Southwest

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Monday's $250,000 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park begins the road to the

April 12 Arkansas Derby (G2), and this year's edition has drawn a field of 11.

TURF WAR (Dixie Union) brings excellent credentials into the mile test, and is

our pick to come out on top.

Trained by Mark Casse, the three-year-old spent his first four career starts

racing over Woodbine's Polytrack, breaking his maiden by 1 3/4 lengths prior to

taking the Swynford S. He threw in a lackluster effort when sixth in the Grey S.

(Can-G3), and was given a two-month freshening before returning in early

December. Making his U.S., and dirt, debut in the Delta Jackpot S. (G3), the

dark bay colt saved ground on the rail while racing in last before moving to the

outside and flying home late. Turf War got his head down on the line at the same

moment as Z Humor (Distorted Humor), resulting in a dead-heat score for the pair

and a 94 BRIS Speed figure for Turf War. Calvin Borel was aboard on that

occasion and keeps the mount here.

ISABULL (Holy Bull) also began his career on synthetic tracks, and didn't do

so well in his first start on the dirt when rounding out his juvenile campaign

with a sixth in a tough November allowance at Churchill Downs. He made his

three-year-old bow in the Smarty Jones S. over this track last out, and just

missed by a neck after running wide throughout and brushing the winner in the

stretch. The Steve Hobby-trained bay earned a 92 Speed figure for that effort,

and could jump up for the win if he gets a shorter trip under Tim Doocy.

HE'S EZE (Silver Deputy) broke his maiden going a mile at Calder and posted a

wire-to-wire score over that track in the Jack Price Juvenile S. in his final

two-year-old start. Returning in the Lecomte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds on January 12, the dark bay

colt dueled in the early going, took a brief lead on the backstretch and tired

late to finish fourth. The Terrence Oliver trainee probably needed that race and

could challenge in the top three with new rider Luis Quinonez in the irons.

SACRED JOURNEY (Unbridled's Song) will be tough to catch on the front end,

but the biggest question surrounding the Dallas Stewart charge is whether he can handle

the stretch-out from six furlongs. Earning a 106 BRIS E2 Pace figure for an easy

allowance win last out, the gray sophomore has the potential to take this one

all the way, but we'll just tab for the gimmicks until we see how he copes with

his two-turn debut. Julien Leparoux picks up the mount.

DENIS OF CORK (Harlan's Holiday) will be making his stakes debut in this spot

and is seeking to keep his record perfect. The David Carroll trainee earned nice

95 Speed and 107 BRIS Late Pace figures for his maiden score and could continue

to improve all the way to the winner's circle. RILEY TUCKER (Harlan's Holiday)

was a dominant six-length debut maiden winner prior to running third in the

Saratoga Special S. (G2) and second by a head in the Arlington-Washington

Futurity (G3). The Bill Mott-conditioned colt will be returning here off a more

than five-month break, which is why we're just endorsing for rounding out the

exotics instead of the win. Kent Desormeaux has the call.

SILVER EDITION (Silver Deputy) was second in the Hutcheson S. (G2) and fourth

in the Swale S. (G2) in his past two, but we can't see him challenging in the

top four here. The D. Wayne Lukas charge has been well beaten in both tries at a

mile and we don't see him doing more than picking up a check under Joe Bravo.

LIBERTY BULL (Holy Bull) captured the Smarty Jones last out for trainer Tom Amoss.

We think that the runner-up was a bit unlucky that day, though, so we're willing

to take a stand against Liberty Bull in this spot.

GANGBUSTER (Langfuhr) has been a distant runner-up in his prior two tries against

stakes company and probably won't turn it around in this spot. SIERRA SUNSET

(Bertrando) hasn't threatened in his graded attempts in Southern California. ROYAL HUDSON (Monarchos)

is facing a tall task in his first start away from Hastings Park.