Inish Gloria comes in off big win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia ? Queen of My Nights will be the starting highweight Sunday in the $35,000 Nanaimo Stakes at Hastings Park, but the favorite is anybody's guess.

Eight 3-year-old fillies have been entered in the 1 1/16 miles Nanaimo, and a strong case could be made for at least four of them. And that doesn't include Ivy Lane, who was a front-running winner of the 6 1/2-furlong Emerald Downs Handicap on July 7.

Inish Glora, Catahoula Rose, Queen of My Nights, and Lady's Jewel all figure to attract attention at the mutuel windows, but Inish Glora could be the one coming up to a peak performance.

Inish Glora finished a length behind Lady's Jewel in the 1 1/16-mile Liberation but had a couple of excuses as she raced greenly and reportedly bled. Trainer Kathy Bremner added blinkers and Lasix for Inish Glora's next start, and she responded with an easy seven-length win over $50,000 optional fillies July 4.

Catahoula Rose went into the Liberation Stakes off an 11-length win over allowance fillies June 3, but she also reportedly bled and finished fifth. It was the first time she has ever run out of the money at a middle distance, but she worked a very smart six furlongs July 13 and could rebound in a big way.

Lady's Jewel pulled off a stunning upset in the Liberation but then couldn't catch Ivy Lane as the odds-on choice in the Emerald Downs Handicap.

Queen of My Nights has won all her races on the front end. Although she was a game second in the Liberation, the pace will be a lot quicker with Ivy Lane.