Yellow Ribbon

Although Saturday's $400,000 Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) has drawn an accomplished

field of nine distaffers, smashing sophomore WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon) is the

only one who looks like something truly special in the grassy 1 1/4-mile affair

at Oak Tree. The Todd Pletcher filly demolished her rivals by 4 1/2

lengths in Hollywood Park's American Oaks Invitational S. (G1) at this distance,

garnering a gaudy 110 BRIS Speed rating. She then successfully cut back to nine

furlongs in the Lake Placid S. (G2) at Saratoga, comprehensively defeating the

well regarded Lady of Venice (Fr) (Loup Solitaire). Wait a While has a lethal

stalk-and-pounce style which enables her to carve out a tactically advantageous

trip before uncorking her late run. With plenty of early speed on tap, Garrett

Gomez will likely sit just off the leaders and give his mount her cue turning

for home. We don't envision any of these being able to cope with her as she

stamps her ticket to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

THREE DEGREES (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) figures to come charging late beneath

Alex Solis for the runner-up spot. In both of her starts at Del Mar since

returning from a seven-month layoff, the Paddy Gallagher trainee has rallied

from dead last to grab second, in the Osunitas H. in her comeback effort and

last time out in the Palomar Breeders' Cup H. (G2). The projected pace scenario,

as well as the added distance, play strongly in her favor.

Expected pace factor LIVE LIFE (Fr) (Linamix) finished a game third in the

Beverly D. S. (G1) in her latest venture for Neil Drysdale, beaten 2 1/4 lengths

by the brilliant Gorella (Fr) (Grape Tree Road [GB]). Judging by that form, she

is entitled to crack the top three here, but it will be up to Pat Valenzuela to

nurse her early speed.

Gallagher will also send out SINGALONG (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) as the second

half of his uncoupled entry. The four-year-old didn't manage to break her maiden

until February of this year, but the proverbial light bulb seems to have gone on

ever since then. Singalong is now riding a two-race winning streak, her last

coming in the one-mile Redondo Beach S. at Hollywood in early July. The bay is

bred to relish finally getting the opportunity to run 1 1/4 miles, and she could

well close her way into the exotics.  MOSCOW BURNING (Moscow Ballet) is a

grand old battler who usually manages to fight her way into the frame, and we

wouldn't be surprised to see her do so again. The Jim Cassidy mare narrowly

failed as the 1-5 favorite in the Solana Beach H. against California-breds last

out, but that was a roughly run mile event, and we think she'll benefit from the

extra ground in this spot. 

AMORAMA (Fr) (Sri Pekan) may have seen better days, considering that the

two-time Grade 1 queen hasn't found the winner's circle since the John C. Mabee

H. (G1) in July 2005. She's been a desperately close fourth a couple of times

this season, however, and she did experience trouble when eighth in the Palomar.

While her back class guarantees her respect, we're also disconcerted by the fact

she's never hit the board in three tries at the distance, and her record over

the course is uninspiring. For all of those reasons, we'll try to beat her.

DANCING EDIE (Moscow Ballet) showed tremendous heart to eke out a nose victory

over Moscow Burning in this year's Mabee, but she got away with ridiculously

slow fractions on the front end that day. Moreover, the form of the Mabee hasn't

really held up, in either the Solana Beach or the Palomar. Live Life strikes us

as the classier of the two front-running types, so we've got to go against

Dancing Edie.

BOND DEAL (Pivotal) has been handled by others in here in her previous forays

into graded stakes company. SOHGOL (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) appears outclassed.