Peaceful Turzia has right derby style

CALGARY, Alberta - Peaceful Turzia, winner of the six-furlong Jim Coleman Province last out, heads a group of four invaders from Hastings, while Ballintoy, winner of the President's here two starts back, leads the local contingent of five 3-year-olds in Saturday's wide-open Alberta Derby.

The best last-race Beyer Speed Figure of 83 belongs to Peaceful Turzia, who benefited from quick fractions in the Jim Coleman Province to score by a half-length under Fernando Perez, who will ride the gelding for trainer Mal Beveridge.

Peaceful Turzia's mid-pack running style fits this crowded field perfectly, and should he translate his sprinting kick to this 1 1/16-mile distance he is capable of carrying home the winner's share of the $125,000 purse.

Ballintoy's score in the six-furlong President's also came from off the pace, but he followed up with a fourth-place finish in the one-mile Hoofprint on My Heart over a sloppy surface he did not handle.

Trainer Rob Chabot was able to work Ballintoy a strong five furlongs in 1:00.80 on June 6, one of the few days this past two weeks when the training surface was fast.

There is plenty of speed signed on, including Savo Island, who led to deep stretch before yielding to Peaceful Turzia in the Coleman. Savo Island drew the rail, and rider Dave Wilson will undoubtedly be sending away from the gate.

Arkhill, winner of four sprints at Hastings, suffered his only defeat to Ballintoy in an allowance here this spring.

Harlem, who won his maiden going a mile at Santa Anita on March 31, rounds out the invading contingent and must overcome the outside post.

Cool Ventura rates a long look off his three closing efforts here this spring, encountering trouble in each instance. In the President's, he broke poorly and rallied for third, and he wound his way through traffic in the Hoofprint on My Heart to close strongly for second.

Trainer Ron Grieves will saddle a pair for Bar None Ranches with Little Davey, a winner of a one-mile prep here May 19, appearing the stronger of the two. The other, Papa Time, has closed well in his starts and was third in the Hoofprint, but eight lengths back of Cool Ventura.

* The rescheduled Duchess of York completes a stakes doubleheader, and Tanika, She's Italian, and Debie Ginsburg - separated by just a neck in a blanket finish in the Ken Pearson Memorial - will rekindle their rivalry.