All Out Springs perfect in '02

All Out Springs, a winner of four straight, including two stakes, is the likely favorite in Saturday's $50,000 Green Carpet Stakes for Ohio-bred 3-year-olds at River Downs. As its name implies, the Green Carpet will be contested on the turf, at 1 1/16 miles.

All Out Springs has dominated his fellow statebreds this season. A speedy colt, he captured his first three starts this year, two allowances and the Howard B. Noonan Stakes, all at Beulah Park, by a combined 27 lengths. All Out Springs had to work a bit harder in his two-turn debut in the Summit Silver Cup last out at Thistledown, but prevailed by a nose in a prolonged stretch drive with Elm Grove.

All Out Springs owns the highest turf Tomlinson rating of any entrant, which suggests he might take to the surface better than others. Scott Speith, his regular rider, will be back aboard for trainer Charles Burneson.

Elm Grove possesses something All Out Springs does not - experience on the turf. Elm Grove tried the turf twice last winter at Tampa, placing once in an entry-level allowance. In his most recent start, Elm Grove easily won a nonwinners-of-two allowance going a mile on the main track at River Downs.

Truth Matters and Highland Rim, two colts with better-than-average turf pedigrees, might prove dangerous in the Green Carpet. Both placed against Harlan's Holiday last season and have remained competitive against allowance foes this year. Another possibility is Mary's Lord, third in the Summit Silver Cup behind All Out Springs and Elm Grove. Mary's Lord was second, beaten a length, in his only start on turf, a Tampa Bay Downs maiden race.