Summit preview still top dollar

MIAMI - The purse cuts that have taken a huge slice out of both the overnight races and stakes program since the meet began will not affect the inaugural Summit of Speed Preview card on June 10. The four sprint stakes on preview day, which are preps for the July 12 Summit of Speed card, will retain their original value of $100,000 each, in part because they are all heavily funded by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association, which is putting up $180,000 of the $400,000 in purse money available in those events.

Nominations for the preview day program closed over the weekend and feature most, if not all of the top older sprinters on the grounds. The Ponche Handicap for 3-year-olds and up should be the most entertaining race of the day, with Blue Pepsi Lodge, Finallymadeit, Yesbyjimminy, Paradise Dancer, and Weigelia all eligible for what figures to be a very competitive event.

The most recognizable name among the potential preview day starters, from a national standpoint, is Golden Spikes, who will return home for the Unbridled Stakes. Golden Spikes, who has made each of his last four starts going 1 1/8 miles, finished second behind Recapturetheglory in the Grade 2 Illinois Derby and more recently fourth behind the undefeated Casino Drive in the Grade 2 Peter Pan.

Golden Spikes is one of two 3-year-olds trainer Marty Wolfson has nominated to the Unbridled, along with Motovato.

Golden Spikes tuned up for the Unbridled by working a half-mile in 49.60 seconds and galloping out five-eighths in 1:01.60 here Monday.

"He's doing very good," Wolfson said of Golden Spikes. "Six furlongs worries me a little, that's a little short for him, but I think his class will overcome that."

Wolfson also plans to start Rockerfeller in the Ponche and Dixie Dreamer in the U Can Do It. Each is coming off an easy allowance win.

"I loved Rockerfeller's last race," said Wolfson. "He could have run nine and change if the boy pushed him. The turnaround with him has been amazing. He used to come from way off the pace and he was right with the lead in his last start."

Trainer Greg Gilchrist, who has had so much success shipping locally from his Northern California base for past Summit of Speed days, nominated his undefeated and untested 3-year-old filly Indyanne and the older graded-stakes winner Victorina for preview day stakes, but he said neither will make the trip.

Indyanne is entered at Golden Gate Friday, and Gilchrist said he would like to bring her to Calder for Summit of Speed Day. She could be joined by Victorina, he said.

Indyanne would be eligible for the Grade 3, $250,000 Azalea for 3-year-old fillies, while Victorina could start in the the Grade 1, $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap.

Dancing Band starting her year

Wolfson may also have the favorite in Thursday's $21,000 main event, when he sends out Dancing Band for her 2008 debut. The 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares will be decided under third-level allowance conditions.

Dancing Band has not started since Nov. 10, when she finished far back in Woodbine's Maple Leaf Stakes for trainer Niall O'Callaghan. A daughter of Dixieland Band, she has registered all three career wins on grass, including a second-level allowance victory last summer at Monmouth Park. She last tried the local surface during the winter of her 3-year-old campaign, finishing a troubled seventh in the Grade 3 Frances Genter Stakes.

Dancing Band may face her stiffest test on Thursday from another filly returning from a long vacation, Cozzi Capital, who has not started since finishing seventh here last winter in the 2007 edition of the Genter. Cozzi Capital won the Calder Oaks over the local course at 3 for trainer Herman Wilensky.