Level Red loves Northlands track

A very sharp Level Red could be tough to beat in the feature race at Northlands Park on Wednesday. The one-mile classified allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option drew six horses and goes as the eighth race. Also on the card is the $21,750 Northlands Classic, a 330-yard stakes race for Quarter Horses that goes as the first race. Six Pack of Corona figures to be a short-priced favorite to notch his second Classic in a row.

Level Red has shown quite a fondness for the Northlands surface. In five starts here he has four wins, including a sharp one-length score over Fury's Allstar in a 6 1/2-furlong $40,000 optional claiming race on June 14. He shouldn't have any trouble stretching out to a distance he has won two races at, and he also figures to get a ground-saving trip leaving from post 1.

Level Red is not only a very sharp horse, but his trainer, Gordon Amthor, is on quite a roll at the meet. Amthor has won with 6 of his 13 starters and he sent out Zuri Mwana to upset Teagues Fight in the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy Handicap on Saturday. Rickey Walcott retains the mount.

Level Red will have to earn it if he is going to notch his third straight win at the meet, however. Father Jones, trained by Floyd Arthur, is coming off of a four-length win in a $30,000 claiming race on June 10. Toby Bay, out of the Cody Anderson barn, earned the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field, 77, when he won a first-level allowance race on June 21. Rolletti is also coming off of a sharp win on June 24.