Produckson goes after 14th win

PORTLAND, Ore. - An evenly matched field of eight older runners will vie at 1 1/8 miles in Sunday's Tissington Starter Handicap at Portland Meadows.

The Tissington, which will be run under $4,000 starter handicap conditions, honors a durable campaigner who raced here for eight years under the guidance of owner and trainer Jim Keen. Tissington made 102 starts, winning 14 times and earning $67,692 before dying of an illness last August at age 11.

Though none of Sunday's contestants can quite match Tissington's longevity, the 9-year-old Produckson can equal his win total with a victory. Trained by Jonathan Nance, Produckson has 13 wins from 53 starts, and he is the only entrant who has won at the Tissington distance. Produckson had a two-race win streak broken when he finished fifth to Delinquenator at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 29.

Delinquenator, who returned to win another 1 1/16-mile race for $2,500 claimers on Feb. 25, figures to contend for the favorite's role with McAllister Creek, who also shoots for his third straight win. McAllister Creek beat $3,200 company at a mile before beating $2,500 rivals at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 11. McAllister Creek is the highweight at 124 pounds, a pound more than Galpin Joe.

Galpin Joe was well beaten by allowance company in his last start on Feb. 20, but he twice defeated claimers at a mile earlier in this meeting.