Fonner Park track report
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - A field of seven to 10 runners is taking shape for Saturday's $100,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Handicap, headed by likely starting highweight Patton's Victory.
Patton's Victory, trained by Stanley Roberts, has gone from a $7,500 claimer to graded stakes winner in less than seven months, having reeled off five straight victories. He started his streak with a 14-length win over $7,500 claiming company at Hoosier Park last October. He then won a pair of starter allowance races this spring at Oaklawn. He stepped up to two-other-than allowance company for a victory March 16 and returned April 9 and captured Oaklawn's Grade 3 Fifth Season Stakes.
Roberts will ship in Patton's Victory from Prairie Meadows the morning of the race.
Cowboy Stuff, an Iowa-bred also based at Prairie Meadows, is expected to run in the Bosselman for trainer Kelly Von Hemel. A 4-year-old son of Evansville Slew, Cowboy Stuff posted a 6-1-2 mark from 10 starts last year and won consecutive allowance races at Oaklawn Park this year. Cowboy Stuff won several Iowa-bred stakes races last summer, then traveled to Arlington Park where he captured the Round Table in front-running fashion.
Don Leifeld arrived with Proceed With Care, an English-bred son of Danehill, from Santa Anita last week. Leifeld won back to back runnings of the Bosselman in 1996 and 1997 with Sahara King and Windy's Halo.
Trainer Mark Lee confirmed Wednesday morning that Dusty Spike will start and was scheduled to arrive Thursday morning.
The Ron Moquett-trained Woostershear was on the fence as of Wednesday afternoon. He most recently finished second against $25,000 starter allowance company at Keeneland April 12.
The local contingent is expected to comprise Tate's Way and High Dice. Should the track come up wet for Saturday's race, Rub is expected to enter.
* Jockey Perry Compton's six-win outburst last Saturday put him in reach of his own record of 85 wins for the meet, set in 2000. Compton won seven races on a card here in 2000.
Post time for Saturday's Bosselman/Gus Fonner Handicap card moves up to 1 p.m. Central.