Nothing artificial about Bear Lahaina's talent

Bear Lahaina will have the blinkers taken off when she faces 10 other fillies and mares in the $100,000 Satin and Lace on the Presque Isle Downs Tapeta surface Saturday evening.

Trained by Reade Baker, Bear Lahaina has won 5 of 10 starts, all the victories coming on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Woodbine. A 4-year-old daughter of Silver Deputy, she won her first start of this year on April 12. In that optional allowance event, she won by four lengths, traveling the same 5 1/2 furlongs as the Satin and Lace. She earned a lifetime-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96 and remained perfect in three starts at the distance. In her last out May 10 she ran sixth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Hendrie going 6 1/2 furlongs.

"She has just been too speed-crazy, so we decided to take her blinkers off," said Baker. "She worked way too fast before her last race. I think we are coming into this race a lot better. I think it will be a big change for her. She is at the top of her game now, and I expect her to run a big race Saturday."

Baker expects Bear Lahaina to run well on dirt eventually. "She ran second in her only dirt start as a 2-year-old at Tampa Bay, and she is a good filly, very classy, and she will run well on anything.

Dale Beckner will ride Bear Lahaina for the first time. "He has a good head on his shoulders, and that is what you want," Baker said of Beckner.

Dancing Allstar, 4, should also run well in the Satin and Lace. She won the Grade 3 Whimsical April 18 and then ran fourth in the Hendrie Mayo10 in her only outings this year. Both races were at Woodbine. Willie Martinez will ride for the first time.