Santa Monica

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint romper VENTURA (Chester House) will make

her much anticipated 2009 debut in Saturday's $300,000 Santa Monica H. (G1) over

the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita. The ultra-classy mare is the 123-pound highweight

in here and might have some rust since she's unraced since her smashing win in

late October, but none of that will likely matter if she's close to her best.

The Bobby Frankel charge has not been off the board in her previous nine outings, and

earned a big triumph in the grassy Just a Game S. (G1) at Belmont last summer. The dark bay

earned a 126 BRIS Late Pace rating last out and should take down this field under

Garrett Gomez.

JIBBOOM (Mizzen Mast) is a Grade 2 winner at this seven-furlong distance on a

synthetic oval and exits a superb effort when she took the Monrovia H. (G3) for

Frankel. The talented gray has been lightly raced to this point but has always

shown ability, and our feeling is that she has finally put it all together. We

anticipate the gray having a big year in 2009, and we would not be surprised at

all if she's the lone threat to her stable companion inside the final furlong.

Rafael Bejarano will be aboard.

Bob Baffert will send out TIZZY'S TUNE (Tiznow), who finished a decent fifth in the

Breeders' Cup at 40-1. The six-year-old is a four-time winner in Arcadia,

California, and is

very consistent but will be hoping for minor awards under Joel Rosario on this

occasion. We would not be shocked if the dark bay concluded the trifecta at a

big price. 

SHE'S CHEEKY (Black Minnaloushe) is a really nice filly who has bagged three

races in succession at this venue for Peter Eurton. The Kentucky-bred has

steadily improved and has posted a trio of solid drills in advance of this, so

we'll use her in the gimmicks at a big price.

WAKE UP MAGGIE (Ire) (Xaar) goes for trainer Julio Canani, who has been

awesome at this meeting. The multiple Group 3 queen bagged the Adoration H.

three prior at Del Mar and exits a useful third-place finish in the Bayakoa H.

(G2) at Hollywood, but this field looks to be a bit much for her. We've always

felt that BARONESS THATCHER (Johannesburg) was worthy of a Grade 1 win as she

has come close on various occasions, but this is not the spot for her to do so.

We admire the training skills of Bruce Headley, but if he pulls off the upset

with SO LONG SONOMA (American Chance), we'll put him in a much higher regard.

We'll let her beat us on this day.

The sublime INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie), who recently took home an

Eclipse Award

for the second consecutive year, would have been the wildcard in this test,

considering that the dark bay is at least a few steps slower on the synthetic

oval. Baffert has announced his intention to scratch her from this event,

however, and await the March 28 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1).