One last hurdle for Hey Hey Renee

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Hey Hey Renee looks to complete a perfect meet in Saturday's Matron Breeders' Cup for fillies and mares here at Assiniboia Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile Matron Breeders' Cup carries a guaranteed purse of $40,000 with an additional $25,000 for the field's Breeders' Cup-eligible horses - Empress Pegasus, Fancy Tango, Just Fine, Kathern's Cat, and Vicar's Daughter.

One of two 3-year-olds in the field, Hey Hey Renee has won all four of her starts here this meet. Hey Hey Renee began the year by winning the Chantilly Stakes, then took an allowance prep for the Jack Hardy Stakes before taking the Jack Hardy itself. In her most recent start, on Sept. 3, Hey Hey Renee added blinkers for the 1 1/16-mile Assiniboia Oaks and was a length better than Empress Pegasus.

A maiden and the other 3-year-old in the field, Empress Pegasus finished fifth in the Manitoba Derby two starts back before her runner-up finish in the Assiniboia Oaks.

Remiewaterbluz won the La Verendrye and Canada Day Stakes in her first two starts of the year. She then finished second in an allowance prep for the Winnipeg Sun and in the Winnipeg Sun itself, before a fourth-place finish in the Shakopee at Canterbury Park.

Vicar's Daughter won a conditioned allowance race in her last start. She finished second in the Canada Day earlier this year.

Kathern's Cat and Just Fine were the third- and fourth-place finishers in Vicar's Daughter's allowance win.

Kathern's Cat's lone win this year came at Northlands Park over an optional $40,000 claiming field. Just Fine won her first two starts for trainer Raymond Liu after being claimed on July 7, then finished fourth behind Vicar's Daughter last time out.

Fancy Tango, a front-end winner over claimers last time out, completes the field.