Lucky in the Lead may be best in feature

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Six 3-year-old fillies will contest Friday's one-mile City Centre Bingo Handicap, the $5,000 feature on the Marquis Downs meet's next-to-last card.

There is really no standout here this year in the 3-year-old filly division, and Megan's Way and Danzig Ballerina, winners of two of the three previous stakes for 3-year-old fillies, are absent from this race with injuries.

That leaves only Lucky in the Lead, winner of the James Leakos Sophomore, who could turn the trick again in this event.

Lucky in the Lead has a maiden victory to go along with the Leakos score but was well beaten in her two other starts versus stakes company.

In the Aug. 21 Parkland Heritage, Megan's Way dominated and won by 7 3/4 lengths. Lucky in the Lead couldn't close any ground from well back and finished fourth, 15 lengths behind the winner.

The same thing happened in the Captain Stanley Harrison in July, when Lucky in the Lead was unable to close and ran fifth, beaten 12 1/2 lengths by Danzig Ballerina.

Rock n' Romance and Allourwishes ran second and third in the Leakos but both finished ahead of Lucky in the Lead in the Heritage.

Rock n' Romance was beaten by just a neck in the Leakos and then flattened out in the Heritage, finishing third by 13 1/2 lengths. She typically lays closer to the pace than Lucky in the Lead and should get the first run at the leaders.

Allourwishes, last year's top juvenile filly in Saskatchewan, has been unable to find the winner's circle in 2004 but has been stakes-placed in all three events for her division and is a front-running threat.

After leading the way in the Heritage, Allourwishes gave way to her stablemate Megan's Way and, although well beaten, was well clear of Lucky in the Lead and Rock n' Romance.

Satellite Signal has top prices at sale

The annual Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society yearling sale was held here last Sunday and the $9,500 sales-topper was a daughter of Satellite Signal, out of Rumbeau.

Rumbeau has had three foals to race, including stakes winner Beauzak and stakes-placed winners Rum Candi and Rumbeau Ruckus.

The top-priced colt or gelding, at $5,100, was also by Satellite Signal, out of stakes winner Ms. Lorrelen Rose.

There were 29 horses consigned, with five scratches. The 19 sold averaged $3,568, up 9.4 per cent from 2003.