'Crystal' capable of repeating

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Crystal Harmony just won over $40,000 claiming opposition, and she returns at that level in Thursday's seventh race at Woodbine, which is scheduled for a mile on the grass.

Crystal Harmony, a 6-year-old mare, has ground out a good living over the expansive E.P. Taylor turf. She has won five races for earnings of $220,423 over the course, including two victories over middle distances last year. Perhaps her best effort was a 6 1/2-length tally over $50,000 claimers in October, for which she got a lifetime best Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

In her season opener, against $50,000 rivals June 3, Crystal Harmony finished a half-length back in fourth after a wide stalking trip.

Most recently, running for a $40,000 tag June 20, she scored comfortably after breaking slowly going 1 1/16 miles.

Patrick Husbands retains the mount on Crystal Harmony for trainer Josie Carroll, who sent out Bachelor Blues to a runner-up placing on the grass last Saturday, in the Grade 3 Toronto Cup Handicap. Carroll has scored at a respectable 15-percent clip with her 31- to 60-day layoff runners since the beginning of 2003.

Among the other fillies and mares in the six-horse field are stakes-placed One Only Knows, Fantastic Allie, and Rozys Account.

One Only Knows finished second in the 2003 La Lorgnette Stakes here on the main track. She prevailed in 4 of 11 outings last year while running through her allowance conditions, and defeated Crystal Harmony and Fantastic Allie going a mile June 3.

One Only Knows was all out to beat $32,000 opponents on the main track in her most recent start. She was claimed that day by trainer Kathy Patton from leading trainer Bob Tiller. Patton won a race first time off the claim last week with Tiger Shrimp.

Na Somsanith has ridden One Only Knows in both of her wins this year, and will be back in the saddle Thursday.

Fantastic Allie ended up just a neck behind One Only Knows in second June 3, and is coming off a close third-place finish in an optional claimer at Fort Erie. Trained by Ralph Biamonte, Fantastic Allie is a three-time winner in 15 starts over this course.

Rozys Account showed little in her first two appearances of the meeting, both on the dirt. She was just 1 1/4 lengths behind when second after saving ground in Crystal Harmony's June 20 triumph. Wray Lawrence trains Rozys Account, who might prefer some give to the ground.