Killin Me Smalls will be short price in Fred Jones

Trainer Ernie Keller wasn’t expecting Killin Me Smalls to become the best horse in Alberta, Canada, when he claimed him for $25,000 on behalf of Deltin Stable and Ed Welsh last year.

“We were just hoping we were claiming a nice horse, and we actually thought he was just a sprinter,” said Keller.

Killin Me Smalls has turned into a lot more than just a nice sprinter. He hasn’t lost in three starts this year and is coming off a 9 1/4-length romp over Aces Again in the one-mile Spangled Jimmy Handicap on June 13. He figures to be a very short price Saturday in the $50,000 Fred Jones Handicap at Northlands Park. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up drew seven horses, and post time will be about 4:30 p.m. Mountain.

Killin Me Smalls is the perfect horse for a bullring. He has good tactical speed but doesn’t need the lead. In the Spangled Jimmy, he sat just off a quick pace set by Bear’s Reality, and under little urging by jockey Ruben Lara, he took complete control of the race heading into the stretch turn.

He could get a similar trip stalking Tiz Awesome, or he could be the one they have to catch.

Keller was pleased with how Killin Me Smalls worked a bullet five furlongs in 59.20 seconds July 11.

“He likes to work, and he just did it on his own,” said Keller. “We didn’t push him at all.”

For Cash, trained by Dale Greenwood, looks like the only real threat to Killin Me Smalls. After finishing third in the Spangled Jimmy, he earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure for his blowout win in a one-mile, $35,000 optional-claiming race with Rico Walcott aboard July 1.

Key contenders

Killin Me Smalls (Last 3 Beyers: 92-84-87)

* He has dominated his three races this year, and Keller didn’t seem concerned that he will have to pack the high weight of 125 pounds. In one of his best races, he carried 126 pounds and finished second going 1 3/8 miles in the $75,000 Speed to Spare in his third start for Keller last year.

For Cash (Last 3 Beyers: 87-75-75)

* The 2014 Fred Jones winner was good enough to beat graded stakes winners Carve and Broadway Empire in the $200,000 Zia Park Derby in 2013, and he should be full of confidence coming off his sharp win over Tiz Awesome and Aces Again on July 1.