Assiniboia Downs: Lil Missknowitall stretching out in Canada Day
Lil Missknowitall has dominated her opposition in two starts at Assiniboia Downs, capturing the prep for the La Verendrye Stakes and the stakes itself by a combined 12 1/4 lengths.
Those wins at 5 1/2 and six furlongs were accomplished in front-running fashion, and on Monday, Lil Missknowitall will be trying a mile for the first time in the $30,000 Canada Day Stakes.
Lil Missknowitall will carry 123 pounds as she faces five rivals in the Canada Day, which goes as the seventh of eight races on a holiday Monday card that begins at 1:30 p.m. local time.
Trained by the high-percentage Jim Meyaard, who claimed her for $8,000 at Oaklawn Park in April, Lil Missknowitall won a minor stakes at Fonner Park in her first start for her new barn and will begin from post 3 under her regular local rider, Chris Husbands.
The manner in which Lil Missknowitall has drawn off through the stretch runs of her last three races suggests that she will handle the additional quarter-mile, and she again looms as a solid choice.
One mare who could provide a serious argument is Golden Stripe, a 7-year-old who was bred in Manitoba by her owner, Phil Kives, and has banked $255,616 in her 28-start career.
Golden Stripe faltered to end up fourth in the La Verendrye prep, 12 1/4 lengths behind Lil Missknowitall. She moved forward off that outing when beaten 7 1/4 lengths as the runner-up in the June 8 stakes.
Trevor Simpson retains the mount on Golden Stripe, who has won nine times while finishing second seven times and third on two occasions.
Golden Stripe will be making her fourth appearance in the Canada Day, having captured last year’s renewal by 13 3/4 lengths after finishing second in 2011 and winning it in 2010.
Rounding out the field will be Jilleah, Hello, City Splash, and Cal Bayers.
Jilleah finished third, beaten nine lengths, in the La Verendrye. She also won the six-furlong Chantilly in 2011, finished third in that year’s one-mile Assiniboia Oaks, and ended up third in last year’s Winnipeg Sun at 1 1/16 miles.
Hello, City Splash, and Cal Bayers are moving up from the optional-claiming ranks.