Brite Steel goes for four in row

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Brite Steel has won her last three races at Marquis Downs and should be favored in Friday's $6,500 James Leakos Sophomore.

The race is restricted to Saskatchewan-bred 3-year-old fillies and is contested at one mile, which may provide some hope for Brite Steel's foes.

It took Brite Steel three starts this year to get past her nonwinners-of-two condition before she stepped up to face the top fillies on the grounds.

In the Captain Stanley Harrison Handicap, two starts ago, Brite Steel stalked the pace and swept by the leader in the final quarter to score by a neck at six furlongs. Last time out, in a seven-furlong allowance prep for this race, Brite Steel was on the lead from the start and just held off a late run from Picture the Answer.

In her only start at a mile, in the last race of her 2-year-old campaign, Brite Steel faded badly in the final quarter and was beaten by 13 3/4 lengths.

Picture the Answer, winner of the Prairie Lily Sales Stakes last year, has only made two starts in 2003, winning her first impressively at six furlongs and then missing by just a nose in the prep. Burton Evans retains the mount.

Rounding out the field will be Simmerdown Now, second in the Harrison and fourth in the prep; Quick Quiz, third in the Harrison and a maiden winner since then: and She's Nifty, third in the prep.