestnut suffered the only loss from those five starts when finishing fourth in

the U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3) in February of 2008. The Kiaran

McLaughlin charge wasn't seen

again until taking an allowance/optional claimer in November, then was given

another extended break before reappearing this year on September 3 to score in

yet another allowance/optional claimer. His most recent win came at this race's

distance of 1 1/8 miles, and resulted in a 107 Speed rating for the

four-year-old. Etched could finally be on the right track, and will keep Alan

Garcia in the saddle for his second start of the year.

IT'S A BIRD (Birdonthewire) crossed under the line six lengths the best in

the Oaklawn H. (G2) earlier this season (and was subsequently disqualified for a

medication infraction), and would go on to score a head

decision in the Lone Star Park H. (G3). He hasn't done as well in his past two

starts in the Suburban and Woodward, but like Cool Coal Man, he won't be facing the

same class of competition in this one. The Marty Wolfson-conditioned

six-year-old could rebound in a big way here under regular rider Julien

Leparoux.

SOLAR FLARE (Salt Lake [Arg]) will be making his first start for new trainer

Tony Dutrow in this one off a three-month layoff. The chestnut earned his first

stakes victory with a dominant nine-length score in the May 24 Frisk Me Now S.

for Larry Jones, and followed that up with a third in the Salvator Mile H. (G3)

last out. A winner over the track, the five-year-old could find new life in his

new barn and threaten in the top three.

GOOD AND LUCKY (Wild Rush) captured the Formal Gold S. at Monmouth most

recently following a six-wide move, but might need less ground than this one to

be effective. We'll let him beat us. ANAK NAKAL (Victory Gallop) will be making

his debut for Rick Dutrow off a more than six-month break, last seen running

last of 14 in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1). He was second in this race

last year when trained by Nick Zito, but we'll give him a couple of races before backing. Neither RACKETEER (Awesome Again)

nor GREAT DEBATER (Trippi) look fast enough to challenge these.