img HORSE

CHURCHILL DOWNS Race #EIGHT

May 5, 2007
img3:55 PM Eastern
Premium Pick
(# 1) PUSSYCAT DOLL - Accomplished but fragile runner makes only her second start of the past year in this, the 21st running of the Humana Distaff Handicap. Five-year-old mare by Real Quiet is none other than the winner of the 20th renewal of this event on "Derby Day" of 2006. She has been gingerly handled during the past year by top horseman in Bob Baffert. Mare's past performances are dotted with many gaps between her races and her overall resume has only eleven career starts, but that has produced five Major Stakes victories to go along with her maiden win back in December of 2004. It's not easy to bring a horse up to big races like this, off of extended layoffs, but Baffert has done a remarkable job with this mare. Her return race at Santa Anita in January at the Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap was a very powerful performance indeed. She had not competed since the win in this Stakes on May 6, 2006, and she responded with a display of power down the stretch after rating a bit during the early stages of the quick-paced event. She then went into another gear to win easily, earning a triple-digit speed figure. Enters this race off "only" a three month freshening, and has been training superbly at Santa Anita for her return to competition. You already know that she likes this surface, and is three-for-four lifetime at this demanding in-between seven-furlong distance.

(# 9) SWEET FERVOR - Four-year-old filly has really picked up her game in 2007 after having been away from the races for nearly eight months. Miss is extremely well-bred being by Seeking The Gold out of an In Reality mare. Filly showed some big talent before being sent to the sidelines. Was sent by top trainer Bill Mott directly from her maiden win into stakes events, something he doesn't do normally. Was successful in her stakes debut at Tampa, then tackled much tougher at Gulfstream and Oaklawn. She returned at Gulfstream this past January with an allowance win followed by a stakes victory at this distance on March 17. Filly she beat that day, Any Limit is a tough, talented race horse. Training well for this right here at Churchill, and the stakes win was two months removed from her allowance victory, just like this race.

(# 5) MARYFIELD - This mare is the oldest member of this cast at six-years-old. Despite her age, this mare rarely fails to run her race. She has done so at many different distances at a myriad number of racetracks. She is very reliable in her speed figures and they are competitive with the major players here. Running style is one of getting involved early on, and she has shown versatility on occasions by being able to rate a bit if the situation calls for that tactic. Top trainer in Doug O'Neill and Chavez is one-for-one on runner. Not to be overlooked is the fact she had one of her most important victories of her career right here last November, in the Very Subtle S. Like the top choice, she is one-for-one on this dirt.

The Plays: $10 to win on #1.
$2 exacta wheel on #1 with All.
$4 exactas on 1-5 and 1-9.
$2 exactas on 5-1 and 9-1.
Total Wager = $40.00.
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