For Cash poised to strike in Saturday feature

For Cash was good enough to beat recent Grade 3 Cornhusker winner Carve in the $200,360 Zia Park Derby last year, and he appears to be sitting on a big effort coming into a $35,000 optional-claiming race that will serve as the Saturday feature at Northlands Park. If the Alberta-bred son of Stephen Got Even is on top of his game, he should make short work his opponents in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that drew eight horses.

Trained by Dale Greenwood, For Cash has started twice this year at Northlands, and along with the rest of the horses in the field, he wasn’t going to beat Commander in the one-mile Spangled Jimmy Handicap on June 7. He ran a solid race, though, rallying to finish second in front of Commander’s stablemate Hoist.

He was favored to win his next start in a one-mile, $35,000 optional-claiming race June 21 but couldn’t wear down Hoist, who got the jump on him going down the backstretch. With Rico Walcott retaining the mount, he should appreciate the extra yardage he gets to work with Saturday.

The shape of the race could work against For Cash, however. There isn’t a lot of speed in the field, and if Aces Again is ready to roll with just one sprint behind him this year, he could be gone.

Trained by Amanda Gregory, Aces Again closed out 2013 with a front-running win in the $53,000 Harvest Gold Plate, where For Cash finished third just prior to his upset win in the Zia Park Derby. A 6-year-old gelding by Ghostzapper, Aces Again has won three of his five starts going 1 1/16 miles, and he didn’t make much of an impact when he made his seasonal debut in a $35,000 optional-claiming race June 14.

Sent off at 23-1, Aces Again made a late move to finish sixth with Mario Velazquez aboard. Velazquez likely will try to put him on the lead, and he could take them a long way if he isn’t pressured early.

Cafeine Cowboy would enhance For Cash’s chances if Quincy Welch elects to use him early. That is a big if, though.

Trained by Don Gilkyson, Cafeine Cowboy came from a stalking position to win a $35,000 optional-claiming race going 6 1/2 furlongs in his first start this season June 14. He does have some speed, but he’s never won going around three turns, and in his best race going a middle distance, he came from well off the pace to finish second in the restricted $51,435 Beaufort Stakes in 2012.