Ouija Board Distaff J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES

PREVIEWS

COSTUME (GB) (Danehill) will go for her third straight graded win on Monday

as she tops a field of 11 in Lone Star Park's $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff H.

(G3) on Memorial Day. The Bobby Frankel-trained four-year-old most recently

captured her first stakes and first U.S. wins when taking the Buena Vista H.

(G2) and Santa Ana H. (G2) over Santa Anita's green. She'll be returning off a

more than two-month break in this mile grassy test, but has a class edge over her rivals

here. Garrett Gomez, aboard for those last two

wins, returns to the saddle.

BROWNIE POINTS (Forest Wildcat) could keep the margin of victory close with Luis Quinonez in the irons. The Donnie Von Hemel trainee

has spent most of her career running on dirt tracks, but has done well over the

turf as well. In last year's edition of the Ouija Board, the chestnut finished

just 1 3/4 lengths back of Lady of Venice (Fr) (Loup Solitaire) and owns three

stakes victories on the green. Brownie Points was last seen running second to

the undefeated Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Apple Blossom H. (G1), earning

a 102 BRIS Speed rating, and will be tough in this one.

FOREST MELODY (Forest Camp) is our pick to be best of the rest. The dark bay

four-year-old has finished on-the-board in seven of her last 10 outings, and was

just one length back in fourth after leading throughout the 10-furlong Santa

Barbara H. (G2). That one earned the Paula Capestro charge a 103 Speed figure

and a chance at this one. She could add graded credit to her line with Brice

Blanc holding the reins.

SUPER FREAKY (Smart Strike) can't be discounted from a top-three placing. The

Doug O'Neill-conditioned four-year-old captured the Providencia S. (G3) last

season going a mile on the turf and was runner-up in the Senorita S. (G3)

going the same distance. The dark bay tailed off a bit at the end of the year

and owns just one start so far this campaign, recording a one-paced fourth

(subsequently elevated to third) in

the Las Cienegas H. (G3) last out while contesting about 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa

Anita. She probably needed that race off the break and could show much more here

under Alonso Quinonez.

TEARS I CRY (Chester House) captured the local prep for the Ouija Board,

posting a 3 1/2-length score in the Irving Distaff S. last out. That was her

first stakes win and her first good effort against black-type company. She broke

her maiden going a mile at Belmont last May and may be on the upswing entering

this one. She could fill out the exotics. CANDY BALL (Lemon Drop Kid) racked up

two straight stakes wins, one on the turf and one on the dirt when it was taken

off the green, then led for the early part of the ultra-tough Jenny Wiley S.

(G2) most recently. She was overtaken late, finishing 2 1/2 lengths back in

seventh, but deserves credit for a game effort against that field. She's another

who deserves consideration for the bottom of the gimmicks.

MY THREE SISTERS (Defrere) has been finishing behind, but close, to many

others in here and might conceivably pick up a share based on her current form.

EMMA GRACE (Dreamfield) was third in the Irving Distaff two back and captured an

allowance over this course and distance last out. She could earn a check.

BARBETTE (High Yield) might not be fast enough to keep up with these. We'll

take a stand against. BUDDHA LADY (Buddha) probably needs the dirt rather than

the turf to be competitive. ELLIECAT (Crafty Prospector) was well beaten in the

Irving Distaff and is probably out of her class with this field.