Jemerra set for second win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It took an eternity for Jemerra to earn her diploma, and she has a realistic chance to win her second race in Thursday's Woodbine headliner, a first-level allowance route for Ontario-sired fillies and mares.

Jemerra, a 4-year-old Bold Executive filly trained by Tom O'Keefe, garnered five shares in 10 starts last year, putting just over $60,000 in the bank.

Jemerra finally won her maiden on July 8, in her 17th straight start in an Ontario-sired maiden special weight race. She came wide from 11 lengths back to take that 1 1/16-mile event in 1:46, a time that earned her a Beyer Speed Figure of 65.

Jemerra shortened up to seven furlongs for her first try in Ontario-sired allowance company Aug. 1. She lagged behind the field early before closing belatedly on the outside. That fourth-place finish brought her earnings to $136,448, not bad for a filly who has never cracked 70 on the Beyer scale.

Jemerra is being reunited with jockey Jim McAleney, who was aboard for her maiden victory and her runner-up placing in June.

Spend Now and Save finished a clear second in Jemerra's maiden triumph. She subsequently won her maiden going long by disqualification, while getting just a 58 Beyer Figure.

Desire and Fire's maiden win came against $20,000 opposition in June of last year. She has been a minor player this summer while competing at his level, and is stretching out off a fifth-place finish behind Jemerra.

The eight-horse field contains two front-runners: Musical Storm and Mikiko.

Musical Storm wired $10,000 maidens in her next-to-last outing, on the dirt at Fort Erie. Her saddle slipped while she cut out the early fractions in a minor stakes there Aug. 3, and she lost her rider in the stretch.

Mikiko was beaten in double digits in both of her attempts against Ontario-sired maidens in the spring. Trainer Josie Carroll dropped her to $16,000 for her last start July 23, and she responded with a front-running score over seven furlongs.

Bold N Bratty was a well-beaten fourth the only time she tried Ontario-sired allowance company going short in June. She hasn't shown much in the interim.

Lady of Mystery hit the board just once in five starts this year, a third in an Ontario-sired allowance following a freshening July 16.