Turnback the Alarm

CAPESIDE LADY (Cape Town) heads a field of nine in Saturday's $100,000

Turnback the Alarm H. (G3) at Aqueduct, and the Todd Pletcher trainee could lead

this one from gate to wire. The bay three-year-old has earned triple-digit BRIS

Speed ratings in her past three races, two of which were easy wins while the

last was a close runner-up finish, and will be tough to run down. However, we're

going to try to do just that with the defending winner of this race, POCUS HOCUS

(Quiet American).

Trained by James Jerkens, Pocus Hocus surprised a nice field last year with a

5 1/4-length score in this nine-furlong test at 15-1. Though she's earned only

one win since, the gray six-year-old has still been holding her own, most

recently running second in the Ruffian H. (G1) against the likes of Sightseek

(Distant View). Pocus Hocus earned a 99 Speed figure for that effort and loves

the 1 1/8-mile distance (8-2-3-1). She could spring another upset here with Jose

Santos returning to the saddle.

Capeside Lady appears the one to beat, but has yet to run at the distance or

over the track. Her chances improve exponentially if an off-track materializes,

as she's taken four of five starts on surfaces ranging from good to sloppy.

Chris DeCarlo will be aboard Saturday.

NEVERMORE (Unbridled) moved up from the allowance ranks to finish a close

third in the Personal Ensign H. (G1) against champions Storm Flag Flying (Storm

Cat) and Azeri (Jade Hunter). She dropped back to this distance in the Beldame

S. (G1) in her last race, running fifth, but suffered a four wide trip

throughout. The H. James Bond charge owns a win over the track and could break

through here with a career-best run under Pablo Fragoso.

MISTY SIXES (Summer Squall) started off the year with three straight wins,

including two stakes victories, ran third in the Delaware H. (G2) in mid-July,

and most recently has been two heads and a neck back in second from her last

three races. Though she's used to setting the pace, the Steve Klesaris-conditioned

bay mare also has the ability to rate in just behind the leaders and could

utilize that tactic here to threaten at the wire if our top two picks get in a

speed duel early on.

Both PERSONAL LEGEND (Awesome Again) and FORTUNATE DAMSEL (Runaway Groom)

have spent most of their careers on the turf. However, they both have also

proven themselves over the dirt. The former made her four-year-old bow a nice

runner-up finish in the El Encino S. (G2) in January, while Fortunate Damsel

came with a game late run to record a close second in an allowance in March.

Based on those performances, we can't completely dismiss either filly's chance

in the exotics.

ROAR EMOTION (Roar) tried to wire the Delaware H. (G2) two back, but was

caught at the end and finished second. She bounced badly last out in the

Personal Ensign after setting the early pace, only earning a 72 Speed rating,

and has been off for more than two months. We can't recommend. FAST COOKIE

(Deputy Minister) captured the Cotillion H. (G2) last year, but has been

competing on the grass for much of this season. We'll just watch for now.

CLOAKOF VAGUENESS (El Prado [Ire]) doesn't look fast enough to challenge against

these.