Meyaard has top two contenders

Trainer Jim Meyaard holds a strong hand in the feature race at Northlands Park on Sunday. Meyaard has entered No Walkin' Joe and Commanding Ace in race 7, a second-level allowance race at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, and each is capable of winning.

Making it difficult for handicappers, No Walkin' Joe and Commanding Ace are owned separately and are not coupled in the wagering.

No Walkin' Joe is coming off a third-place finish in the $77,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes at Fonner Park. It turned out to be a key race. The second-place finisher, Reach One More, came back to win the $20,000 Big Red Mile at Lincoln, and Platinum Devil, who finished fourth, won a $25,000 claiming race in his next start at Canterbury. No Walkin' Joe won a second-level allowance race at Sunland Park in his previous start, also a key race.

Leading jockey Anthony Salgado rides No Walkin' Joe.

Commanding Ace posted his career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 76 when he scored an easy front-running win in a $15,000 nonwinners-of-two claiming race at Northlands in his last start.

Bourbon Shooter, trained by Robertino Diodoro, has improved dramatically since coming back from an extended layoff March 22. In three starts this year at Turf Paradise, he has a win and two seconds.