Grand Slam II Attracts Film Maker, Spotlight

Donald A. Adam's Film Maker is among the national division stars competing in Saturday's $600,000 Grand Slam II program at Calder. The 5-year-old mare is the high weight and probable favorite in the $200,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIT).

The 1 1/2-mile La Prevoyante for fillies and mares is one of four stakes on the card, sharing top billing with a second grass race, the $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. IIT) for 3YOs and up also at 12 furlongs. The others are the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap (gr. III) at 1 1/8 miles and the $100,000 Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap over seven furlongs.

Jockey Edgar Prado gets the call on Film Maker, a homebred daughter of Dynaformer making her first start since finishing a close-up third behind Intercontinental and Ouija Board in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr.IT)) at Belmont Park Oct. 29, beaten 1 ½ lengths for it all.

Intercontinental has been retired and is the leading contender for the Eclipse Award in the filly and mare turf division. Ouija Board, the 2004 European champion and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner, won the $1.8 million Hong Kong Vase (HK-I) at Sha Tin last Sunday in her first start since the Breeders' Cup.

"(Film Maker) has been down there (Palm Meadows) long enough to breeze twice," said trainer Graham Motion from the Fair Hill, Md. training center Wednesday morning. "This will be her first attempt at a mile-and-a-half. It's something we've always wanted to try with her."

Film Maker raced at 1 3/8 miles twice in 2004, finishing third by a half-length in a division of the Glens Falls Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Saratoga and second, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Ouija Board, in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Lone Star Park.

Film Maker has been consistent throughout her career with a record of 22-6-5-7 and earnings of $1,253,730. "She's very classy and easy to train," says Motion, who won the 2002 edition of the La Prevoyante with Robert S. Evans' New Economy.

"But she's been unlucky not to have won a grade I since the Queen Elizabeth (QEII Challenge Cup at Keeneland in 2003). As far as I know, Mr. Adam plans to keep her in training next year."

Among Film Maker's rivals in Saturday's 12-furlong La Prevoyante will be trainer Christophe Clement's team of Green Hills Farm's 4-year-old English-bred filly Spotlight and Lewis Schaffel's 4-year-old filly Joyful Chaos.

Clement has won four previous renewals of the La Prevoyante. Spotlight finished second by a neck last out behind Motion-trained Olaya in the 12-furlong Long Island Handicap (gr. IIT) at Aqueduct Nov. 5 after winning the Cicada Stakes at Delaware Park in her previous start.

Joyful Chaos is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Rahy that has won four of her five starts this year but takes a big step up in company for the La Prevoyante. In her last two starts, she won a 'three other than' allowance at Keeneland and the restricted Glowing Tribute Stakes at Aqueduct.

Horizon Stable's millionaire Meteor Storm, second behind Relaxed Gesture in the Canadian International (Can-I) at Woodbine Oct. 23, has been assigned top weight of 118 pounds in the W.L. McKnight. The 6-year-old English-bred son of Bigstone is winless in nine starts since capturing the Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) at Belmont Park in June 2004. He has a 6-7-3 rcord in 23 lifetime starts with earnings of $1,240,022.

There were 16 entered in the McKnight and 12 will start. Among the chief rivals to the Wally Dollase-trained Meteor Storm is Revved Up, winner of the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup at Calder on Florida Million Day Nov. 12. Also entered is Silverfoot, who romped home by nearly seven lengths in the Kentucky Cup Turf (gr. IIIT) at Kentucky Downs in the fall and has also won the Louisville Handicap (gr. IIIT) the past two years at Churchill Downs.

Silver Wagon, most recently fourth in the Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct June 26, headlines a field of seven in the Kenny Noe Jr.

The Manny Tortora-trained duo of Whos Crying Now and Supervisor, the first and second-place finishers in the Carl Rose Classic on Florida Million Day, renew their rivalry as the co-high weights in the Fred W. Hooper. Lewis Family Stables' Whos Crying Now closed with a rush to defeat Supervisor (who was cross-entered in the McKnight) by a head last time.

$200,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 8, 3:25 p.m.), fillies & mares 3 & up, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Noble Stella (GER), 114, Eddie Castro
2. La Sami (PER), 112, Alfredo Clemente
3. Spotlight (GB), 116, Brice Blanc
4. Milwaukee (FR), 115, Christopher DeCarlo
5. Sister Swank (KY), 113, Manoel Cruz
6. A Lulu Ofa Menifee (KY), 113, Rafael Bejarano
7. Film Maker (KY), 119, Edgar Prado
8. Moscow Burning (CA), 117, David Flores
9. Miss Nashwan (IRE), 113, Joe Bravo
10. Very Very (KY), 112, Julio Garcia
11. Kate Winslet (NY), 115, Shaun Bridgmohan
12. Joyful Chaos (KY), 113, Javier Castellano

$100,000 Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap (Race 9, 3:51 p.m.), 3 & up, 7 furlongs
1. Silver Wagon (FL), 118, Cornelio Velasquez
2. Champagne Account (FL), 112, Eduardo Nunez
3. Universal Form (FL), 114, Manoel Cruz
4. Storm Surge (KY), 113, Rafael Bejarano
5. Taint So (KY), 112, Javier Castellano
6. Mister Fotis (FL), 114, Jorge Chavez
7. Kennel Up (FL), 114, Eddie Castro

$100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap (gr. III, Race 10, 4:17 p.m.), 3 & up, 1 1/8 miles
1. Whos Crying Now (FL), 117, Manoel Cruz
2. Dazzling Dr. Cevin (FL), 114, Eddie Castro
3. Itsawonderfulife (KY), 113, Rajiv Maragh
4. Niigon (ON), 113, Cornelio Velasquez
5. Grand Canyon (CHI), 114, Jose Rivera, II
6. Military Major (KY), 114, Jose Ferrer
7. Seek Gold (KY), 113, Edgar Prado
8. Andromeda's Hero (KY), 114, Rafael Bejarano
9. Supervisor (FL), 117, Aurelio Toribio, Jr.
10. Sir Jackie (FL), 113, Eduardo Nunez
11. Mister Fotis (FL), 112, Jorge Chavez

$200,000 W. L. McKnight Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 11, 4:44 p.m.), 3 & up, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
1. Rousing Victory (KY), 115, Edgar Prado
2. Scooter Roach (IL), 114, Joe Bravo
3. Pellegrino (BRZ), 115, Shaun Bridgmohan
4. Franklin's Tower (KY), 113, Christopher DeCarlo
5. Request for Parole (KY), 114, Eddie Castro
6. Demeteor (KY), 114, Jorge Chavez
7. Dreadnaught (KY), 116, Jean-Luc Samyn
8. Revved Up (FL), 117, Brice Blanc
9. Noble Masterpiece (KY), 114, David Flores
10. Silverfoot (KY), 117, Rafael Bejarano
11. Meteor Storm (GB), 118, Javier Castellano
12. Wild Buddy (FL), 115, Corey Nakatani
Also Eligible
13. Go Deputy (KY), 113, Christopher DeCarlo
14. Ramazutti (MD), 112, Manoel Cruz
15. Rumor Has It (KY), 112, Manoel Cruz
16. Supervisor (FL), 112, Aurelio Toribio, Jr.