Daily Flight takes off on 2-for-2 quest
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Daily Flight goes for her second win in as many local starts Friday, facing six other fillies and mares going 5 1/2 furlongs in a conditioned allowance race.
Daily Flight's main competition will come form Tunangannya, who makes her first start locally, and Lucky Sadie, who finished second in her 2002 bow behind Holly Hollywood, a two-time winner here this year.
The field, from the rail out with riders is: Cariano, Juan Crawford; Cash Converter, Danny Vergara; Daily Flight, Manuel Alicea; Lucky Sadie, Anderson Ward; Cayenne Pepper, Tim Moccasin; Tunangannya, Jacques DesAutels; and Special Dolly, Rohan Singh.
Miss Sandy Dee dominates again
On Monday, odds-on favorite Miss Sandy Dee continued to dominate the local older fillies and mares division, winning the Victoria Day Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths over runner-up Cathy's Star. Dawn Edition was third, followed by Danceprincessdance and Kitty Would.
Texas Heat was scratched the morning of the race by her trainer, Clayton Gray.
Trained by Patti Ross and ridden by Singh, Miss Sandy Dee has won three consecutive stakes against older mares at Assiniboia Downs dating back to last year. The $18,367 winner's share of the purse increased her lifetime earnings to $132,235.
Miss Sandy Dee returned $3 to win. The exactor, with Cathy's Star, paid $8.90.
Singh tops riders, Sayler trainers
Jockeys Singh and DesAutels led all riders last weekend with seven victories apiece. Singh tops the standings with 14 wins, followed by DesAutels with 13.
Trainers Ardell Sayler, Emile Corbel, and Ross won three races each last weekend. Sayler leads the trainer standings with six wins, while Wendy Anderson, Emile Corbel, and Darla Singh are tied for second with four wins each.
Melanson, Dailey suspended
Jockeys Gary Melanson and James Dailey were suspended on May 17 for 14 calendar days for testing positive for cannabinoids, the chemical constituents of cannabis, or marijuana.
On Saturday, Dailey filed an appeal and was granted a stay of the ruling against him.
The stay was revoked later that day and Dailey was suspended an additional 45 days because he refused to provide a sample when ordered to do so by the stewards, which was part of the conditions of the stay.