Northlands: Mr Know It All, Honey Candy formidable favorites in co-featured stakes

As usual, trainer Greg Tracy has a stakes for 2-year-olds at Northlands Park surrounded with three of the seven horses entered in Saturday’s $50,000 Birdcatcher for colts and geldings.

Oddly, Tracy doesn’t have any horses entered in the $50,000 Bird of Pay for 2-year-old fillies that will share the spotlight on an eight-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Mountain.

Both stakes will be contested at 6 1/2 furlongs and have solid favorites. The Tracy-trained Mr Know It All figures to take most of the betting action in the Birdcatcher. Honey Candy, trained by Robertino Diodoro, paid $3.40 when she won the restricted Filly Sales Stakes by 6 3/4 lengths, and is clearly the one to beat in the Bird of Pay.

Tracy doesn’t like to commit to which of his horses he prefers but leading rider Rico Walcott usually gets his choice of mounts and he will ride Mr Know It All, who was an easy winner when he debuted in a maiden race going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 7. He came back with a bullet four-furlong move in 49.20 seconds Aug. 19 and as a half-brother to stakes winner Spring to the Sky he could have plenty of potential. Mr Know It All was purchased for $95,000 as a yearling at Keeneland last September by Riversedge Racing Stables.

Mr Know It All drew the rail and Walcott will likely put him right on the lead.

Tracy’s horse Western Heritage also has speed and he used it winning his debut in a maiden race going 3 1/2 furlongs at Hastings on June 16. He finished fourth after setting quick fractions under pressure in the $50,000 New Westminster at Hastings on July 4.

Hanrahan also won going 3 1/2 furlongs for Tracy at Hastings, but wasn’t much of a factor when he ran in the $45,000 Emerald Express at Emerald Downs.

Go Max could be a threat from a stalking position. Trained by Joan Petwrowski, Go Max rallied to win a maiden race going 5 1/2 furlongs in his debut July 8 and came back with a solid effort in the Edmonton Juvenile, finishing second to True Thought.

Legend Fortynine is coming off an 11 1/4-length romp in the Sales Stakes but the time was slow and he will need to improve on the 38 Beyer Speed Figure he received.

Legend Fortynine is trained by Dale Saunders, who might have a better shot with Wild Legend, who finished second to Mr Know It All in his only start.

Honey Candy is stepping into open company in the Bird of Pay but the 70 Beyer she earned for her easy win in the Filly Sales Stakes on Aug. 10 with Amie Pooli aboard is by far the highest in the field.

Pooli, who retains the mount, was also aboard when Honey Candy debuted and won a maiden race going 3 1/2 furlongs July 20.

The connections of Canadian Derby runner-up Reporting Star, trainer Craig MacPherson and owner Chad Joe, are shipping Cougarville from Hastings for the Bird of Pay.

Cougarville won her only start in a six-furlong maiden race July 21.

“She didn’t run that fast but she just did what she had to,” said MacPherson. “I think she has the heart to go out there and fight for it. Plus, there isn’t anything at Hastings for her.”

Walcott picks up the mount.

Absolute Ginger improved dramatically when trainer Rod Cone added blinkers for her third start in a maiden race, which she won by 7 1/4 lengths July 29.

Pay to Go Home, second in the $52,000 Princess Margaret, could pick up the pieces if an all-out duel develops.

Bet On Soup could be heard from late.