Monrovia

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A full field of 14 fillies and mares will travel about 6 1/2 furlongs down the

Hillside Turf Course to contest the $100,000 Monrovia H. (G3) at Santa Anita on

Monday. The great CAMBIOCORSA (Avenue of Flags) is the headliner in the group

and brings in a 9-8-0-1 record over this course, but we'll look for an upset in

this spot.

Group 1 heroine HONEY ROSE (Arg) (Lode) looked awesome in a facile allowance

win at Keeneland and seems poised for a big effort in here. Handled by Todd

Pletcher's assistant Michael McCarthy, the six-year-old mare has experience

sprinting on the turf against top-class animals and has been freshened for this

event. The mare should have plenty of pace to run at, and we expect her to

be running the best late beneath Corey Nakatani.

Cambiocorsa can surely win this race for Doug O'Neill with a sensible trip,

and the five-year-old is well drawn on the outside. The gray ran creditably in

the Matriarch S. (G1) most recently until the final furlong, and should relish

the switch back to 6 1/2 panels. However, the multiple Grade 3 heroine has lost

three of her last four races, and there may be a chink in that mighty armor.

Jon Court will once again guide the mare.

SOMETHINABOUTBETTY (Forestry) is as consistent a performer as there is,

finishing in the exacta in 10 of 13 lifetime tries. Also conditioned by

McCarthy, the four-year-old was impressive in taking the Rokeby Rose S. at

Aqueduct in the slop and comes in here with three works in the Golden State. The

bay will be piloted by Jose Valdivia Jr. and has a chance at the top prize with

a sensible trip.

SOCIETY HOSTESS (Seeking the Gold) was a fast-closing fifth, beaten only

three-quarters of a length, in the Matriarch last try and is an obvious

contender with a repeat of that performance. The dark bay five-year-old

certainly has a nose for the winner's circle, evidenced by her 15-7-2-2 mark, and

sports the high-percentage connections of Christophe Clement and Garrett Gomez.

DANCLARE (Stravinsky) has improved since switching to turf sprints and could

be flying late under Danny Sorenson. The Paddy Gallagher trainee was

impressive in a recent allowance tally and has a chance at a top-three placing

in her second start off the shelf with further improvement. CLINET (Ire) (Docksider)

was a rallying second in the Las Palmas H. (G2) two prior and could be a threat

in here with something resembling that. The lack of early speed could see the

bay lose touch with the field early, thus her inclusion must be kept to the

bottom of the exotics.

KITTY HAWK (GB) (Danehill Dancer) could be the beneficiary of a rapid pace in

here and should be charging late for Patrick Biancone and Julien Leparoux. The

chestnut is winless in her last four starts, but her running

style and late ability could earn her a small share.

BELLA BANISSA (Good and Tough) is as quick from the gate as any in the field

and could be the speed of the speed in here for conditioner David Hofmans. The

five-year-old bay set the pace in the recent Bayakoa H. (G2) but faded to last

turning for home, and should appreciate the drop back to one-turn racing. If

allowed to dictate her own tempo, which we have a hard time envisioning, the

mare could hang on for a share.

MARYFIELD (Elusive Quality) is plenty quick in her own right and will likely

be dueling for the lead under Victor Espinoza. The Doug O'Neill pupil has

compiled a solid 10-3-3-1 mark in 2006, the last eight of which were versus

stakes company, but the abundance of early pace in

here could be her ultimate undoing.

SELVATICA (Forestry) has reeled off five consecutive wins, all in

wire-to-wire fashion, and will have to show a new rating tactic in here for Jeff

Mullins in order to challenge late. The late bloomer has never been worse than

second in nine career starts but has yet to face this talented a field, either, so

we'd prefer to watch her in this spot at likely low odds.

COSTUME DESIGNER (Capote) is riding a two-race win streak but seems to be

aiming at minor awards in this one. The late-running John Shirreffs charge could

possibly fill out some superfectas with a good trip from off the pace, but her

closing numbers are not equal to many of her rivals.

VICTORY SPY (Victory Gallop) has plenty of early speed and hails from a hot

barn, but could have trouble with all of the pace pressure she's likely to

encounter. The John Sadler charge was unplaced in her lone effort over this course. VANGUARDA (Arg) (Sekari [GB]) shows just a maiden win on the sod and picked a brutal

spot to try to earn her second turf tally for Darrell Vienna. The five-year-old

is a Group 1 heroine on the main track, signaling her class, but would need a

superb performance to gain a placing in here.

RIVER'S PRAYER (Devon Lane) ran in Saturday's La Brea S. (G1) and will be

scratched from this one.