Spend a Buck

BIG LOVER (Ecton Park) heads into Saturday's Spend a Buck H. (G3) at Calder

off an easy allowance win over the track and is our pick to take this 1

1/16-mile affair. He earned a 103 BRIS Speed rating as well as triple-digit BRIS

E2 and Late Pace figures for that allowance victory, setting him up nicely for

this event. Trained by Angel Salinas, the chestnut sophomore captured the Ride

the Rails S. in early July and loves Calder's dirt (14-5-5-1) as well as the

distance (7-3-3-0). We can't pick against Big Lover, who will keep Manoel Cruz,

aboard for that win, in the saddle.

REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit) is cross-entered in the Calder Derby (G3) on the turf,

but appears to have a better shot in this one. The Frank Gomez trainee defeated

Big Lover in the American Dreamer S. two back and garnered a 102 Speed figure

for taking the off-the-turf Carterista H. last out. The dark bay has been

working well of late to prepare for whichever race he goes in and could take

this one with Manuel Aguilar aboard.

MISTER FOTIS (Diligence) is a top class performer in the sprint ranks, but we

don't really know how he'll perform while stretching out to 8 1/2 furlongs. The

Marty Wolfson charge was most recently a good fifth in the Smile Sprint H. (G2)

while going three-quarters, and has earned century-topping Speed ratings in all

but two of his last seven sprint races. Mister Fotis definitely owns the numbers

to get the job done here, but only if he handles the added ground. Rene Douglas

rides.

BOB'S PROUD MOMENT (Proud and True) doesn't own quite the same numbers as the

above picks, but still has a chance in the top three. The dark bay five-year-old

has competed on the dirt just four times since the start of 2005, but has

experience winning over the track and could offer some value in the exotics.

SIPHON CITY (Siphon [Brz]) strung together three stakes victories during the

summer, including the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Breeders' Cup H. (G2), but

hasn't been the same since competing in the Whitney H. (G1), where he ran a

well-beaten eighth. If he can regain his form from earlier in the year, then

Siphon City will be tough. NKOSI REIGNS (Out of Place) will be making his first

start for trainer Ron Spatz, as well as his first race at Calder. The five-year-old

gelding has finished off the board only five times from 19 career starts and

could be a good price in the bottom of the gimmicks.

MARAQUERO (Comeonmom) is taking a step up here and might not be able to

handle these. SUPERVISOR (Skip Trial) hasn't been able to win since taking this

race last year. We don't look for a repeat. DAZZLING DR. CEVIN (Cutlass Fax) was

nine lengths behind our top pick when second last out and might need more time

to acclimate after returning from his spring and summer campaign in Puerto Rico.