Australia: Canadian Spice takes on the boys at Canterbury Park

On May 26, Canadian Spice beat winners for the first time in a handicap for fillies and mares at 7 3/4 furlongs at Canterbury Park outside of Sydney, Australia.

Wednesday, Canadian Spice returns to Canterbury Park for a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs and this time must beat males. She has done it before. In March, Canadian Spice won a maiden race against males at six furlongs at Kembla Grange Racecourse.

Trained by Chris Waller, Canadian Spice tends to run near the front and is quick enough to lead. Jockey Tommy Berry was aboard for the May 26 win at Canterbury and has the mount again in the sixth race at Canterbury on Wednesday.

:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing

The seven-race program at Canterbury begins at 10:55 p.m., Eastern, or 7:55 p.m., Pacific, on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Canadian Spice was 3-1 in early betting on Monday, the second choice behind the 3-year-old gelding Acrophobic. Trained by John O’Shea, Acrophobic ran in stakes in April and May, finishing fourth and eighth. More recently, Acrophobic was a promising second by a neck in a handicap at 7 3/4 furlongs on the infield Kensington course at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on May 19.

Acrophobic tends to run as a stalker, which should be an effective style from post 3 in a field of 10.

Canadian Spice may need a patient ride from Berry if Titanium Power takes his expected position near the front. A winner of 2 of 7 starts, Titanium Power led throughout a seven-furlong handicap at Hawkesbury Racecourse on May 20, and was third by 1 1/4 lengths on June 2 in a seven-furlong handicap at Warwick Farm on June 2.

This will be Titanium Power’s third start in less than three weeks, and the toll of that activity may be evident in the stretch of Wednesday’s race.