Rancho Bernardo

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 10 fillies and mares is set to contest Sunday's $200,000 Rancho

Bernardo H. (G3) at Del Mar, but on paper DEAREST TRICKSKI (Proudest Romeo) and

MAGNIFICIENCE (Stormy Atlantic) are the ones to beat in the 6 1/2-furlong heat.

They finished first and second, respectively, in the June 28 A Gleam H. (G2) at

Hollywood Park, and we look for them to finish in that order again.

Dearest Trickski looks like the speed of the speed in the Rancho Bernardo,

and with a clean start she should prove difficult to catch. She's won eight of

her last 10 starts including the La Brea S. (G1) and Sunshine Millions Filly &

Mare Sprint. One of her two losses since May 2007 occurred in the Desert Stormer

H. two back where she failed to make the lead at the first call. That says two

things: the early lead is essential for her success, and when she has it she's

awfully tough to beat.

Magnificience will be well supported in her effort to turn the tables on

Dearest Trickski. Favored in the A Gleam, the previously unbeaten four-year-old

was off slowly and simply couldn't close the gap. Her first two victories, which

included a score in the Santa Paula S. (G3), were on Santa Anita's old dirt

track, and she returned from a layoff of more than a year to narrowly win her

comeback over Hollywood's Cushion Track. She seemed more comfortable on the

synthetic in the A Gleam, but Dearest Trickski retains the edge in this rematch

as she's actually won over Del Mar's Polytrack.

SOCIETY HOSTESS (Seeking the Gold) captured the Franklin County S. over

Keeneland's Polytrack in the fall of 2006, but has raced sporadically since

then. Indeed, she has not raced at all since losing a nose decision in the

February 2 Santa Monica H. (G1). She's a logical threat here, but we wonder

whether she will come up just a bit short following such a long spell.

We're not sure what to do with LETHAL HEAT (Unusual Heat). The Cal-bred is

one of the more talented filly sprinters on the grounds, but trainer Barry

Abrams might be squeezing the lemon dry as this would mark her fourth start of

the Del Mar meet. She beat state-bred fillies in the Fleet Treat S. on July 20,

state-bred colts in the Real Good Deal S. on August 8, and was most recently

third in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) on August 16. The Grade 2 queen would have a

brighter future if only her talents were exploited with a more balanced

campaign.

TIZ ELEMENTAL (Cee's Tizzy) was a lackluster fifth in the A Gleam, easily one

of the worst races of her nine-race career. She did, however, capture the Las

Flores H. (G3) in April and is capable of much better. She can crash the exotics

from slightly off the pace.

HIGHLAND TORREE (Menifee) and LA TEE (Broken Vow) ran one-two in a division

of the August 1 CERF H., while SILKY SMOOTH (Mr. Greeley) was beaten a nose in

the other division. None appear classy enough to challenge the top players.

SPRING AWAKENING (In Excess [Ire]) finished behind Lethal Heat last time

following a long layoff but also looks out of her league here. MAKOR'S LOVE (Makors

Mark) will be hard-pressed to avoid trailing this field. She broke her maiden

for a $50,000 tag two back and subsequently threw in the towel in a first-level

allowance/optional claimer on turf.