Little speed to pressure 'Personal'

AUBURN, Wash. - Sunday's Hastings Park Handicap at Emerald Downs figures to offer a change of pace for the older filly and mare stakes runners, and it will be a welcome change for Bud Klokstad, the trainer of Personal Decision.

Making her return to racing in the opening-day Ropersandwranglers Stakes after 17 months of inactivity, Personal Decision got caught up in a three-way speed duel with Sophisticated Slew and Kalowana Sunrise, blazing a quarter-mile in 21.40 seconds and a half-mile in 44.20. Though she eventually outdueled her pace rivals, it was a victory attained at too great a cost, as those were the only two rivals she outfinished in a field of 10. Rollette, taking advantage of the hot pace, came from ninth to win going away in 1:09.20 for six furlongs.

Neither Sophisticated Slew or Kalowana Sunrise was nominated for the 6 1/2-furlong Hastings Park, nor was Whatdidshesay, who raced in fourth position early in the Ropersandwranglers. That should leave Personal Decision all alone on the lead, allowing rider Hector Ventura Jr. to dictate the pace to five pursuers. If it is indeed true that pace makes the race, the Hastings Park appears to be custom-made for Personal Decision.

Rollette will be back to try to make it two stakes wins in a row in the Hastings Park, and she looked so sharp in winning the Ropersandwranglers by 3 1/2 lengths that she is sure to attract serious backing.

Also entered are Silky Secret, Neon Queen and Icicle Angle, who finished third, fourth and sixth in the Ropersandwranglers, and Top Bracket, who is coming off a successful campaign at Turf Paradise.

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