Eeny Meeny seems likely to improve

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Eeny Meeny should be poised for a wake-up in her second start off a sabbatical in Friday's eighth race at Woodbine, a $40,000 claimer on the grass for non-winners of two going a mile.

Eeny Meeny, a 4-year-old trained by Roger Attfield, showed flashes of ability in her formative years, including when she won her maiden in the mud as a 2-year-old. Her best effort came against allowance opposition going 1 1/16 miles on the grass in July 2006, when she rallied from far back to end up third in a large field.

Eeny Meeny went to the sidelines for 13 months after her lackluster showing in the 2006 Wonder Where Stakes. When she resurfaced in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance on Sept. 3, she made a four-wide move into second before tiring and wound up seventh in a race she probably needed.

Eeny Meeny breezed five-eighths in a bullet 1:00 over the Polytrack last week. She will run with a selling price for the first time Friday, and Gerry Olguin will ride her.

Other possibilities in Friday's eighth include Friendly Selection, Baradore, Stormy Kristine, Distinguished Lady, and Pleasant Mix.

Friendly Selection is competing in the claiming ranks for the first time since November. She made each of her seven starts this year at the first-allowance category, the last six on the grass.

Friendly Selection checked in third in each of her first four appearances of the meeting before going off form. She tried to mount a wide rally in her latest on Sept. 3 and finished just ahead of Eeny Meeny in sixth.

Apprentice Dean Deverell will ride Friendly Selection for trainer Sandy McPherson.

Baradore nearly won a grass allowance at the Fair Grounds in November. She was fourth in all three of her starts at this meeting, the most recent of which came against $50,000 opposition.

Apprentice Tyler Pizarro, who led the jockey standings at the beginning of the week, retains the mount on Baradore.

Stormy Kristine, who has made five starts this year, was most recently fifth after racing wide in a non-winners of three.

Distinguished Lady never challenged the only time she tried the grass, but deserves another chance because she's by a top turf sire, Smart Strike.

Pleasant Mix is stepping up off the $20,000 claim by trainer Lorna Perkins, who has fared well with her claimed runners.