No easy spot for D'Wildcat Speed

MIAMI - D'Wildcat Speed has proven to be both a delight and source of frustration to trainer Bill White since her arrival from Puerto Rico last winter. Saturday, White is hoping for another of those delightful moments from the graded-stakes-winning D'Wildcat Speed when she heads a talent-packed field of six fillies and mares in Calder's $40,000 Draw In Stakes.

The Draw In shares top billing on Saturday's 13-race card with the $40,000 Ambehaving Stakes. Both races will be decided under allowance conditions at 1 1/16 miles.

won 14 of her 15 starts in Puerto Rico but has managed only six starts since launching her U.S. career last winter. Her career was put on hold several times as the result of a series of nagging injuries that have tested White's patience.

D'Wildcat Speed gained national attention at Gulfstream Park after finishing third behind Madcap Escapade in the Grade 2 Shirley Jones Handicap and upsetting the odds-on Isola Piu Bella by six lengths to capture the Grade 2 Rampart Handicap. She was then on target for the Grade 2 Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap at Churchill Downs when forced out of consideration just days before the race after again falling victim to the injury bug.

The Draw In will mark D'Wildcat Speed's first start since the Rampart, but White is confident she's ready for another big effort despite the 5 1/2-month layoff.

"She's training great," said White. "This filly has always run well fresh, and usually when a horse has run well fresh in the past they will be able to do it again."

The Draw In is no cozy spot for D'Wildcat Speed's return, with the lineup also including the multiple graded-stakes-placed Pampered Princess and red-hot American Miss. D'Wildcat Speed drew the rail with American Miss and Pampered Princess just outside her in posts 2 and 3.

"When you have the rail you're more or less forced to go early to establish position, but being it's her first start back I don't want to see her gunning too fast or getting into a speed duel," said White of D'Wildcat Speed. "Hopefully she will be able to get herself in a good spot just off the lead."

Despite being a Grade 2 winner, D'Wildcat Speed receives a five-pound break in weights from both American Miss and Pampered Princess, the co-highweights under 123 pounds.

proved no match for D'Wildcat Speed when finishing third in the Rampart. She came back to easily win a pair of overnight stakes here during the spring before being upset by American Miss as the 1-9 favorite in the Nancy's Glitter Handicap.

has won three in a row, including two stakes, but takes the worst of an eight-pound weight shift off her previous meeting with Pampered Princess.

The enigmatic Predawn Raid, who has won 4 of 5 starts after being eased to the wire in four consecutive races during a six-month span last year, may be the slight choice in the wide-open Ambehaving.

Predawn Raid has not started since winning a four-other-than allowance race by five lengths here on July 12. A pair of promising 3-year-olds, Hal's Image and Dazzling Dr. Cevin, are among the competition, which also includes Mister Fotis, Whos Crying Now, Supervisor, Current Niner, Lawbook, and Obsidian.