Northlands Park: Tracy has solid pair in Western Handicap

Trainer Greg Tracy likes his chances in the $50,000 Western Handicap for 3-year-olds at Northlands Park on Saturday. He just isn’t sure which horse he prefers – Bond James Bond or Dollarwaitnonadime – in the six-furlong sprint that drew eight horses.

Bond James Bond, the champion 2-year-old in Alberta last year, should appreciate being back at Northlands, where he has never lost. He will be looking to rebound after suffering his first defeat in the $50,000 Jim Coleman Province at Hastings on May 7. He had a couple of excuses for his fifth-place finish. He was sandwiched between horses while dueling for the early lead, and it also was his first time running over a sloppy track. In his first start this year, he was a sharp winner of a $75,000 optional claimer going six furlongs at Hastings on April 16.

“He’s happy to be home,” Tracy said. “He’s been a pretty tough horse here.”

Tracy was planning on running Dollarwaitnonadime in the $50,000 River Rock Casino at Hastings on June 5 but scratched him when Dollarwaitnonadime came down with a slight fever. Dollarwaitnonadime also is undefeated at Northlands, winning a $27,500 maiden claiming race in his only start at 2 and scoring an upset win over Indoctrination in a six-furlong, first-level allowance race May 21. His only loss in three starts was a fifth-place finish against a very tough field of older allowance horses at Hastings in his first start this year.

“He is doing really well,” Tracy said. “If the race was here, I wouldn’t have scratched him but I didn’t want to ship him to Hastings when he wasn’t perfect. They have different styles, so it could go either way. If the speed is holding, Bond James Bond will have the edge. If not, Dollarwaitnonadime could get them late.”

There should be an honest pace. Joker Lake is undefeated in two starts going 3 1/2 furlongs, and The Great Caper forced quick fractions before tiring in a $32,000 optional claiming race in his first start at Northlands on May 25.

Boomtown Brat and Big Bad Butch also have good speed but can rate. Either one could pick up the pieces from a stalking position if an all-out duel develops.