Knocker right horse to start pick seven

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Knocker should be in the catbird's seat tracking all the speed on the outside Wednesday in the second race at Woodbine, and is a must-use in this first leg of the pick seven, which has a carryover of $20,489. The race is an optional claimer at six furlongs.

Knocker has won 6 of her last 7 starts, dating back to the fall. She commenced a five-race win streak by scoring for $25,000 and then $32,000 in October.

Knocker struck again against $40,000 opposition in November, and was claimed for $47,500 by trainer Bob Tiller while taking her 2006 finale over seven furlongs on the Polytrack Dec. 1.

Knocker captured a first-level allowance by 5o1/2 lengths in her season opener April 8. She earned a career high 85 Beyer Speed Figure when fourth in a subsequent $62,500 optional claimer, and won at that level after mounting a four-wide rally in her latest start.

David Clark, who has won aboard 11 of his 30 mounts at the meeting for Tiller, will ride Knocker, who runs for an $80,000 tag.

Summer Girlfriend and Friendly Theresa could hook up in a suicidal pace battle in the six-furlong race.

Summer Girlfriend is winless in six starts since her front-running victory in the six-furlong Star Shoot Stakes in April 2006. She was third behind Seductively and Hide and Chic in her first start at this meeting, the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes.

Most recently, Summer Girlfriend dueled through torrid fractions before fading to finish fifth behind Strike Softly, Mary Delaney, and Bosskiri in the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes.

Gerry Olguin, Summer Girlfriend's regular rider in 2006, has the mount.

Friendly Theresa won 3 of 8 starts and $144,510 last year. She is trained by Julia Carey, who lost Knocker to Tiller.

Friendly Theresa launched her current campaign with a handy score in a five-furlong optional claimer on the second day of the meeting, earning an 87 Beyer on a speed-favoring track. Last time out, Friendly Theresa stalked the pace on the outside under Emma Wilson before retreating to finish seventh in the five-furlong Hancock County Handicap at Mountaineer.

Scarlett's Pride is an off-the-pace possibility under Jono Jones. She won twice in her native France, and ran second in a listed stakes in Germany about a year ago. In her third North American start, at Woodbine on Dec. 3, Scarlett's Pride closed from off quick fractions to win a 6o1/2-furlong optional claimer on the Polytrack.