Fallfree looks main threat in feature

Eight 2-year-olds will get their first experience around two turns - albeit at the sprint distance of 6 1/2 furlongs - in the $60,000 Beau Brummel at Fairplex Park on Tuesday.

The field includes two stakes winners and another stakes-placed runner, not to mention an undefeated entrant.

Thresher and Wind Water both won stakes on the northern California fair circuit this summer. Wind Water won the Everett Nevin-Alameda County Futurity at Pleasanton in track-record time in his second start. Thresher, who was a troubled third behind Wind Water in the Nevin, came back to win the Cavonnier Juvenile Stakes at Santa Rosa as the 1-2 favorite.

Thresher has shown improvement with two victories and a third in his career. He showed gameness in the third-place finish after being virtually eliminated at the start.

Fallfree, the runner-up in both the Im Smokin and Graduation at Del Mar and third in the Haggin at Hollywood Park, seems the one both to catch and to beat despite the quick turnaround of only eight days since the Im Smokin.

He beat Wind Water in both their starts, although Wind Water, who does have a work over the Fairplex track, led him early in their most recent start before finishing second.

Lotta Loot actually led Fallfree early in the Graduation before stopping badly, but he couldn't match strides with him in the Haggin.

Forever Foxy brings a 2-for-2 record into the race. He won from off the pace in a $40,000 maiden claimer in his debut, then flashed speed and re-rallied after being passed in the stretch in his second start in starter allowance company.

Trainer Jerry Fanning may have tipped his hand as far as strategy goes. Forever Foxy has worked well since his Aug. 6 victory, including a 59.20 five-furlong bullet drill Aug. 22 at Hollywood Park and a 1:13.40 six-furlong move Aug. 28 at Hollywood Park.

But in Forever Foxy's last work, he blazed three furlongs in 33.60 seconds to earn a best-of-18 bullet at Santa Anita.

With the speed in the race, an off-the-pace type could be worth a look.

Crossing Boarders was sent north by trainer Michael Machowsky for his first two career starts. He won his debut impressively, overcoming trouble to finish strongly for a half-length victory over Prescriptionneeded, who came back to win his next start. While the final time wasn't impressive, the manner in which he overcame trouble was. He was outrun in the Cavonnier but has come back to work nicely since.