Saranac

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Eight sophomore turf horses will go 1 3/16 miles over the Saratoga turf oval

in the $100,000 Saranac S. (G3) on Sunday.

SAL THE BARBER (Alphabet Soup) was a fine second in the Hall of Fame S. (G2)

over this oval last out and rates as the top selection in here for Christophe

Clement. A runaway winner of the Don Jack S. two back at Belmont, the rapidly

improving three-year-old has never finished worse than third on the green and

should love the added ground in here under Ramon Dominguez. We expect the dark

bay to stalk and pounce on this group in the stretch.

Impressive maiden winner ARMSTRONG MILL (Dynaformer) followed up his smart

debut tally with a useful third in a subsequent allowance heat, and we're

expecting more from the Clement trainee in this test. The lightly-raced colt is

ambitiously placed in this field and we're intrigued by it, as we never take

Clement lightly. We're not tabbing the sophomore for the win under Rajiv Maragh,

but we would not be surprised to see him make an impact late at big odds.

We think that this is a perfect spot for AL KHALI (Medaglia d'Oro), who was

third in the Hall of Fame last out in his first outing for Bill Mott. The

talented bay has the perfect, one-paced style that should see him excel at a

trip like this, and if he is well positioned early, he could turn out to be

especially stubborn late. Kent Desormeaux has the assignment.

UNCLE T SEVEN (Freud) was a dominant, 2 3/4-length hero of the New York

Stallion S. last out for sharp turf conditioner John Morrison. The bay colt has

run a pair of excellent races on this green, and while the class gets much

deeper in here, we never take lightly a runner who has endured success at the

Spa. John Velazquez will break from the rail atop the Empire State-bred.

RESERVOIR (Sky Classic) finished third last out in the Breeders' S. at

Woodbine and rates as an interesting prospect for trainer Julia Carey. The

chestnut gelding had to deal with the 13 post last out and will be much happier

with post 3 here. We think a lot of a few in this field, but will still consider

the import in many exotics plays beneath Alan Garcia. LIME RICKEY (Lemon Drop

Kid) had a productive winter and spring, but the colt seems to have reached his

peak, which is slightly less than the top cuts in here. The Frank Alexander

charge could rally for a minor award, though, due to his consistency.

EL CRESPO (A.P. Indy) has disappointed since bagging the Palm Beach H. (G3)

at Gulfstream this spring and can't get our endorsement on this day. BLANK CHECK

(Awesome Again) will make his turf debut in here after posting consecutive wins

at Monmouth, but we won't be taking this one until he proves that he's ready for

this surface and class.