Ex Mountain Cop tries open foes

PORTLAND, Ore. - Ex Mountain Cop will attempt to make it three stakes wins in a row when he takes on seven other 2-year-olds at Portland Meadows in Sunday's $20,000 Columbia River Stakes at six furlongs.

Ex Mountain Cop, an Oregon-bred son of Ex Marks the Cop from the barn of trainer Jonathan Nance, defeated sales graduates in the OTBA Sales Stakes on Oct. 22 and downed statebreds in the Bill Wineberg Stakes on Nov. 5. He will be meeting open company in the Columbia River, but he figures to go off as a strong favorite off his 8 1/4-length score in the Bill Wineberg, in which he sped six furlongs in a rapid 1:11.05. Juan Gutierrez will again have the mount at 122 pounds.

Ex Mountain Cop figures to get his sternest opposition from Timely Reaction, the runner-up in the Bill Wineberg. Though he was well-beaten by Ex Mountain Cop last time, he was an impressive maiden special weight winner in his only other start and may be better than he demonstrated in the Bill Wineberg. Clark Jones will ride for trainer Jim Fergason.

Silver Patrona will also be shooting for a third straight win in the other stakes on Sunday's card, the $20,000 Lassie Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and mares at six furlongs. Silver Patrona, a daughter of Tiffany Ice trained by Jim Fergason, was a six-length winner over maiden special weight company before winning the Janet Wineberg Stakes with six furlongs in 1:13.26 on Nov. 5.