Northlands: Inhisglory a stickout in Count Lathum

Hastings invader Inhisglory figures to be a short price to win the $50,000 Count Lathum at Northlands Park Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile feature drew five horses and will serve as the final local prep for the Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Aug. 20.

Also on the 10-race card is the $50,000 Canadian Juvenile. Dougs Buddy and No Big Deal appear to be the main players in the six-furlong sprint, which drew six horses.

Trained by Craig MacPherson, Inhisglory is coming off of a strong performance in the $50,000 Chris Loseth at Hastings July 1. It was his first time going a middle distance and he passed the test with flying colors. Breaking sharply with Richard Hamel aboard, Inihisglory dueled with Tarue Grit through honest fractions and then repelled bids by Arraignment and Jump Up and Kissme before posting a solid final time of 1:44.52 for the 1 1/16 miles. He figures to move forward in his second straight route and MacPherson is confident he will handle the ship over the Rocky Mountains.

“Nothing seems to bother him,” said MacPherson. “He’s pretty seasoned.”

Inhisglory has done a lot of travelling in an eight-race career, which has seen him win five times. A stakes winner at Turfway Park, Inhisglory has also raced at Presque Isle Down, Woodbine, and the Fair Grounds.

MacPherson hopes he has another Canadian Derby contender with Tommy D’Horsey, who will be a heavy favorite to win a maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds and up in the first race on Saturday. He is coming off of a fifth-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race in his second start, which came at Hollywood Park July 10.

Richard Hamel rides both horses for MacPherson and the leading rider at Hastings was impressed with Tommy D’Horsey’s half-mile move there July 24.

“I was a bit surprised by how impressed Richard actually was with the work,” said MacPherson. “Let’s break his maiden first and then go from there.”

Local hopes in the Count Lathum rest with Freedoms Traveller and Boomtown Brat.

Trained by Lianne Knechtel, Freedoms Traveller came from off the pace to edge a very game Boomtown Brat in the one-mile $50,000 Ky Alta July 9. He also made a late move to win a first-level allowance sprint in his previous start. An early duel between Inisglory and Boomtown Brat would certainly enhance his chances.

Boomtown Brat had to be hustled early to make the lead from the 10-hole and he gave way grudgingly to lose by just a neck in the Ky Alta. He was an easy front-running winner going six furlongs in the Western Canada.