Canaveral Leader seeks first 2014 win in Fall Classic Distaff

Trainer Ron Grieves is excited about the way Canaveral Leader is coming into the $50,000 Fall Classic Distaff Handicap at Northlands Park on Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares drew five horses and appears to be wide-open. It goes as race 8 and is part of Fall Classic Day, which features seven $50,000 stakes restricted to horses bred in Alberta.

Canaveral Leader won four races as a sophomore in 2013, including the $56,000 Northlands Oaks, but is winless in four starts this year. She hasn’t finished worse than third, though, and she is coming off a sharp second going 6 1/2 furlongs in a $35,000 optional-claiming race Aug. 30. She won’t mind the move to 1 1/16 miles, the distance at which she won the Duchess of York in her final start as a 3-year-old.

“I think she’s the best horse in the race, and she couldn’t be training any better,” said Grieves. “She’ll be tough to beat if she runs her race, but we know that doesn’t always happen.”

Quincy Welch retains the mount.

Grieves also has entered Lynn’s Foxie Lady, who will be ridden by Damario Bynoe. She figures to be among the early leaders.

“She has natural speed, but I am not telling either Damario or Quincy how to ride their horses,” said Grieves.

FALL CLASSIC DISTAFF (RACE 8)

KEY CONTENDERS

Canaveral Leader (Last 3 Beyers: 56-66-41)

◗ An open stakes winner at the distance, she figures to move forward in her second start back following a two-month layoff.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Grieves has a 23 percent strike rate with horses going from a sprint to a route.

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Brady’s Tomboy (Last 3 Beyers: 33-57-54)

◗ Trained by Dale Saunders, she had better form when she won this race as the favorite last year, but she worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.60 seconds Sept. 13 and could be dangerous if she can get the jump on Lynn’s Foxie Lady early.

STURGEON RIVER S. (RACE 6)

KEY CONTENDERS

Wild Deuces (Last 3 Beyers: 31-31-33)

◗ Trained by Robertino Diodoro, she’s still a maiden but just missed finishing third by a head behind Ginger Smash in the Two Year Old Filly Sales Stakes in her last start Aug. 9.

◗ She could have a slight edge over Ginger Smash, who will occupy the outside post in this 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies that drew nine horses.

ALBERTA OAKS (RACE 10)

KEY CONTENDERS

Rosavita (Last 3 Beyers: 51-40-44)

◗ Stakes-placed as a 2-year-old, she is coming off a 10-length romp in a $12,000 maiden-claiming race Aug. 29 and was claimed out of the race by leading trainer Greg Tracy.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Tracy has a 29 percent strike rate with claimed horses running back the first time at Northlands Park.

◗ Fall Classic Day serves as a great promo for Sunday’s Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Alberta Division) Thoroughbred sale at the Northlands Expo Centre beginning at 1 p.m. Mountain. There are 102 yearlings cataloged, including Hip No. 41, a half-sister to $261,250 multiple stakes winner Tell Me Lies, who won 2012 Sturgeon River and the 2013 Alberta Oaks.