Coding boasts stakes credentials

ALTOONA, Iowa - Coding is the lone stakes winner in Saturday's $50,000-added Bob Bryant Stakes at Prairie Meadows. The six-furlong race has drawn a field of six Iowa-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Coding won the $65,000 Iowa Sorority here last Aug. 31. A daughter of Caller I.D., she has finished second against open company in both of her starts this year.

In her 2003 debut, Coding rallied to be second in the Goldfinch here April 18. She returned in a nonwinners-of-three allowance sprint May 5 and was beaten two lengths.

Coding had a bullet five-furlong work of 58.97 seconds here six days ago for trainer Dave McShane, signaling she is maintaining her good form. The return to the statebred ranks, in which Coding is unbeaten in two tries, should also help her. Overall, Coding sports a record of 2-2-1 from six career starts, good for $89,260 in earnings.

Cindy Noll, who has ridden the filly in all six of those starts, will be aboard Saturday. Coding will carry 121 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Bryant and will spot each of her five rivals six pounds.

Eolica is Coding's main danger on Saturday night. A daughter of Roar, Eolica finished fourth, 3 1/2 lengths behind Coding, in the May 5 allowance. In her previous start, which was her 2003 debut, Eolica scored a gate-to-wire victory in a statebred allowance.

Eolica closed to be second to Coding, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, in last year's Iowa Sorority, the only head-to-head meeting between the pair. Trainer Don Von Hemel has given jockey Luis Quinonez a return call on Saturday.