Cee Cruiser back after just a week

PORTLAND, Ore. - Cee Cruiser will be a strong favorite when he takes on seven challengers in Sunday's five-furlong feature, an invitational handicap for older horses with a purse of $7,000.

Cee Cruiser, a 5-year-old son of Cee's Tizzy from the barn of trainer Delmer Webb, won 5 of 9 starts here at 2 and 3, including three stakes. He spent his entire 4-year-old season at Turf Paradise, going winless in five starts, but he got back on track when he returned to this surface last Saturday. Demonstrating his affinity for the local oval, Cee Cruiser defeated allowance company by more than four lengths in 1:13.92 for six furlongs. Though Cee Cruiser will be coming back very quickly, Webb said he believes he will be up to the challenge.

"He was very sharp going into that race, but he was even sharper coming out of it," Webb said. "He is acting like he wants to go again."

Cee Cruiser may face his sternest challenge in the seventh-race feature from West Saratoga, who was an extremely impressive winner over $8,000 rivals here in November. West Saratoga sped six furlongs in 1:13.20 to win by almost four lengths, but he was not seen again until Jan. 29. Coming back in a $5,000 starter allowance, West Saratoga ran second to the razor-sharp Big Al T, who will seek his sixth straight win in Sunday's sixth race. West Saratoga should improve with a race under his belt, and a repeat of his best effort would be hard to deny.