Allowance sprint offers rematch

SAN MATEO, Calif. - A strong Friday night card will offer fans quality but not much quantity as Bay Meadows prepares for Saturday's San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile.

Only 48 horses were entered, but Friday's races include a $40,000 starter allowance sprint, a $40,000 optional claimer at a mile, and a first-level allowance sprint that is the most interesting event on the card.

Six older fillies and mares meet in the allowance sprint, including Peruvian-bred New Rose, Paranoide Mistress, and Smokey Lady, who moves up off a victory in starter allowance company.

is the lone runner in the field with only a maiden victory to her credit.

has three wins, but she qualifies for this race because her victories at the second and third allowance level in her homeland did not generate enough earnings to preclude her from Friday's race.

The other four runners have scored victories in maiden or claiming races that are not counted in the first-level allowance.

Paranoide Mistress defeated New Rose by two lengths when they met on March 12, but New Rose may be able to turn the tables Friday night.

The March 12 race was her U.S. debut, and she weakened a bit late after sticking her nose in front of Paranoide Mistress at the eighth pole. New Rose showed improvement in her second start and may have been the best in that April 2 race. According to her trainer, Jeff Bonde, she was bothered by shadows on the track.

"She jumped every pole on the track that day," Bonde said. "When they jump poles, they break stride and they get worn out."

Bonde said New Rose hadn't been bothered by shadows during workouts, but the shadows were quite pronounced that day, and he noticed several other horses bothered by the shadows.

"It was just one of those days," he said, "but she'll wear a small shadow roll to see if that helps her."

Paranoide Mistress missed almost a week of training after becoming ill following her effort on March 12. She has recovered nicely, and trainer Dean Pederson has given her two strong works for this race, a 1:00.20 five-furlong drill on April 8 followed by a 1:14.20 six-furlong work last Thursday.

"She's a big, stout classy filly that I always liked," he said. "She hasn't done anything wrong to this point."

Paranoide Mistress has never been off the board in three starts, winning her debut before running third to Mahalo and then second to Yummy Yummy on March 12.