Big Cheque back on short rest

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Aptly named Big Cheque will seek her fourth consecutive winning payday Friday at Woodbine in an $80,000 optional claimer for fillies and mares.

Big Cheque, a speedy 3-year-old who owned by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Abraham Katryan, has won 4 of 6 starts this year. She was sidelined with a foot injury after winning her season opener on March 23, and did not make her second start of the meeting until Aug. 28. Big Cheque blew the break that day, but still finished fourth.

"She's versatile," Katryan said. "She stumbled badly coming out of the gate [Aug. 28] and went down to her knees, but came flying to finish fourth."

Big Cheque's current streak began after she struggled home ninth in a Sept. 12 experiment on the turf. She defeated a solid field of $50,000 claimers Oct. 3, then rode a speed bias to a five-length win in $80,000 company 10 days later. She caught another speed track in a second-level allowance on Nov. 20, put away two challengers on the lead, and held off Honey Green to win by three-quarters of a length.

Katryan said he has no qualms about running Big Cheque back on eight days' rest Friday.

"She came out of her last race really good, which is why I'm running her right back," Katryan explained. "She's a good-feeling filly, and she's been lightly raced this year. I gave her some time off after she hurt her back foot. I had to put a patch on it. I also entered her [Oct. 25], but she bruised her ankle a little, so I scratched her. It was just a superficial wound, but I didn't want to take any chances."

Emile Ramsammy retains the mount on Big Cheque, who has the speed of Whistling Maid and Secret Rush to deal with in this six-furlong dash.

The race could set up for Real Doll, Moonlite Walk, or Colonial Surprise.

Real Doll is making her first start in over three months. She won the Matchmaker Stakes at Fort Erie, the last time she came off the shelf June 15.

Moonlite Walk narrowly lost a $62,500 claimer for 3-year-olds a week ago. She was previously fourth in the aforementioned $80,000 event won by Big Cheque, which also yielded next-out winners Majestic Smoke and Power Gem.

Colonial Surprise was freshened after capturing a Sept. 26 preliminary allowance, and has been working regularly this month.

Rounding out the field is turf stakes winner Marisa Go.