Doctor Jane sets sights on second stakes in row

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Doctor Jane goes for her second consecutive stakes win here Sunday in the $30,000 Canada Day for fillies and mares at one mile here at Assiniboia Downs.

Claimed by owner Larry Carter for $10,000 at Keeneland in late April, Doctor Jane finished second in the allowance prep for the La Verendrye in her first local start and then scored a wire-to-wire victory in the La Verendrye, posting a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 76. A daughter of Lord Carson, Doctor Jane has won 3 of 5 starts at the Canada Day's one-mile distance.

Trained by Emile Corbel, Doctor Jane has worked sharply since the La Verendrye, drilling four furlongs in 46.60 seconds June 16 and five furlongs in 59.20 on June 24.

Beshairt finished a closing second behind Doctor Jane in the La Verendrye. A daughter of Thunder Gulch, she also has a good mark at the distance, with a win and a second from two starts.

Empress Pegasus and Daisy Mountain are the only two of the six local horses entered to have raced since the La Verendrye.

Empress Pegasus finished fifth, 4 1/4 lengths back of Doctor Jane, in the La Verendrye. She scored a comfortable three-quarter-length win in a first level-allowance at this distance on June 22 after being moved smartly through traffic by jockey Paul Leacock.

Daisy Mountain returned to action a week after the La Verendrye, taking a second-level allowance in gate-to-wire fashion over six furlongs.

Miss Lucky Lou and Remiewaterbluz also exit the La Verendrye, in which they finished sixth and seventh. Miss Lucky Lou won the prep for the La Verendrye in her first local start. Her only try at one mile was her worst performance in 2006. Remiewaterbluz finished second in her only other start this year but appears to be on the downward side of her career.

Classic Connection, the lone shipper in the field, will stretch out for the first time. Owned and trained by Bill Kinch, Classic Connection has made her way up the claiming ladder at Stampede Park after beginning the year at the bottom $5,000 level. Classic Connection likely will set the early fractions with Doctor Jane and Daisy Mountain not too far behind.

Beshairt and Empress Pegasus are most likely to benefit from an honest early pace.

Sunday's card also will include the $17,500 North Dakota Derby, a restricted one-mile race for 3-year-olds that has attracted a field of 10 headed by three-time winner Aferds Code Red.