Northlands Park: Dollarwaitnonadime finds a spot

Dollarwaitnonadime appears to have a stranglehold on a $32,000 optional claiming race that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Northlands Park. The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds drew six horses and there isn’t much doubt Dollarwaitnonadime will be sent off as the favorite.

Trained by Greg Tracy, Dollarwaitnonadime should appreciate the move back to a sprint as well as the much easier company he will be facing after tiring in the one-mile $50,000 Ky Alta Handicap July 9. Dollarwaitnonadime was stretching out to a middle distance for the first time in the Ky Alta and he forced an honest pace before fading in the stretch to finish fourth. He won a first-level allowance sprint in his first start at the meet May 21 and he also ran a big race to finish third in the six-furlong Western Canada, won by Boomtown Brat June 18.

Dollarwaitnonadime has tactical speed, and his usual rider Fernando Perez should be able to put him into a stalking position leaving from the outside post.

Malicious was on a bit of a roll before he tried stakes company in the Western Canada and Ky Alta, finishing out of the money both times. Trained by James McCullough, Malicious scored a front-running win in a maiden special weight race May 11 and came right back to win a first-level allowance race June 5. He appears to have just one way of going, and he faded badly when he couldn’t make the lead in his last two starts. He will certainly appreciate the move back to a sprint and could take them a long way if he clears early.

Trainer Joan Petrowski is having a strong meet with 27 winners, and one of her recent wins came with So Good Lucky, who is stepping up in class after edging Treasured Kitten in a maiden special weight race July 27. It took So Good Lucky 11 starts to win a race, but he has been a sharp horse lately with second-place finishes in his two starts before the win.

Storm’s Battle likes to be involved early. He led from start to finish in his win over So Good Lucky July 6 and then had his chances compromised when he broke in the air in a second-level allowance race July 20.

Lewisham and Aces Again round out the field.

* According to jockey agent Riley Rycroft, leading apprentice jockey Scott Williams is out for the remainder of the year due to symptoms related to a concussion he received when he went down in a spill a few weeks ago. Williams was third in the jockey standings with 35 wins.