Huntingthetruth reloads for 2005

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Huntingthetruth will try to regain her solid 2004 form following a layoff in Friday's Woodbine feature, a $100,000 optional claimer for fillies and mares.

Huntingthetruth was an astute $40,000 claim by owner Hugh Blackmore and trainer Justin Nixon last June after two wins of a four-race win streak. Her last two victories in the string came for her new connections - one in a $60,000 claimer here and the other in a $50,000 optional claimer at Fort Erie.

After back-to-back runner-up finishes, Huntingthetruth then beat $62,500 opposition with a big wide rally on Oct. 24. She then ran fourth in the Dec. 4 Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park. She followed that with a closing third-place finish in the New Year's Eve Stakes at Mountaineer.

Huntingthetruth has been working fast for her return to racing. She will run for a $90,000 claiming tag. Jono Jones, who was aboard for three of her wins last year, has the mount.

Tops among other contenders in the six-furlong dash are Regal 'n Bold, Roving Angel, and Honey Green.

Regal 'n Bold ran second to Brass in Pocket in the restricted Ballade Stakes here last spring. In July, she ran fifth as the favorite in the Proud Puppy Stakes at Finger Lakes, and then fourth in the five-furlong Rainbow Connection Stakes over the Fort Erie turf course.

After a gutsy second-place finish here in an optional claimer on Dec. 9, Regal 'n Bold spent the winter in Florida. She was unplaced in one start this winter at Gulfstream in January.

Jim McAleney will ride Regal 'n Bold for trainer Reade Baker, a combination that has a high in-the-money percentage at the meeting.

Roving Angel, the lone 3-year-old in the six-horse field, won the restricted Finger Lakes Juvenile Filly Stakes in October. She went on to be third in the open Glorious Song Stakes in November, and was fourth in the Star Shoot Stakes when she returned from her winter vacation.

Honey Green never threatened while facing the likes of Nashinda and Silver Bird in her season opener in the Whimsical Stakes. She got good last fall, when she defeated $62,500 foes going 1 1/16 miles with a Beyer Speed Figure of 84. She is winless in eight starts at six furlongs.

Rounding out the field are comebackers Deputy Cures Blues and Tamara, who is running with blinkers off.