Gierkink's preview: Polytrack playing fast
Fiber added to Polytrack
Lots of fiber was added to the Polytrack on Wednesday afternoon, and there were many fast works over the surface on Thursday. Amethea got the five-furlong bullet (59 seconds), and the good Nick Gonzalez-trained 2-year-olds Imperial Dream (59.20) and Starless Night (59.60) also breezed quickly. Lucky Lotto put up the fastest half-mile drill (47).
One turf race scheduled
Lane 5 for turf this week, which should be firm. The course was cut Thursday afternoon.
Stakes winner Hobnobsnob (3-1) drops in for $32,000 in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, off a fade job in the Victoriana Stakes, which yielded next-out allowance winners Strut the Course, Primordia, and Moonlit Beauty. Hobnobsnob, a need-the-lead type, has the speedy City Trip to contend with in her first start under Emma-Jayne Wilson.
Café Au Lait (7-2) rallied from fourth to third in a $40,000 claimer in her first outing in seven weeks Aug. 9, when she earned the highest last-out Beyer (74) in the lineup.
Bangla Dancer (20-1) was once a productive closing sprinter on grass. She was recently reunited with trainer Daryl Hasmatali, who won a pair of Ontario-sired allowances with her in the summer of 2013.
Blondie the Best (4-1) figures to need one in her first appearance since mid-November.
Jackpot Hi 5 carryover $339,976
That’s the Gaff (2-1) should be a key atop many Jackpot Hi 5 tickets in this $8,000 maiden claimer. He’s coming off back-to-back seconds against slightly tougher, and was deemed to have had an unfair start in his only poor performance.
Other possibilities in the nightcap are Hennessy Dave (5-1) and Hockey (4-1), who was entered with bar shoes.
Horse to Watch
SAVANA CITY
Trainer: Brandon Greer
Last race: Sept. 1, 5th
Finish: 7th by 13 3/4
Beyer: 29
He broke awkwardly from post 1 and was shuffled back to eighth heading into the turn while in tight along the rail, before running evenly the rest of the way. That was just the second start for this son of hot 2-year-old sire Old Forester, and he could wake up next time in his second race with Lasix.