Kat Kool looks ready this time

CALGARY, Alberta - The stakes winners Kat Kool, Fly Esteem, and Beau Brass were nominated to Saturday's one-mile Teeworth Plate, but instead they will run Friday in the eighth race at Stampede Park, a six-furlong allowance sprint.

Kat Kool, a top 3-year-old from last year, ran evenly to finish fifth in the Stampede Park Sprint Championship in his 2005 debut and will be favored in Friday's $21,800 allowance. Kat Kool has trained in fine fashion all spring for trainer Red Smith and drew the rail with leading rider Quincy Welch taking over.

A win in this short field of five older horses would undoubtedly propel Kat Kool toward the Herald Gold Plate on June 12.

Fly Esteem, who surprised here last spring at odds of better than 40-1 in the Alberta Derby, set the early fractions in the April 30 Sprint Championship but faded to last in the field of seven in his 2005 debut. Fly Esteem will have theft on his agenda Friday with regular rider Desmond Bryan up, and may be loose on the lead over a course that had a definite speed bias last weekend.

Beau Brass makes his first start of the campaign for the red-hot trainer Rick Hedge, and this race will serve as a prep for the Herald Gold Plate. Beau Brass will be rolling late under Real Simard but prefers more ground.

Topwynson beat a solid allowance field on May 1 while completing six furlongs in a quick 1:10.20 under Mike Iammarino, who retains the call.