Molly Pitcher

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Only six distaffers have been entered in Sunday's Molly Pitcher H. (G2) at

Monmouth Park, and HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor) appears to tower over this

bunch while attempting a title defense. The chestnut mare was a front-running, 6

1/4-length winner of this race last season, then returned two races later to

just miss by a neck in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) over the track. She enters

this season's edition off dominating wins in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2) and

Delaware H. (G2), and captured her second start of the year while going the

Molly Pitcher's distance of 1 1/16 miles in the Azeri S. (G3). Trained by Jerry

Hollendorfer, the five-year-old veteran will have Robby Albarado, who was in the

saddle for the Azeri, aboard on Sunday and could continue her march to this

year's Distaff with another win here.

COWGIRLS DON'T CRY (Pure Prize) took on defending Distaff winner and reigning

champion Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) last out in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1),

running a one-paced fourth throughout. That race followed a 2 1/4-length victory

in the Shuvee H. (G2) in which the Kiaran McLaughlin charge earned a 104 BRIS

Speed rating. The four-year-old lass has been training well in advance of this

one, recording a bullet, best of 67 half-mile move over Belmont Park's training

track in :47 2/5 most recently, and will probably be best of the rest. Mike

Luzzi has the return call.

LEXI STAR (Crypto Star) was second to Hystericalady last year in this race

and will be looking to at least hold that position if not move up one spot.

However, we think the Christopher Grove trainee is more likely to finish out the

trifecta. The dark bay mare posted a 3 1/4-length win in a Delaware Park

allowance/optional claimer last out and was a head victress of the Geisha S. in

her first start of the season. She followed that up with a runner-up effort in

the Allaire duPont Distaff S. (G2) and might add another graded placing to her

line with Eddie Castro picking up the mount.

ROLLING SEA (Sefapiano) has the best chance of rounding out the bottom of the

exotics. The Steve Asmussen-conditioned five-year-old ended 2007 with a slightly

surprising win in the Chilukki S. (G2) and also captured last year's Allaire

duPont Distaff. She hasn't shown quite that same form in three starts so far

this campaign, but could jump up here following a third in the Lady's Secret S.

over the track most recently. Joe Bravo was aboard that day and will be holding

the reins for this one.

CZARINA'S GIRL (Unbridled Jet) was fourth in the Eatontown S. (G3) in her

graded debut earlier this year and scored a 2 1/4-length allowance/optional

claiming win on the turf in advance of this race. She could challenge for a share for

trainer Patrick McBurney. TALKIN ABOUT LOVE (Not For Love), winner of last

year's Monmouth Oaks (G3), has tailed off quite a bit since that one, running

a well-beaten sixth in the Lady's Secret last out. We can't recommend.