'Iwood' goes for repeat hat trick

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Last year Iwoodificould began the season here by winning an allowance race, the Free Press Stakes, and a 7 1/2-furlong allowance prep for the Wheat City Stakes.

This year Iwouldificould has won an allowance race, the Free Press, and looks to complete an early-season hat trick in Friday's seventh race, a 7 1/2-furlong allowance that will likely be used by most as a prep for the one-mile Wheat City on Aug. 1.

The third- through seventh-place finishers in the Free Press - Sand Rush, Northern Affair, Nugrayontheblock, Lord Shogun, and Sir Pucker - are also entered in Friday's seventh race.

Two horses who are moving up in class but could pull off an upset are His Money and Native Ice.

His Money defeated $14,000 claimers at six furlongs in his only start of the year.

Native Ice has won two in a row, over first-level and second-level allowance company, with his most recent victory coming at Friday's distance.

* On last Friday's holiday program, Ola Docura ($22.20) over took the favored Ericka's Lass late to record her first stakes victory in $40,000 Canada Day. Remiewaterbluz was third.

A 4-year-old filly by Meadowlake, Ola Docura improved her lifetime mark to 3-2-3 from 13 starts, while the $24,000 winner's share increased her bankroll to $57,637. She completed the mile in 1:40.40. The win was the first in a stakes for her trainer, Martin Drexler, and the first locally for jockey Larren Delorme.

* On Sunday Northnimprovement ($4.10), under Rohan Singh, set fractions of 23 seconds, 49.60, and 1:16 en route to completing the mile in 1:44.60 to take the $20,000 North Dakota Derby. Firehawk was second with Peacefull Sammy third. It was the third victory in a restricted stakes for Northrnimprovement, a Chad Torevell-trained gelding who increased his earning to $40,200 with the $10,000 winner's share.