Columbus: Frequent rivals go again

The speedy What About David faces off against 10-year-old High Dice for the sixth time this year, as the pair headline a strong field of six Nebraska-breds in the $15,000-added Amadevil Handicap at six furlongs.

High Dice is the elder statesman of the Nebraska-bred ranks. A homebred trained by Herb Riecken, High Dice has posted a career mark of 20-14-13 from 68 starts for more than $318,000 in earnings and has won his last pair of stakes outings.

Unraced in 2003 because of a bad ankle, High Dice returned this spring at Fonner Park and has come to form in his most recent starts. He ran down What About David to score by a nose in the State Fair Board Handicap going a mile and 70 yards on July 4, then again collared that rival into the stretch of the Who Doctor Handicap at Horsemen's Park on July 23 to score by 1 1/4 lengths. Dennis Collins has the ride from post 1 at 121 pounds.

What About David also owns a pair of victories over High Dice, in allowance company at Lincoln and then in the Big Red Mile Handicap, both in May. Trained by Andy Johnson, What About David will be the one to catch in the Amadevil. R.D. Williams rides under top weight of 122 pounds from post 3.

Doug's Shadow, also a 10-year-old, won this race in 2001 and cannot be overlooked. Lightly raced in the past few years, Doug's Shadow was a hard-charging third in the Presidents Cup Handicap at Lincoln and came up just a length short when fourth in the Big Red Mile. Yuri Yaranga rides from post 5 under 119 pounds.