Jenkins 1-2 meet again in Pearson

CALGARY, Alberta - A Shaky Start and Raylene renew their rivalry here Monday afternoon in the Ken Pearson Memorial, a $40,000 handicap that drew just four fillies and mares.

The short field can be attributed to the reputations of the pair of 4-year-old fillies, who dominated their division last year and opened up this year's campaign by running one-two in the M.R. Jenkins Memorial over a muddy surface May 9.

A Shaky Start captured the six-furlong Jenkins by slipping through along the rail at the quarter pole and opening up a clear advantage turning for home.

The winning margin was 1 1/2 lengths, and rider Leanne Painter had plenty of horse left at the wire.

Raylene, who does not possess the speed of her arch rival, turned in a strong rally from well back, and though she was gaining on the winner in the lane, it was clear that round one in this fight belonged to A Shaky Start.

The added yardage in the one-mile Pearson should work to Raylene's advantage, although rider Rickey Walcott must be concerned about the early fractions in such a short field.

Northern Neechitoo, a 7-year-old from the high-percentage barn of Floyd Arthur, is expected to set the pace and can be a handful on her best day if allowed an uncontested lead.

A Shaky Start has won on the lead, but her best races have come from just off the pace.

Longshot Jade Peony, who posted the fastest six-furlong time of the meet April 21 but was a fading fifth in the Jenkins, rounds out the field.