Peter Pan

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Nine sophomores will contest the one-turn, 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan S. (G2) over the Belmont main

oval on Saturday. We found that this field

lacks early pace and many of the top contenders in here are using this contest

as a mere prep for the Belmont S. (G1) in four weeks, so we'll look for an

upset.

GOLDEN SPIKES (Seeking the Gold) has a wealth of early speed and should find

this trip right up his alley, and we like him to be the one to beat turning for

home. The Marty Wolfson trainee exits a key race of sorts when a strong second

in the Illinois Derby (G2), and he's trained well in the interim. We love the

rider upgrade to Edgar Prado and the way the Kentucky-bred improved with

blinkers removed last out, and we envision him tracking in second to the lane

before taking command.

Japanese shipper CASINO DRIVE (Mineshaft) was bet down to 1-5 odds in his

debut and rolled home a double-digit winner, so the chestnut should not be taken

lightly in here. Conditioned by Kazuo Fujisawa, the three-quarters brother to

reigning Belmont S. (G1) heroine Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) is undoubtedly using

this race as a stepping stone to this year's Belmont, but his connections

wouldn't have come this far if their colt didn't have talent and we feel that he

is live in this spot. We're more than intrigued with the decision to use Kent Desormeaux as a pilot.

COSMIC (El Prado [Ire]) has been sharp in 2008, posting two wins

and a second for trainer Shug McGaughey. The gray colt still showed greenness in a recent

allowance prep at Aqueduct and might be more of a two-turn animal, but he'll

be making his debut at his home base and rarely runs a bad one. We expect a

midpack trip to the stretch under Javier Castellano.

Peruvian dual classic winner TOMCITO (Street Cry [Ire]) is another who is using

this as a springboard to bigger things next month. Trained by Dante Zanelli

Jr., the bay colt impressed some with a last-to-third move in the Florida Derby

(G1) and ran fairly well in the Lexington S. (G2) when beaten by fewer than four

lengths. The Kentucky-bred certainly belongs here, and if he can accelerate at

this distance, he surely will have a top three chance. Cornelio Velasquez has the

call. 

READY'S ECHO (More Than Ready) will be making his third start of the year and

his first in a stakes event for Todd Pletcher, and the late-running ridgling has

a big chance for the gimmicks. A visually impressive second in his career debut

at Saratoga last summer, the dark bay easily took his seasonal debut and

followed that with a solid second in an allowance at Keeneland. John Velazquez

will be aboard the Bluegrass-bred, who would benefit from a robust pace.

MINT LANE (Maria's Mon) looks like the speed of the race and will attempt to

take this field all the way on the lead for Jimmy Jerkens. The improving bay was

a close second in the Federico Tesio S. and is bred to handle this trip, but he won't

likely have a breather at any point in the contest and could tire in the

lane. The impeccably bred SPARK CANDLE (A.P. Indy), stable companion to Casino

Drive, is clearly the less heralded of the Fujisawa entry but is a talented

sophomore in his own right. Possible for the Belmont with a top effort in here,

the chestnut flopped in his lone dirt try and we can't put him on top, but a

finish anywhere else in the field would not surprise us. Jorge Chavez will guide

the Kentucky-bred.

FAST TALKING (Hennessy) tired to fifth in the recent Tesio and steps

up in class for this one, so we'll look elsewhere. Tesio third DEPUTYVILLE

(Deputy Warlock) will make his second start for conditioner Gary Contessa but

has yet to prove that he belongs with this type.