Northlands: Clever Speed looks like only speed

Clever Speed will try to carry his speed around three turns when he stretches out to a middle distance for the first time in a first-level allowance race that will serve as Monday’s feature at Northlands Park. He is the only horse with any semblance of speed among the six 3-year-olds and up in the one-mile race, and he could be hard to reel in if he breaks alertly under leading rider Rico Walcott.

Post time for the first of eight races is 1 p.m. Mountain.

Trained by Robbin Martens, Clever Speed also owns the best Beyer Speed Figure in the field, 73, which he earned for his 6 1/2-length romp in a maiden special weight race going 6 1/2 furlongs June 26.

Following Clever Speed’s blowout win, Martens took a shot with him in the $49,000 Three and Four Year Old Sales Stakes on July 20, but he was eliminated when he reared at the start.

With a better beginning Clever Speed should be able to control the tempo and, being a half-brother to multiple route winner Clever Fellow, he has a good chance to carry his speed the whole way.

On The Key and Inquisitive Son will appreciate the significantly easier company after having had a hard time keeping up with the leaders of their respective divisions in their last race.

Like the rest of the field, On the Key couldn’t stay with Broadway Empire in the $51,000 Ky Alta on July 6. Making his first start at Northlands in the Ky Alta, Broadway Empire blew away the field and established himself as the early favorite for the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby on Aug. 17. On the Key finished fourth in the six-horse field.

On the Key, trained by Tim Rycroft was coming off a third-place finish in a first-level allowance race going one mile June 19 and a similar effort might be good enough to win this.

Inquisitive Son, trained by Diana Feurhelm, was overmatched when he ran into last year’s local champion older horse Commander in the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy. In his previous race, Inquisitive Son was in the middle of the three-horse photo that separated the winner, Spanish Jazz, himself, and On the Key.

Skimmer Jim took showed a lot of potential when he rallied to win his debut in a maiden special weight race going six furlongs July 12.

Derby Boy, second in a similar race on July 8, is another possibility in what appears to be a wide open field.

Emmetts Remark completes the field.