Morvich

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

The $100,000 Morvich H. (G3) is Wednesday's opening-day feature at Oak Tree,

and 10 sprinters will square off down the hill, including past champions

CALIFORNIA FLAG (Avenue of Flags) and GET FUNKY (Straight Man). The about 6

1/2-furlong turf affair will also serve as the final tune-up for DESERT CODE (E

Dubai), who will look to defend his title in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over

the same course/distance in early November.

California Flag dominated the 2008 edition in front-running fashion,

registering a 105 BRIS Speed rating for his three-length decision, and is our

pick to lead wire-to-wire again. The gray five-year-old gelding really came on

for trainer Brian Koriner at this time last season, winning three of four

starts, but he was out of action for most of this year. He returned to the races

in good order, winning the August 19 Green Flash H. at Del Mar, and won't face

any new speedballs in this spot. California Flag appears set for another strong

showing.

Desert Code will be making his first start since April, but we won't dismiss

his chances for the win. The five-year-old returned off a similar freshening

with a 2 1/2-length score in the Daytona H. (G3) earlier this year, and we know

he loves the turf in Arcadia, California, winning five of 10 starts including

the aforementioned Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. The chestnut appears to be

training forwardly for his first start back, and he'll likely be rallying in the

stretch under Richard Migliore.

TENGA CAT (Storm Cat) is winless in four turf starts at Santa Anita and was

no match for our top pick last time, but we'll still use him in our top three.

The Ron Ellis runner gave a fine account of himself when stepping into stakes

company last season, recording a couple of placings as well as a close fourth in

the Daytona H. over this course, and appeared headed to bigger and better things

before being suddenly sidelined during the summer. The six-year-old has returned

with a couple of solid efforts this year, winning an allowance/optional claiming

event at Del Mar prior to a third in the Green Flash, and we'll look for him to

keep showing more in his third start off the bench.

STONESIDE (Ire) (Marchand de Sable) offered a belated rally for fourth in the

Green Flash last time, but the five-year-old gelding has had more success over

this course, winning the San Simeon H. (G3) in April. The late runner won't

enter the Morvich in the best form, missing the top three in his last three

starts, but he remains a legitimate threat for a minor award with his finishing

kick.

TIZ WEST (Gone West) picks up the services of Rafael Bejarano and has the

class to be a factor at this level, but we prefer him over a little more ground.

PERFECT OFFICER (Officer) ran for a $35,000 tag earlier this year, but the

sophomore has made excellent progress since then for George Weaver, winning the

Solomon Northup S. most recently at Saratoga. He's facing a stiff class hike in

this spot and will be making his California bow, so we'll just watch to see how

the improving gelding fares in this spot.

BRUCE'S DREAM (Atticus) will put his unbeaten record on the line while making

his stakes debut, but the California-bred will be severely tested for class. We

can't ignore the fact that Garrett Gomez sticks with the Mike Puype trainee, but

we'll let the gray three-year-old beat us. Get Funky drew the far outside post

and will attempt to snap seven-race losing skid. The six-year-old hasn't hit the

board in his last six starts, and he doesn't look fast enough at present to

challenge here.

CHEROKEE HEAVEN (Cherokee Run) hasn't started since winning a conditioned

allowance/optional claiming event in May, and the lightly raced five-year-old

will be making his stakes debut in a tough spot. His BRIS numbers aren't

encouraging and we can't recommend his chances from the rail. FLASHMANS PAPERS

GB) (Exceed and Excel) looked good over the winter, winning the Eddie Logan S.

and finishing second in the Baldwin S. (G3), but he went completely off form

following the latter effort. Doug O'Neill sent him to Fairplex for a

seven-furlong stakes last time, and the three-year-old wound up a

non-threatening second. This doesn't look like a good spot for him.