Raider looks to stay perfect at Northlands in Red Smith Handicap

Raider will try to keep her perfect record in Alberta intact when she takes on a solid field of 3-year-old fillies in the $50,000 R.K. “Red” Smith Handicap at Northlands Park on Friday evening. A serious threat to Raider is Madam Bullet, trained by none other than Red Smith, who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2004.

Post time for the 1 1/16-mile race, which drew seven horses, is 9:26 p.m. Mountain.

Trained by Greg Tracy, Raider has won half of her eight starts, with three wins at Northlands Park. She easily won the $50,000 Sales Stakes last year, and after finishing third in the $50,000 Ross McLeod at Hastings in her initial start this year, she was a convincing winner at Northlands in the $51,000 Chariot Chaser Handicap on June 1.

Raider is coming off a win June 30 in a one-mile optional $30,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies with allowance conditions that effectively made it an open race for locally based horses. With leading rider Rico Walcott aboard, she appeared to be home and cooled out when she made a strong move to take the lead from I Miss Back When at the top of the stretch. However, I Miss Back When fought back, and Raider was all out to win by a head.

“The pace wasn’t that fast, and Rico moved her sooner than he would have liked,” said Tracy. “There is more speed in this race, so I think it will set up nicely for her.”

Raider will break from post 4 under Walcott.

Some of the speed will be provided by her stablemate Suzette, who will break from the rail under Keishan Balgobin. Suzette used her speed to win the Bird of Pay and Freedom of the City at Northlands last year by a combined 17 3/4 lengths.

Madam Bullet ran out of real estate when she finished third behind Raider and I Miss Back When in the Chariot Chaster. She galloped out strongly, and with a fast pace expected on Friday, she could get up in time with Rey Williams riding.

“She’s all right,” said Smith, 80. “She’s a big, strong filly. She ran second to a tough one the first time she went long, and she’s a sound horse, so she’s coming up to the race in good shape.”

Smith was referring to Madam Bullet’s runner-up finish behind the 4-year-old filly Sail On By in a one-mile first-level allowance race June 17. Sail On By came back to beat the best older fillies and mares at Northlands in the $50,000 Shirley Vargo last Saturday.

“That’s what I call a pretty tough nonwinners of two,” said Smith.

I Miss Back When, trained by Tim Rycroft, took a big step forward when she went around three turns for the first time in the Chariot Chaser and could turn the tables on Raider if she continues to progress.