Hard to get past Ruffenuff in loaded allowance sprint

Ruffenuff is the one to catch and beat in an allowance race for fillies and mares that headlines Friday evening’s seven-race card at Northlands Park. Six of the eight horses in the six-furlong dash are stakes winners.

Ruffenuff, a four-time stakes winner, will be making her first start as a 4-year-old and she can fire fresh. She won the $50,000 Princess Margaret at Northlands when she debuted as a 2-year-old for trainer Greg Tracy. In her 3-year-old unveiling, she took them all the way in an allowance race for nonwinners of three at Turf Paradise.

Her speed gives her a big advantage over her rivals, and she is perfect in three starts at the distance. Plus, Tracy thinks having her at Hastings this spring gives her an edge.

“The weather was so cold here that it was hard to get a horse as fit as you would like,” he said. “The weather wasn’t perfect in Vancouver, but the horses I’ve brought from the coast seem to have a fitness edge over the ones that were training here.”

Tracy was pleased with how Ruffenuff is coming into the race and pointed to her five-furlong work April 21 at Hastings as evidence.

“She worked head and head with Blue Dancer and then galloped out in front him,” he said.

Blue Dancer beat the best older horses stabled at Northlands in an allowance race May 5. He will be among the favorites in the $50,000 Journal on Saturday.

Ruffenuff will break from post 3 with Quincy Welch riding.

KEY CONTENDERS

Ruffenuff, by Dialed In

Last 3 Beyers: 51-69-40

◗ The shape of the race favors her, and she followed up her work at Hastings with two sharp ones at Northlands.

Anstrum, by Rosberg

Last 3 Beyers: 62-64-50

◗ Trained by Monica Russell, she beat Ruffenuff in two of their three meetings at Northlands last year, but both victories came going around three turns.

◗ She was prepped at Hastings by trainer Phil Hall this spring, and Russell sent her out for a strong six-furlong move out of the gate in 1:12.00 on May 8 at Northlands.

Quality Lane, by Quality Road

Last 3 Beyers: 65-54-70

◗ The 6-year-old mare came off the bench to win the $50,000 Wild Rose going six furlongs last year and has been training forwardly for trainer Joan Petrowski.