Presque Isle Downs Masters

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Erie, Pennsylvania, is better known for producing influential handicapping

authors (i.e. Andrew Beyer) than staging top-class horse races. That all changes

Saturday night when the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G3) will be held

for the third time. The 6 1/2-furlong dash over the Tapeta has attracted an

outstanding group of fillies and mares hoping to get a better gauge of their

synthetic talents in advance of the November 6 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

(G1) over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride.

PORTE BONHEUR (Hennessy), who has a couple graded wins to her credit, might

fly under the radar here. The David Duggan trainee exits a rough-trip fourth in

the Honorable Miss H. (G2), which followed a gusty nose victory in the First

Flight H. (G2). More importantly, the four-year-old turned in an impressive late

kick to notch the Ontario Fashion S. last November in her only prior attempt on a

synthetic surface. Having turned in two bullet works at Saratoga since her last

start, she's one to consider at a nifty price.

INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos) is undefeated in four starts on synthetic and

is the obvious horse to beat. Her signature win came in April when she edged

last year's Filly & Mare Sprint winner Ventura (Chester House) in the Madison S.

(G1) at Keeneland. A tiring third in the Ballerina S. (G1) last time, she

figures to bounce back returning to this kind of surface. The two-week

turnaround might be a bit quick, however, so we'll try to beat her.

TEQUILAS DAYJUR (Dayjur) ran an eye-catching second in the 2008 Chicago H.

(G3) over Arlington Park's Polytrack, and though she's endured some leaner times

since then, she's exiting a stakes victory over the Mountaineer Park dirt and

should fare better than many of these trying synthetic for the first time. She

has the positional speed to be within striking distance throughout.

DIAMONDRELLA (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) has won six in a row, including

the Just a Game S. (G1) on grass in early June, and she typically humbles her

opposition with explosive stretch kicks. If she transfers her excellent turf

form to Tapeta, there may be no stopping her. But we'll take a stand against her

this time as she tries an unfamiliar surface.

You can't be named champion older mare in Canada without being proficient

over the Woodbine Polytrack, which makes BEAR NOW (Tiznow) an attractive price

play for the exotics. Though winless in five starts this season, only one of

those races has been on synthetic, and that was a solid third behind Informed

Decision and Ventura in the Madison. The downside is that she's more of a router

than a sprinter.

GAME FACE (Menifee) is arguably the East Coast's leading female sprinter this

year -- on dirt. How she will handle Tapeta is anyone's guess. She could easily

reproduce her best form here, but at a short price we're willing to take a stand

against her. The same goes for FLASHING (A.P. Indy), who's earned modest BRIS

Speed ratings when winning the Nassau County S. (G3) and Test S. (G1) against

her fellow three-year-olds. Grade 3 queen DUBAI MAJESTY (Essence of Dubai) has

run OK on synthetic in the past, but lost both times to Informed Decision and

we don't see her turning the tables on that one.

The rest seem overmatched on class, though SWEET LORENA (Langfuhr) has won

three straight on this very surface. However, we're not convinced that will be enough of

an edge to completely overlook her class deficiency. ROLLICKING AFFAIR

(Black Tie Affair [Ire]) has finished behind Sweet Lorena twice in recent

months, BEAUTIFUL VENUE (Came Home) has placed only twice in nine all-weather

attempts, and NICKS (Salt Lake) would seem better suited to an Illinois-bred

stakes.