Insights on the American Racing Scene for July 27

5th-SAR, $83K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 3:14 p.m. EDT
Linda Rice saddles LITTLEFIREFIGHTER (Into Mischief) in her debut for Iris Smith Stable. The $110,000 FTFMAR juvenile blossomed into a $450,000 acquisition–the second highest price of 40 juveniles sold by her sire in 2016–as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old after breezing a co-fastest quarter-mile in :21 2/5. She is a half-sister to Panamanian champion Normandia (Scat Daddy). Another juvenile miss that could make some noise is Michael & Lynn Shaley's Cleo (Pioneerof the Nile). Hall of Famer Bill Mott sends out the half-sister to GSW Prospective Saint (Saint Ballado), who also completed the exacta in the GI Princess Rooney H. TJCIS PPs.

3rd-DMR, $68k, OC ($62.5K), 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 6:09 p.m. EDT
Del Mar's Wednesday card features a clash of 'TDN Rising Stars' and Hall of Fame trainers, as Claiborne's undefeated homebred BENDABLE (Horse Greeley) squares off against 2015 GI Santa Anita Oaks runner-up Luminance (Tale of the Cat) for Kaleem Shah and Bob Baffert. The former hails from Richard Mandella's barn and graduated at Santa Anita June 3, before following up with a facile optional claiming tally going this trip July 1. The full-sister to MGSW Clearly Now (Horse Greeley) has to contend with the year older Luminance, who ran fifth in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico last May and most recently finished fourth in the Desert Stormer S. after an awkward break June 26. Out of a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero George Vancouver (Henrythenavigator) and GSW & GISP Saarland (Unbridled), Luminance's second dam is MGISW Versailles Treaty (Danzig). TJCIS PPs.