Mr. Shadar looks tough in stakes
Northlands Park starts the final weekend of racing with a stakes doubleheader Friday night. Both races are restricted to 3-year-olds that passed through a Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Sale.
The 3-year-old Filly Sales Stakes goes as the sixth race and drew five horses. In the colts and geldings division, which goes as the eighth race, Mr. Shadar figures to be a short-priced favorite in the six-horse field. Both races are worth $50,000 and will be contested over one-mile.
Mr. Shadar is coming off a 3 1/2-length win over Bronze Barbarian in the Beaufort Stakes for Alberta-breds on Sept. 19. Trained by Rick Hedge, Mr. Shadar has won 3 of his 6 starts this year and is the only stakes winner in the field. He also finished second in the $50,000 Count Latham Stakes on Aug. 1, and it is easy to forgive his seventh-place finish in the Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby on Aug. 22.
Rico Walcott, who has been aboard in eight of Mr. Shadar's nine career starts, retains the mount.
Keep Six will be making his first start for trainer Carla Christoffersen and he appears to be the mystery horse in the race. He has been racing mostly over Polytrack at Woodbine and will be trying dirt for the first time. In his last two starts, he finished fifth in a $12,500 claiming race at Woodbine on Sept. 9 and second for $16,000 going 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 22. With $50,993, he is second in money earned behind Mr. Shadar. However, his lone win came in a $20,000 maiden race going six furlongs last year.
Real Simard rides Keep Six.
Eye Scarey is eligible for an entry-level allowance race but she still looks like a standout in the Filly Sales Stakes.
Trained by Ron Grieves, Eye Scarey is coming off of a third-place finish in the $50,000 Alberta Oaks restricted to Alberta-breds on Sept. 19. It was her first time going around three turns, so it wouldn't be surprising to see her move forward in her second try at a middle distance. Also, her last two Beyer Speed Figures of 68 are by far the best in the field. Eye Scarey has good speed, drew the rail, and will likely be put right on the lead by jockey Shannon Beauregard.
Bodgits Lady, trained by Doug MacDonald, is the only stakes winner in the field but she is coming off of two dull races, including a seventh-place finish in the Alberta Oaks.