San Luis Obispo

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

A field of 10 will line up Sunday for the $150,000 San Luis Obispo H. (G2) at

Santa Anita. ATLANDO (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]) exits a fourth in the San Marcos S.

(G2) to Grade 1 winner The Tin Man (Affirmed). The Darrell Vienna trainee owns

good back class and has earned BRIS Late Pace figures of 117, 118 and 100,

in that sequence, since moving to the United States three starts back. This form

should come in handy over a turf course which has been favoring late pace

runners over the past week. Martin Pedroza will ride.

KING'S DRAMA (Ire) (King's Theatre [Ire]), who is coupled with Atlando and

AUBONNE (Ger) (Monsun), will be making his first start since a disappointing run

in the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) in November. The 1 1/2-mile marathon test should not

be a problem for the six-year-old gelding, as he has captured one event in

four tries at the distance. King's Drama has good front-running form and will

not face much competition up front. In his last 10 North American starts,

the Bobby Frankel-trained bay has posted a BRIS Speed figure below the century

mark only once and will be a threat here as part of the likely favored entry. Patrick

Valenzuela has the call.

FANTASTIC SPAIN (Fantastic Fellow) comes off a nice score against

allowance/optional-claiming rivals here earlier this month, his first start off

a layoff for new trainer Neil Drysdale. When previously conditioned by Kristin Mulhall,

Fantastic Spain turned in solid efforts against graded stakes-caliber foes. Corey Nakatani will ride.

Aubonne comes off a three-quarters of a length victory in the La Zanzara H. over this same surface

in late January. The six-year-old chestnut mare will be trying her luck against

the boys in this one, but still has the class to wind up in the exotics.

Drysdale is winning at a 29 percent clip at Santa Anita. Victor Espinoza will

make a return ride from the La Zanzara.

T. H. APPROVAL (With Approval) is unraced since July where he just missed in

the Sunset Breeders' Cup H. (G2) by three parts of a length, finishing in a dead

heat for second. His record at Santa

Anita is not exceptional (9-1-1-2) and the gray could have a hard time winning,

but must still be kept in mind for the gimmicks.

BOUTHAN (Fr) (Sadler's Wells) had some success in his homeland at this distance

and could improve off a poor outing in the San Marcos last out, especially as he

adds blinkers here. CLIPPERDOWN (Ire) (Green Desert) will be hard pressed against this level of

competition off just a 10-day turnaround. We will bet against. MODERN ERA (Aus)

(Marscay) also comes back on short notice and has only four successes in 23

attempts.

BULLISTIC (Holy Bull) comes off a six-month layoff and hasn't had success in

two tries on the turf against lesser company. BALUSTRADE (Green Dancer) will

face a class hike and has not shown the numbers needed to compete here.