'Financing' finally returns

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Financingavailable returns from a long layoff Wednesday night at Woodbine in the $125,000 Ballade Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired fillies and mares.

The versatile Financingavailable is unbeaten in five starts over Woodbine's main track, and is also stakes-placed on the grass. She won three consecutive races in the fall of 2004, including the seven-furlong Jammed Lovely Stakes.

Financingavailable had an abbreviated three-race campaign in 2005, capturing two optional claimers and running third in the Zadracarta Stakes. She has recorded several bullet five-furlong breezes over the training track this spring for trainer Lorne Richards.

"She's been doing okay," Richards said. "I've had a few problems with her, but she doesn't seem to be in too bad a shape right now. This is probably about the lightest spot that she's going to get this year."

Richards said he thought the Ballade was probably an easier spot than a fourth-level allowance would have been.

Trainer Reade Baker has entered both Bosskiri and River Nore.

Bosskiri won the first four starts of her career, including the restricted Nandi and Lady Angela stakes. In her season opener, she was a stalking third in the prep for the Whimsical Stakes.

Most recently in the six-furlong Whimsical, she faded to finish ninth after dueling through lively fractions. Baker said he felt a less aggressive approach may have served Bosskiri better in that Grade 3 event.

"She surged to the lead on her own last year, against inferior horses," said Baker, adding that going to the lead in the Whimsical may not have been a good idea. "Maybe we should just let her run her own race."

River Nore took the Fury Stakes in May of last year, but is winless in eight subsequent starts. She got the winter off after ending up third in the Jammed Lovely Stakes, and was far back in her only start this year, in a second-level allowance at Keeneland.

"She didn't run any good at Keeneland, but she's come back and trained well here," Baker said. "Whether she's up to these or not, I don't know."

Coastal Fortesss should be among the favorites off her recent victory in an $80,000 optional claimer, for which she received a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 90.