Lincoln: Day for Nebraska-breds

LINCOLN, Neb. - Nine races for Nebraska-breds, including four stakes, highlight Nebraska Breeders' Championship Day here Sunday. Unfortunately, only 44 horses were entered for the card. The largest field contains six horses and the smallest has three.

This is the third year that Championship Day will be conducted under its current format. Formerly run as the Nebraska Breeders' Sweepstakes, eligibility was determined by nominating the progeny of eligible stallions. The day has now been changed to feature Nebraska-breds. Only the Sophomore and Sophomore Fillies here and the 2-year-old races to be conducted in Columbus later this summer are still run under the older conditions.

Topping the day are the Falls Amiss and Who Doctor Who Handicaps, each with a purse of $22,500.

High Dice will seek a repeat win in the 1 1/16-mile Who Doctor Who Handicap, in which he will face three rivals, including his younger brother, Old Man's Delite. High Dice was assigned 124 pounds off his track-record performance in the mile and 70-yard Executive Board Handicap on June 24. Regular rider Dan Beck has the return call.

Old Man's Delite will have Dennis Collins in the irons at 114 pounds. The race goes as the finale of the nine-race card.

Sweet Fantastic goes after her third straight win at the meet in the Falls Amiss Handicap at a mile and 70 yards in the eighth race. Trained by David Grimes, Sweet Fantastic rattled off an impressive three-length win in the six-furlong Bluegrass Handicap on June 2.

She returned June 16 to once again dominate her rivals in the one-mile Matchmaker Handicap.

Jerry Carkeek rides Sweet Fantastic under high weight of 122 pounds in a six-horse field that includes the Herb Riecken-owned and -trained entry of Double Dreamin Deb and Statsie's Charmer.

Doug's Shadow tops a field of five in the $20,000 Amadevil Handicap at six furlongs. Doug's Shadow beat current handicap hero High Dice in the six-furlong President's Cup Handicap on June 9. The two met again in the Executive Board Handicap, and Doug's Shadow was a distant second, beaten over seven lengths in his lone route try this year. Regular rider Jiri Peterka returns under top impost of 122 pounds.

Clamato Rose, winner of the Fonner Park Special Stakes and the Islander Stakes earlier this spring, faces four others in the $15,000 Nebraska Breeders' Sweepstakes Sophomore Fillies. A half-sister to Iowa-bred standouts Sure Shot Biscuit and Nut N Better, Clamato Rose has the riding services of Dennis Collins in the mile and 70-yard race.

The Nebraska Breeders' Sweepstakes Sophomore Stakes at 1 1/16 miles drew just three entries: Harvey Bengal, Tauke, and Watch Me Dazzle. Tauke was a 17-length winner of the one-mile Stevens Stakes at Fonner Park this spring and has since posted a 1 1/16-mile victory over the turf at Canterbury Park for trainer Marv Johnson. Ken Shino will be in to ride. The NBS Sophomore will have only win and exacta wagering.