Assiniboia Downs: Golden Stripe will have to be caught in Winnipeg Sun Stakes
Golden Stripe, an explosive 13 3/4-length winner of the July 1 Canada Day Stakes, will be looking to come right back in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Winnipeg Sun at Assiniboia Downs.
The $30,000 Winnipeg Sun has attracted a field of eight fillies and mares and will go as the eighth race on a nine-race program.
Bred in Manitoba by her owner, Phil Kives, Golden Stripe was making her third start of the season and recording her first win when leading throughout the Canada Day under new rider Trevor Simpson.
That stakes win was the sixth in the 24-race career of Golden Stripe and yielded a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 87.
Golden Stripe will break from post 1 for trainer Shelley Brown and could be long gone if not pressed early, as she was in last year’s Winnipeg Sun when she faded to finish fourth.
Finally Flying is coming off a 7 1/2-length score in the 7 1/2-furlong allowance prep for the Winnipeg Sun.
Trained by Clint Willson and ridden by leading rider Rohan Singh, Finally Flying will be trying 1 1/16 miles for the first time and figures to be stalking the pace of the favored Golden Stripe.
City Splash, making her stakes debut, also was an impressive winner last time out as she scored by 5 1/2 lengths while landing her first allowance condition in a $15,000 optional claiming race at one mile.
Chavion Chow retains the mount on City Splash.
Witch’s Coven upset last year’s Winnipeg Sun for trainer Carl Anderson but has been blanked in six subsequent outings and was a distant fourth in the prep won by Finally Flying.
Robert Reeves returns aboard Witch’s Coven.
The wild card could be Paris By Night, who has started four times at Assiniboia Downs and won the 5 1/2-furlong Graduation as a 2-year-old.
Trained since last October by Bernell Rhone, Paris by Night has done her best running on the turf this year but could come up big under new rider Paul Nolan.
Rounding out the field will be Jilleah, Lucky Lady Go, and Three Times a Wonder.