Two road warriors cross paths again

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Lantana Mob and M J's Enchanteur, third and fourth in the $250,000 Gallant Bob Handicap at Philadelphia Park recently, will renew their rivalry at Aqueduct in Thursday's $65,000 Parlay Me Stakes, a salty little overnight event at six furlongs.

The Parlay Me drew eight 3-year-olds. Early speedster M J's Enchanteur breaks from post 7, and late-running Lantana Mob drew the outside.

The well-traveled M J's Enchanteur has barnstormed through 16 starts in the eastern United States this year for trainer Scott Lake, winning in Florida, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia. His best performance may have come in Pennsylvania, when he was second at Presque Isle Downs after a pace duel with Fatal Bullet, who came back to win the Kentucky Cup Sprint before running second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

In his last 10 starts, M J's Enchanteur's only finish worse than second came in the Gallant Bob, in which he dueled through fast fractions and wound up a length behind Lantana Mob.

Lantana Mob has also been all over the map, winning the Tyro and Sapling at Monmouth Park last year, and returning this past spring to win the Bachelor at Oaklawn Park and the Hirsch Jacobs at Pimlico for Steve Asmussen. He was transferred to Mike Trombetta following the Hirsch Jacobs, and has turned in three big-figure efforts, including a third in the Carry Back at Calder and an eventful fourth in the King's Bishop at Saratoga.

"We haven't had the best of luck with him," said Trombetta. "The King's Bishop was a tough one not to get a bigger piece of. It was a roughly run race - he got bounced around pretty good and missed second by two noses. This race looked to me like it had a lot of pace."

Accredit, Dubai Distinction, and Megapixel, the one-two-four finishers from a muddy second-level allowance on the main track Nov. 15, have all posted front-running victories this year. Palmer's Approach, a Nick Zito-trained colt who won his first two starts at Suffolk Downs by double-digit lengths, also appears capable of mixing it up early.

Megapixel broke on top in his last two races, but each time was outsprinted early and lacked room in the stretch. He gets blinkers on Thursday, an equipment change suggested by jockey John Velazquez to trainer Carlos Martin.

"He's had two 'bad lucks' in a row, so we'll give it a try," Martin said. "He blew out really well in them."