Brilliant Action tries to make it two straight

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Brilliant Action, an impressive winner of the meet's first baby race, heads a field of nine colts and geldings going six furlongs in the $10,000 Harlequin Stakes for Saskatchewan-breds here at Marquis Downs.

Brilliant Action won his maiden on July 14 in a half-mile sprint. After breaking in mid-pack, Brilliant Action was able to get the lead into the turn and drew clear to win by two lengths.

Action Five finished second to Brilliant Action but bore in late in the stretch and was disqualified and placed fourth. Like Brilliant Action, Action Five is a son of You've Got Action, and both should handle the move to six furlongs.

The only other 2-year-old race here, on July 21, was won by the filly Strawberry Sheen. Her time for four furlongs was .40 of a second slower than Brilliant Action's, and the second- through fifth-place finishers are entered here.

Doc Walker chased Strawberry Sheen and finished second, beaten four lengths. Patsmy Cue was another four lengths back in third, a length in front of Page Express, while Private Quiz was beaten 13 lengths.

Strawberry Sheen headlined Friday's Gold Strike, the filly counterpart to the Harlequin, and if she were to have won again it could bode well for those who faced her first time out.

Philly's Best News, seventh to Brilliant Action, and first-time starters Slick Spirit and Y.C. Rail round out the field.

The Harlequin gives first preference to horses who are both Saskatchewan-sired and Saskatchewan-bred and second preference to Saskatchewan-breds.