Gierkink's preview: Anything can happen

Anything can happen during the waning weeks of this marathon meet, which concludes Dec. 7.

There will be numerous cheaper claiming races with full fields that are often indecipherable.

Trainers who haven’t won here all year will win. Some horses taking a substantial drop in class will find the mark, while other such runners will fail miserably. Several of the hard-working blue-collar jockeys who aren’t in the top five will win enough races to make their year.

Numerous runners will compete on short rest, sometimes successfully.

In Wednesday’s second race, three of the 12 2-year-olds in the $20,000 maiden sprint are exiting another $20,000 maiden claimer run last Wednesday. The speedy Birdie NumNums (15-1) came up empty in the final furlong then and may benefit from the one-furlong turn-back in distance to five-eighths, as she sheds the blinkers for her second local appearance. Her Vancouver trainer, Craig MacPherson, has brought a string here for the fall following the end of the Hastings meet.

Wannabitabrew (12-1) stalked Birdie NumNums last Wednesday before weakening to finish third at 35-1. Her five-furlong form is spotty.
Rince Tapaigh, the 3-1 morning line favorite, rallied for second in each of her three outings. In spite of the quick comeback, she should be along for another high placing.

Bear No Joke prepping

Multiple stakes winner Bear No Joke (8-5) is eligible for the third-race, a third-level optional claimer, because of the “non-winners of two since April 30” clause in the conditions. In fact, he is winless in just four starts on the year, and has been idle since running second in the Grade 3 Bold Venture Sept. 13. He captured last year’s Kennedy Road, and appears to be prepping for that Grade 2 stakes, to be run here Nov. 23.

Kitten Candy (6-1) could be the main threat. He came four wide from fifth to prevail in a tough second-level optional event Oct. 11, putting up a career-high 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

The unbeaten Moonlight Express (3-1) is debuting for trainer Josie Carroll in his first start away from Presque Isle Downs, where he won a trio of six-furlong sprints. Presque Isle shippers have not excelled here this year.

Horses to Watch

BEAUFORT SEA
Trainer: Stu Simon
Last race: Nov. 2, 10th
Finish: 4th by 3 1/2
Beyer: 48

He drew in off the also-eligible list in this nine-furlong route for $8,000 non-winners-of-two claimer, and he raced quite wide throughout while rallying belatedly. According to Trakus, he ran a whopping 86 feet farther than the rail-hugging winner, Sunny Weather.