Burlington House back quickly in $20,000 claimer

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Burlington House returns in less than a week and will face four other $20,000 claimers going five furlongs in Friday's first race.

Second behind Kalfaari in last Saturday's allowance feature, Burlington House will be making his second start of the meet and fourth this year. Burlington House won two starts ago over $11,000 claimers at Stampede Park and last year won 7 of 12 races.

Anderson Ward will ride Burlington House from post 2 for trainer Wendy Anderson.

U Otabe Wild, Special Warrant, and Known Land will be making their first starts of 2002 on Friday. All three ran against Burlington House last year, and not one was able to beat him.

Special Warrant came closest, finishing within a neck and within a head of Burlington House in their two meetings. The likely speed of Friday's race, Special Warrant won 3 of 6 races last year.

Robert Munoz will be aboard Special Warrant from post 3.

Known Land will make his first start for trainer Darla Singh, and breaks from the outside. Rohan Singh will ride.

U Otabe Wild starts from the rail under Danny Vergara.

Rounding Out the field is Sir Pucker, a winner of two races at Sam Houston over the winter, who makes his first start here. Manuel Alicea will ride.

Kalfaari impresses in sprint

Last Saturday, Kalfaari served notice he will have to be dealt with in the older horse division at Assiniboia Downs. An impressive 3 1/4-length winner, Kalfaari finished in 58.40, the fastest of 32 five-furlong races run at Assiniboia Downs this year.

Two-time defending local horse of the year Corporate Shuffle's debut against older horses was delayed when he was scratched Saturday morning by commission veterinarian Dr. Joe Meek.

Corporate Shuffle has since come back to work five furlongs in 1:03 and probably will meet older horses here May 26 in the G. Sydney Halter Stakes.

The G. Sydney Halter also is the next probable start for Kalfaari, as well as Formal Meeting, Smoky Cinder, and Latter Day Ace.

Singh, aboard for Kalfaari's win, won three races Saturday and five over the weekend. He leads all local riders with seven victories, followed by Jacques DesAutels with six.

Trainer Tom Gardipy Jr. won with three of the five horses he entered last weekend, and is tied atop the Assiniboia Downs trainer standings with Ardell Sayler and Mel Davis.