Northlands Park: Constable Sheppard should get nice setup in Wednesday feature

Take your pick in a $12,500 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up that will serve as the feature race at Northlands Park on Wednesday. The one-mile race goes as the seventh race, and it is hard to take a firm stand on any of the nine horses entered. Post time for the first of eight races is 6 p.m. Mountain.

Constable Sheppard might be worth a play at what should be a decent price. Trained by Deanna Walper, Constable Sheppard rallied to finish third behind Rise to Glory and Indian Love in a similar race Aug. 14. The interior fractions were moderate, though, and with Passion Red and Summers Promise in the field Wednesday, there will likely be an honest pace to set Constable Sheppard up.

Apprentice Amie Pooli was aboard Constable Sheppard for the first time Aug. 14, and she should have a better feel of when to time his late move.

Rise to Glory and Indian Love battled the whole way Aug. 14, with Rise to Glory pulling away in the last sixteenth to win by a length. Rise to Glory is versatile, and with a fast pace expected, Shannon Beauregard will probably want to ease him into a stalking position. He is trained by Tim Rycroft.

Indian Love won his first start this year in a $17,500 claiming race going six furlongs May 11 and came right back with a narrow loss for the same price. He went off form in three subsequent races before his improved effort last time. A Dale Saunders trainee, Indian Love has compiled a solid 2-3-1 record from 8 starts at the distance and looks like a serious threat with leading rider Rico Walcott picking up the mount for the first time this year. In 2012, Walcott won two of the three times he rode Indian Love.

Double Kisses, trained by Red Smith, didn’t fire as the favorite in a one-mile, $17,500 claiming race Aug. 12, but he may have bounced following his sharp win going 1 1/16 miles in a $12,500 claimer July 27. If he runs a similar race, he will be tough to handle. As a 3-year-old last year, Double Kisses won the $15,000 Alberta Derby on turf at Alberta Downs and the $25,000 Saskatchewan Derby at Marquis Downs.

Passion Red could be dangerous if he can clear early, but Summers Promise will likely keep him honest.

Reggie Dunlop also has speed and has used it to win eight races in his career, none going longer than 6 1/2 furlongs, though.

Relatorre completes the field.