'Glory' on two-year streak here

PORTLAND, Ore. - My Crowning Glory will face five intrepid challengers in Sunday's feature at Portland Meadows, a wide-open allowance race for Quarter Horses at 400 yards.

A 6-year-old who races for trainer Wayne Burger, My Crowning Glory has been unbeatable at Portland Meadows for the last two seasons. My Crowning Glory closed out last year's meeting with three straight wins, and has opened the current stand with four consecutive victories, three of them in stakes.

My Crowning Glory is coming off a neck win over Neva Boots in the 350-yard Director's Handicap on Jan. 8, and there are at least three reasons to believe she will be even tougher Sunday. First, My Crowning Glory normally improves with distance, peaking at 440 yards. Second, she will move from post 2 to the outside, which is usually the place to be in local Quarter Horse sprints. Finally, she will shed three pounds to carry 124, an assignment to be shared by all entrants.

Hannibal Lector, Sneak Bac, and Eyes Okey figure to vie for the role of second-favorite. Hannibal Lector got within a half-length of My Crowning Glory in the PM Fall Quarter Horse Derby in November. Sneak Bac and Eyes Okey finished first and second, separated by a neck, in an open allowance race at 350 yards on Jan. 22, but Sneak Bac was disqualified and placed fifth for interference.

Sunday's first post is 12:35 p.m., but the track will run only eight races to avoid overlapping with the 3:30 p.m. Super Bowl telecast.