Arapahoe Park: Stivers aims to stay perfect at meet in Columbine Stakes

Trainer Brian Stivers will be seeking his third stakes win from as many starters at the Arapahoe Park meet Sunday, when he sends out Ize in Trouble in the $40,000 Columbine. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares goes with a full field of 12.

Stivers is 2 for 2 with his Arapahoe starters this season courtesy of Oneotwo, who upset the $40,000 Inaugural at 20-1 in May and then came back and captured the $40,000 George Wafer Memorial on July 7.

Ize in Trouble enters the Columbine off an eight-length win in the $20,000 Zenyatta, an overnight race at Ruidoso Downs on June 23. She earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 83 for her effort in the 7 1/2-furlong race run around two turns, and that number is the best last-race Beyer in the Columbine’s field.

Ize in Trouble is by Proud Citizen, while her dam, Battle Hymn, is a half-sister to Grade 2 winners Parade Leader, Parade Ground, and Speed Dialer. Ize in Trouble, who races for Gaylon McGee, will break from the rail under Casey Lambert.

Stivers registered his first career win in 2001 at Arapahoe. His first stakes score came in the track’s Inaugural in May. Stivers has gone 4 for 15 overall this year for a 27 percent win rate.

Others in the Columbine include Sweet Dixie Van, winner of the Ingrid Knotts at Arapahoe on June 1, and Lady Contender, who in her last start June 29 won a local allowance with an 82 Beyer.