Canterbury track report

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Much like the last two runnings of the Hoist Her Flag, a shipper figures prominently in Saturday's $35,000 stakes for filly and mare sprinters at Canterbury Park.

Don't Countess Out, who has raced in Iowa and Kentucky in her most recent starts, appears the likely favorite after having won three of her last five starts in stakes.

Shippers have won the last two runnings of the Hoist Her Flag. Extended View, who shipped in from Chicago, won last year, and Nut N Better, who was based at Prairie Meadows, won two years ago.

Don't Countess Out has raced five times since she finished third in the Canterbury Oaks on turf last season. She has since competed exclusively at six furlongs while never finishing out of the money.

After placing third behind the accomplished Emily Ring in the Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park in December, Don't Countess Out took a four-month break from the races. She returned and won the Prairie Rose Stakes at Prairie Meadows last month, and a recent bullet workout suggests Don't Countess Out is holding her form. Terry Thompson is the rider.

Burning Memories appears to be the most obvious threat to the favorite after winning four consecutive races at Fonner Park.

Burning Memories captured the Runza Stakes and the Al Swihart Memorial in her last two starts, each by daylight margins. Bobby Lester is named to ride.

Passionate Bird is an upset threat after winning two allowances races at Tampa Bay Downs last winter. She returns to her best distance after setting the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Florida Breeders Distaff in Ocala in her last outing.

Quite Spender set the pace and finished a close third as a 3-year-old in the Hoist Her Flag Stakes two seasons back but has not raced in more than a year.