Northlands Park: Storm's Battle aims to wire Wednesday allowance

It is hard to separate the six horses running in a second-level allowance race that will serve as Wednesday’s feature at Northlands Park. The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up goes as the ninth race.

Storm’s Battle appears to be the speed of the race, and if he can clear early he might be able to take them the whole way. The B.C-bred son of Storm Victory is trained by his owner and breeder, Alfred Webster. Storm’s Battle is coming off a sharp front-running win over Rum Ruckus in a first-level allowance race June 29. He appears to have just one way of going, and apprentice rider Scott Williams will be trying to put him on the lead right out of the gate.

There is other speed in the field, and if trainer Robertino Diodoro has Short Memo ready to go in his first start in three months, he could pick up the pieces. In his last start, Short Memo rallied to finish third in a 7 1/2-furlong first-level allowance race on turf at Turf Paradise on May 1. He was coming off an easy 5 3/4-length win in a one-mile $10,000 claiming race for nonwinners of two April 6. In his other win, he came from out of the clouds to win a maiden special weight race for California-breds going six furlongs on turf at Hollywood Park in 2010.

Points Alert should get first crack at what could be tiring speed if Indoctrination goes with Storm’s Battle. Trained by Cody Anderson, Points Alert has finished third in three straight races at this level, and the horse that won his last race, Big Bad Butch, easily won a $22,000 claiming race July 20. Points Alert is looking for his first win since he won a first-level allowance race in his first start as a sophomore last year.

Indoctrination shouldn’t mind the move back to a sprint after forcing the pace and fading going one mile in a $15,000 claiming race July 18. It was the first time the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred had attempted a middle distance.

Rum Ruckus and Six Pack round out the competitive field.

Quarter Horse fans will want to arrive in time to the see the first three races on the 10-race card, which begins at 6 p.m. Mountain. The 330-yard races for 2-year-olds are trials for the $45,000-estimated Alberta Stallion Stakes Futurity on Aug. 25.