Northlands: Ready Racer right back in Friday allowance sprint

Trainer Dale Saunders was expecting Ready Racer to set the pace in the $100,000 Speed to Spare at Northlands Park last Saturday, but the talented sprinter lost any chance he had when he stumbled badly at the start of the 1 3/8-mile race.

Saunders isn’t sure what to expect when Ready Racer runs in an allowance sprint for 3-year-olds and up that will serve as Friday’s feature. There is a $40,000 claiming optional available in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, but all five horses entered are eligible for the conditions, which restrict the race to horses that have not won a race other than maiden or claiming since Sept. 1.

None fits the conditions better than Ready Racer, who won the $50,000 Sun Sprint Championship on Sept. 1. His 98 Beyer Speed Figure from that race is by far the best figure posted at the meet. If he can rebound with a similar effort coming off a 1 3/8-mile race just six days ago, he will be the winner.

“I have no idea how he is going to run, but he seems fine and the season is just about over, so we may as well run him,” Saunders said. “He hasn’t done anything since the Speed to Spare, and I’ll just lead him over and see how it goes.”

Fernando Perez retains the mount.

Ready Racer benefitted from a lively and contested pace in the Sun Sprint Championship and once again there is plenty of potential speed to set him up.

Gone in a Flash, trained by Ron Grieves, was gunned from the rail in the Sun Sprint Championship and the Red Dial Express on Sept. 15, and both times came up empty in the stretch. He drew post 3 on Friday, and Stephan Heiler should have more options with the other speed breaking inside of him. Gone in a Flash rallied from sixth to finish second in the $50,000 Journal going six furlongs, and it will be interesting to see if Heiler tries to stalk Tiny Giant or puts him right on the lead.

Tiny Giant finished third behind Ready Racer and Gone in a Flash in the Sun Sprint, but edged Gone in a Flash for second in the Red Dial Express. Trained by Joan Petrowski, Tiny Giant is versatile, but in most of his seven wins he was involved right from the start.

Boomtown Brat is coming off consecutive wins in $30,000 claiming races and will put his good speed to use breaking from the inside post.

Forgetthestorm rounds out the field.