Logician still seeks win No. 2

ARCADIA, Calif. - Logician had the makings of a decent 3-year-old after he won a maiden race by 6 1/2 lengths in January 2003. When he failed to have an impact on the Triple Crown trail that year, owner Paul Reddam and trainer Craig Dollase looked toward the statebred division as a way to revitalize the colt's career.

That plan did not work out, either, resulting in a string of six losses.

Wednesday, Reddam and Dollase are optimistic that Logician can return from a four-month break and score his second career win in a $44,000 allowance race for California-breds in the seventh race at Santa Anita.

, who will be ridden by Corey Nakatani, is one of eight runners in the 1 1/16-mile race.

"We're taking the blinkers off, he's coming off a layoff, he's training well, and Nakatani is riding good," Dollase said. "He's done well fresh in the past. I think he can do some damage."

The cause for Dollase's optimism is not evident in a quick review of Logician's form from earlier this year. He is winless in four

2004 starts, finishing fourth twice and seventh twice, including in an allowance race at Hollywood Park on May 28. After that race, Dollase and Reddam decided to give Logician the summer off.

"He was a tired horse," Dollase said.

But Wednesday's race is a good spot for a comeback. Two of the biggest threats - Global Empire and Ms Mintons Excess - have been running against claimers.

won a $25,000 claiming race for maidens at Fairplex Park on Sept. 10 and returned 12 days later to win a starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles at that track. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Global Empire needed seven races to beat maidens.

, who is likely to go favored, has been first or second in his last five starts. Trained by Marty Jones, Ms Mintons Excess beat maidens in his sixth career start, a $40,000 claimer for statebred maidens at Hollywood Park in April. He finished second in three consecutive races before winning a starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 7.

Wednesday's race marks his first start against statebreds since the maiden race, and his first start since the turf win.

Global Empire is likely to be part of the pace, with Logician closing from off the pace. Perhaps Wednesday's race will be the moment that revives Logician's lackluster career.

"We've always had high hopes for him," Dollase said.