Dakota Sue bred to win this race

If history is any indication, Dakota Sue is a lock to win the $50,000 Bird of Pay for 2-year-old fillies at Northlands Park on Saturday. Not only has her trainer, Greg Tracy, won the last five renewals of the Bird of Pay, two of Dakota Sue's siblings, Miss Sassy Sue and Littlemiss Alison, won the race in 2004 and 2005.

Dakota Sue, bred by her owner, Stan Ryan, also looks like the best horse in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which drew six horses and goes as the seventh race.

Dakota Sue didn't disappoint as the favorite when she debuted in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race on Aug. 1. With Rickey Walcott aboard, Dakota Sue controlled the race right from the start and she held an eight-length lead at the top of the stretch. Her margin at the wire was a diminishing 1 1/4 lengths. According to Tracy the margin is a bit deceiving.

"She didn't get tired, she just got a little bored out there," said Tracy.

In order to try and keep Dakota Sue focused in the Bird of Pay, Tracy is taking the blinkers off.

"I put them on because she was a bit nervous at first," said Tracy. "She's more settled now and I just want to make sure that if another horse is coming to her in the stretch that she sees them."

Tracy didn't say it, but he must be very confident of Dakota's Sue's chances of winning the Bird of Pay. He also trains Sheyenne Girl, who won the Princess Margaret Stakes by over eight lengths and would have been tough in this spot. Instead, Sheyenne Girl will run in the $60,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes at Emerald Downs on Sunday.

Trainer Ron Grieves will take two shots at Dakota Sue with Best Be Quick and Two Horn Unicorn, who will run coupled. A homebred filly by Tempered Appeal, Two Horn Unicorn is coming off of 4 1/2-length win in a maiden special weight race on July 29. Best Be Quick finished second when she debuted in a 3 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race on Aug. 9.

Jaceyjay, trained by Barry Brown, was an easy winner when she debuted going 3 1/2 furlongs in a $12,000 maiden claiming race on June 20. She came back to finish second to Sheyenne Girl in the Princess Margaret. In her most recent race she finished a distant third to Tiny Giant in a first-level allowance race open to colts and geldings.

My Lavern and Kattari round out the field.