Fairmount Park track report

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - After an impressive win in Tuesday's $15,000 Red Doggit Handicap, WW Robin de Hood appears on course for the Claiming Crown at Canterbury Park July 15.

Running as part of an uncoupled entry with trainer Leroy Hellman's other horse, Canyon de Oro, who finished second, WW Robin de Hood received a perfect trip under regular jockey Luis Robletto. He sat 2 1/2 lengths back in third after a half-mile in 48.20 seconds, moved to challenge nearing the quarter pole, and drew off to win by more than four lengths. WW Robin de Hood covered the two-turn mile over a sloppy track in 1:38.60, easily the fastest time for the distance at the meet. WW Robin de Hood returned $9 and the Hellman exacta paid $37.40.

Hellman claimed WW Robin de Hood for $12,500 last August, and the Red Doggit was WW Robin de Hood's fifth win in 10 starts for Walker, including three straight victories at Sam Houston this winter. Hellman believes WW Robin de Hood is a shade better on grass and will run him in the $125,000 Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf race.

"My plan is to get a grass race in him at Arlington about three weeks from now, which will give him another three weeks to prepare for the race at Canterbury," Hellman said.

WW Robin de Hood would be the first horse based at Fairmount to compete in the Claiming Crown.

After the race it was discovered that Canyon de Oro had lost a shoe, which jockey J.D. Hundley believes happened at the quarter pole. "He moved to them easily on the far turn, then all of a sudden lost his momentum," Hundley said.

Conspicuous by his absence in the Red Doggit was Tic N Tin, who was not nominated because of a communication error between the racing office and owner-trainer Ron Brandenburg.