Beau Brass notches second Speed to Spare

EDMONTON, Alberta - Beau Brass, a 5-year-old owned by Edmonton businessman Tom White, became the first double winner of the $100,000 Speed to Spare since Arctic Laur's back-to-back scores in 1992 and 1993 when he won by a nose over the mare Raylene here at Northlands Park last Saturday.

Beau Brass ended a streak of "seconditis" through three consecutive stakes by emerging from a duel with Raylene after Deputy Country and Vancouver invader Illusive Force were overtaken in the backstretch of the 11-furlong Speed to Spare for older horses.

Just as Deputy Country and Illusive Force had battled cheek to jowl for seven furlongs, the 60th running of the Speed to Spare then resolved into a similarly dramatic private duel between the defending champion at 9-5 and the 8-5 favorite Raylene.

"Raylene was leading us by a long neck in deep stretch, but Beau Brass fought back for the victory in the last few jumps," said Real Simard, Beau Brass' career rider.

Bought privately for $6,500 from breeder Denny Andrews, Beau Brass returned $14.60 to give Rick Hedge his first Speed to Spare victory as a trainer after riding a pair of previous winners, Big Dan in 1973 and Ky Alta in 1981.

Beau Brass now has won $339,775 lifetime and another substantial payday appears to loom here Sept. 24. His next engagement will be the $75,000, 1 1/16 mile Alberta Breeders on Fall Classic Day, which offers seven stakes for Alberta-breds.

Royalty Boy, a 4-year-old colt who returned recently from a Woodbine campaign, was the only other Alberta-bred in the Speed to Spare field. He finished third, with Illusive Force fourth and Deputy Country fifth in the field of eight.