For Cash looks tough in Alberta Breeders’ Handicap
For Cash looks formidable and will be less than even-money Saturday in the $50,000 Alberta Breeders’ Handicap at Northlands Park. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up headlines an 11-race card that features seven $50,000 stakes restricted to Alberta-breds. First post is 1 p.m. Mountain. Fall Classic Day serves as an advertisement for the Alberta division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s sale Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
For Cash looked like death and taxes and was sent off as the 1-5 favorite in the 2014 Alberta Breeders’ but finished third. He is coming off a third-place finish as the odds-on favorite Sept. 7 in the $82,000 Speed to Spare, which was won by Killin Me Smalls. Trainer Dale Greenwood is expecting him to make amends Saturday.
“He got stuck down on the inside while Killin Me Smalls got rolling,” said Greenwood. “He came out of the race in great shape, and I think he’ll run a big race Saturday.”
For Cash went into the Speed to Spare off an easy win in the $64,000 Westerner Handicap. It was his third straight win, and if he runs his usual race, he will be tough to beat with Rico Walcott retaining the mount.
KEY CONTENDERS
Alberta Breeders’ (race 8)
For Cash (Last 3 Beyers: 74-94-86)
* The marathon distance of the 1 3/8-mile Speed to Spare may have been beyond his reach, and he will appreciate the move back to a distance at which he has six wins.
Wild Legend (Last 3 Beyers: 86-87-54)
* With back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Westerner and Speed to Spare, he appears to be peaking for trainer Dale Saunders.
* On Fall Classic Day last year, he won the Beaufort Stakes for 3-year-olds by more than 17 lengths.
Beaufort (race 10)
Centrefire (Last 3 Beyres: 42-65-65)
* He will appreciate the class relief after going unplaced in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby. Trained by Greg Tracy, his runner-up finish behind Blue Dancer in the $53,000 Ky Alta stamps him as the one to beat.
Xtreme Denigray (Last 3 Beyers: 55-NA-61)
* Trained by Twylla Bensmiller, he won the $42,000 Alberta Derby at Grande Prairie before being overwhelmed in the Canadian Derby.
Red Diamond Express (race 2)
Tiny Giant (Last 3 Beyers: 69-77-84)
* The Joan Petrowski-trained multiple stakes winner could be the lowest price on the day as he tries to win this 6 1/2-furlong sprint for the second year in a row.
* He was the runner-up while coming off a layoff Aug. 15 in the $53,000 Sun Sprint Championship, worked a bullet five furlongs Sept. 11, and should be tough to handle with leading rider Walcott aboard.
Alberta Premier (race 11)
Victory Day (Last 3 Beyers: 36-21-12)
* He is trending in the right direction for trainer Tim Rycroft and could turn the tables on Modernotis, who beat him by a neck Aug. 8 in the $49,000 Sales Stakes in his second start.
Modernotis (Last 3 Beyers: 22-13-0)
* Trained by Greg Tracy, the only stakes winner in the field came back with a couple of decent works following his game win over Victory Day.