Deputy Country eyes No. 6

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Deputy Country will be looking for his sixth stakes win this year here in Sunday's closing-day feature, the Gold Breeders' Cup for 3-year-olds and upward.

The 1 1/8-mile Breeders' Gold Cup attracted a field of seven and carries a guaranteed purse of $40,000, with $25,000 available to Breeders' Cup-eligible horses. Deputy Country, Smoked Em, Indy Lead, Bonspiel, and Iwoodificould are eligible for the BC funds.

Deputy Country last raced in the 1 1/16-mile R.J. Speers Stakes here Sept. 11. In that race, Deputy Country stalked an early pace battle between Northern Affair and Minus Three. The absence of those two in the Gold Breeders' Cup will likely leave Deputy Country as the pacesetter.

One of two in the field sent out by trainer Carl Anderson, Deputy Country will break from post 2 with Ken Hendricks aboard.

Indy Lead, also trained by Anderson, has done his best running at the Gold Breeders' Cup distance, including his last victory, in a second-level allowance race at Keeneland in April 2003. A son of A.P. Indy, Indy Lead rallied to finish third in the Speers. He begins from post 5 under Jason Leacock.

Smoked Em closed to be second in the Speers. Smoked Em, trained by Clayton Gray, starts from post 4 with Paul Leacock in the irons.

Bonspiel, the only 3-year-old in the field, finished third two starts ago in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park. In his most recent race, Bonspiel won an optional claimer, also at Northlands.

Trained by Dale Saunders, Bonspiel faces older horses for the first time and breaks from post 6 under Mike Iammarino.

Iwoodificould has tailed off in his last three starts after winning his first three races this year, all here. He starts from post 7 with Larren Delorme aboard for the first time.

Sir Pucker, winner of the Gold Breeders' Cup last year, has been well-beaten in stakes races here in his last two starts. He breaks from post 3 with Travis Hightower.

Maiden winner Pinchme rounds out the field. He will break from post 1 with Jerry Pruitt aboard.