'Kitty' eyes rebound at better distance

Polynesian Kitty, last year's champion older female in Manitoba, has yet to put her best foot forward in two starts at Assiniboia Downs this season.

That could well change Wednesday, however, as Polynesian Kitty gets to stretch out to a mile for the $30,000 Canada Day, the feature on a matinee holiday program that begins at 1:05 p.m.

Polynesian Kitty, who won 6 of 9 starts at Assiniboia last year when trained by Jamie Ness, is based in Winnipeg this year with Ardell Sayler.

A Kentucky-bred 5-year-old, Polynesian Kitty was unable to catch Miss Missile in last year's Canada Day, but with that one missing from Wednesday's lineup, she can run down the speed under returning rider Alan Cuthbertson.

In her last start, which came in the six-furlong La Verendrye on June 10, Polynesian Kitty made some mild late gains to finish sixth, 5 1/2 lengths behind upsetter Preservata. Miss Missile was third as the odds-on choice.

Preservata, who was registering her fourth win in as many local appearances in the La Verendrye, will be the 123-pound topweight in the Canada Day as she attempts to conquer a new distance.

A 4-year-old Florida-bred trained by Clint Willson, Preservata finished sixth in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race at Hastings last fall in her only try at a middle distance.

Tyrone Nelson retains the mount on Preservata.

Talkin Money Honey, third in last year's Canada Day, has a pair of sprint tighteners under her girth, with the latest coming against males over the local oval.

Also trained by Sayler and with leading rider Larren Delorme in the irons, Talkin Money Honey should be part of the pace and is an upset possibility.

Cherokee Beauty and At First Glance figure to ensure honest fractions but are in tough going this far.

Colony Queen, Brittania Road, and Fast Actress are all stakes-placed and are wake-up prospects.

* Premier Star was a 17 3/4-length winner of last Friday's $27,000 Hazel Wright, which drew a field of only three Manitoba-sired 3-year-olds and was a nonwagering event.

Friday's card was cut short by management when valet Andy Neufeld, 42, suffered a fatal heart attack in the paddock. Neufeld was married and had two children.