Competitive undercard supports Canadian Derby

Three of the four stakes races supporting the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday are highly competitive races. However, first up in race 3 is the $50,000 Westerner Handicap, where Killin Me Smalls should have little more than a public workout winning the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.

The 1-5 morning-line favorite, he will carry 126 pounds while spotting his rivals 7 to 11 pounds. He is coming off a 9 1/4-length romp in the Don Getty Handicap on July 29, and other than Alfie, whose last win came in a $15,000 conditional-claiming race on June 3, he’s facing the same horses he crushed in the Getty.

A two-time Grade 3 winner trained by Ernie Geller, Killin Me Smalls is in a different class than his rivals, and should be gone after he breaks from post 3 with usual rider Keishan Balgobin aboard.

Ruffenuff and Anstrum look like the main players in the $75,000 Sonoma Handicap for 3-year-old fillies in race 6.

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Trained by Greg Tracy, Ruffenuff was running without blinkers for the first time when she won the Northlands Oaks on July 15. She was coming off a fifth-place finish as the favorite in the Red Smith. It was the first time the daughter of Dialed In didn’t cross the finish line first in her eight starts.

“She was a lot more settled running without blinkers,” said Tracy. “There is speed drawn inside of her and hopefully she can sit just off the pace.”

Anstrum romped in the Red Smith, but with Ruffenuff setting moderate fractions in the Oaks, she could only manage a third-place finish. The shape of the Sonoma could work in her favor.

Trainer Monica Russell likes the way the race sets up for Anstrum and how she worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds with Balgobin aboard on Aug. 11.

“She’s can rate and there seems to be a lot of speed in the race,” said Russell. “Keishan just sat on her when she worked the other day, and she appears to be coming up to the race perfectly.”

Misty Do It used her good speed to beat the boys in the one-mile Grand Prairie Derby on July 30 for trainer Tim Rycroft. She could be the one they have to run down if she breaks alertly from the rail with Rigo Sarmiento riding.

Port Protection is the one to beat in the $75,000 City of Edmonton Distaff in race 8. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares drew eight horses.

Trained by Ron Grieves, Port Protection used completely different styles of running while winning two of her last three starts.

In her 4 3/4-length romp under with Larry Munoz in the June 16 John Patrick Handicap, she was 14 lengths behind at the first call in the one-mile race. After finishing third in the Shirley Vargo on July 8, Shannon Beauregard had her sitting just off the lead before taking control on the stretch turn to win the 1 1/16-mile Duchess of York by 3 1/4 lengths on July 29.

Port Protection drew post 7 with Beauregard retaining the mount.

Can’t Use Nellie is undefeated in two starts at Northlands and will be looking for her first win since she upset last year’s Duchess of York for the second year in a row.

Based at Assiniboia Downs with trainer Shelley Brown, Can’t Use Nellie has one runner-up finish in three starts this year and is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Winnipeg Sun Stakes on July 19.

A fast and contested pace could play into the hands of Hemlock Channel in the $50,000 Timely Ruckus Stakes in race 8. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew six horses.

Trained by Greg Tracy, Hemlock Channel rallied from fifth but lost the nod at the wire to Capitalism in a $35,000 optional-claiming race on July 15. He can stalk, and Tracy thinks he’ll be a little closer to the front than he was in his narrow loss.

“He hit himself coming out of the gate,” said Tracy. “He is sound and is training well, so I expect him to run a good race.”

Leading rider Rico Walcott rides.

Capitalism will use his substantial speed breaking from the rail with Quincy Welch aboard.

A four-time stakes winner trained by Dale Saunders, Capitalism has won 6 of 11 starts at the distance.

Annie’s Candy, trained by Monica Russell, could be dangerous if Balgobin can get him to ease into a stalking position behind Capitalism and possibly Sir Bronx.

The Journal Handicap winner, Annie’s Candy lost the duel with Capitalism when he finished third in his last start, an optional claimer on July 15.

Private Money Game beat Capitalism in a $35,000 optional-claiming race on June 23, and will appreciate the move back to a sprint after back-to-back route attempts for trainer Tim Rycroft.