Classy filly continues comeback

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes winner Northern Kraze makes her second start following an extended layoff in Friday's Woodbine feature, a second-level optional $62,500 claimer scheduled for a mile on the grass.

Northern Kraze, a turf specialist trained by Mark Frostad, captured the 2008 Wonder Where Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian triple tiara, a series for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. She relished the yielding ground in that 1 1/4-mile route, and was awarded an 87 Beyer Figure for covering the distance in 2:06.78.

Northern Kraze finished third in both an optional claimer and the Carotene Stakes last fall, but she went to the sidelines for a year after the Oct. 11 Carotene.

In her return to action earlier this month, Northern Kraze was eighth in a seven-furlong optional claimer that was taken off the grass. She has worked five furlongs twice in the interim, which includes a breeze on the turf training course.

Krz Exec, who has run in 10 consecutive stakes since winning her maiden two years ago at 2, is competing with a $60,000 claiming tag.

Krz Exec is winless in five starts this year, although she managed to finish third in both the Algoma and Ballade stakes. She won the South Ocean at 2 and the Ontario Damsel at 3.

Bahia Girl and Sweetsouthern Doll are both trained by Brian Lynch.

Bahia Girl has been idle since she was seventh in the Decoration Day Handicap in May at Mountaineer. She won two straight allowance races on the grass at Gulfstream last winter.

Sweetsouthern Doll defeated $40,000 claimers going six furlongs in her first attempt for Lynch on Oct. 9.

Privalova is skipping a condition following a commanding maiden victory in a turf sprint Sept. 24. She ran hot and cold in her two outings earlier this year at Hollywood for trainer Neil Drysdale. Perhaps her best effort was a fourth-place finish in a Group 3 stakes last year in France.

The main-track-only entrants - Knocker, Nicki Knew, and Sweetdetermination - might get to play, because there's rain in the forecast.

Knocker, a 15-time winner in 43 starts, has won two optional claimers on the Polytrack this year, and is trained by Bob Tiller.