Barnmates look like the top two

CALGARY, Alberta - River's Reach seeks to keep her perfect record intact at the one-mile

distance of Wednesday's featured seventh race, breaking from the rail in a field of six older fillies and mares in an optional $40,000 claimer.

Trainer Stu Simon saddles both of the top two contenders, River's Reach and Kathern's Cat, who run uncoupled in the wagering.

River's Reach, 6, blossomed for Simon last summer once she stretched out to a mile, winning four straight at the distance in the lower claiming brackets, and opened her 2007 campaign with a front-running win in $30,000

company going six furlongs.

River's Reach will be a forward factor early in this field, which as a group lacks early foot.

Kathern's Cat appears the main threat. A stakes-winning mare, she makes her 2007 debut but has worked well here all spring.

Jake Barton will ride River's Reach, and Quincy Welch has the call aboard Kathern's Cat.

Meanwhile, Welch will fly to Toronto next Saturday in order to ride in two stakes at Woodbine for trainer Terry Jordan.

Welch will ride Calendar Girl in the Grade 3, $250,000 Selene on Sunday. Calendar Girl won the six-furlong Mount Royal here on May 6 in stakes-record time of 1:10.

On Monday, Welch will be reunited with Sovereign Award winner True Metropolitan in the Grade 3, $150,000 Eclipse.