Nymphenburg drop may do it

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Nymphenburg, coming off a lackluster effort in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes, should be more effective against Ontario-sired opposition in the $108,900 Classy 'n Smart Stakes on Wednesday.

A field of 10 fillies and mares was drawn for the 1 1/16-mile Classy 'n Smart, the final Wednesday night stakes of the Woodbine meet.

Nymphenburg made a name for herself on turf this year, winning the Victoriana Stakes and placing in the Grade 2 Canadian Handicap. She was beaten only 2 1/2 lengths when fourth behind three talented French fillies in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes.

On the weekend of Nov. 3-4, trainer Jerry Meyer entered Nymphenburg in both the Maple Leaf on dirt and the River Memories Stakes on grass. He opted for the Maple Leaf, because he said he didn't want to run her on "bad" turf for about half the purse.

Nymphenburg tracked the pace under regular rider Gary Boulanger in the 1 1/4-mile Maple Leaf, but began to weaken on the far turn and finished 10 lengths in arrears in sixth.

Meyer believes that shortening Nymphenburg to a middle distance will be to her benefit.

"She didn't rate kindly in the Maple Leaf," Meyer said. "She was too fresh and sharp and 1 1/4 miles was too far for her. She's better at 1 1/16 miles."

Meyer sees Beautiful Belle as the main competition Wednesday.

Beautiful Belle snapped out of a slump with back-to-back scores in $62,500 claimers earlier this fall. She was favored last time in the Jammed Lovely Stakes, a restricted seven-furlong dash for 3-year-olds, but was dueled into defeat by Poetically, while saving ground and finished second.

Trainer Abraham Katryan said things didn't go Beautiful Belle's way in the Jammed Lovely.

"She broke a little slow from the one-hole, and the inside was bad," Katryan said. "All things considered, I thought she ran a good race."

Beautiful Belle has yet to win around two turns, but Katryan is hopeful that she will give a good account of herself.

"A mile and a sixteenth is a little farther than she wants to go," he said. "But she should be tough if she gets loose on the lead."

Completing the field are Regal Snicker, Katherine of Ascot, Classical Romance, Niki Nikininedoors, Classic Ingrid, Branksome Hall, Fafnir, and Moonlight Affair.

Katherine of Ascot, who won the 2000 Classy 'n Smart for trainer Reade Baker, could give Beautiful Belle a tussle on the front end.

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