Brittania Road heads Matron

Brittania Road, who led throughout the one-mile allowance prep on Aug. 21, looms the one to beat in the Matron at Assiniboia Downs on Friday.

The Matron, at 1 1/8 miles, is for fillies and mares and offers a purse of $75,000, including $25,000 in Breeders' Cup funds.

Brittania Road, trained by Carl Anderson and with regular rider Tim Gardiner in the irons, finished second behind Alberta shipper Tanika in last year's Matron.

Before her recent five-length romp in the Matron prep. Brittania Road led until the last jump before just missing to the red-hot Preservata.

Tanika has just one win in five outings this season. Trained by Barry Brown, Tanika did come up with an improved effort when she ran second to British Columbia invader Summer Song in the 1 1/16-mile City of Edmonton Distaff last time out. She will have Alan Cuthbertson in the irons.

Last year Tanika won the Matron by three lengths for her fifth win of 2008.

Britannia Road and Tanika will carry 123 pounds under the weight-for-age conditions of the Matron, which attracted a field of six.

Morsel, one of two 3-year-olds in the lineup, will carry 117 pounds and is coming off a smart score in the 1 1/16-mile Jack Hardy for 3-year-old fillies.