Repeat of last would do the trick

EDMONTON, Alberta - Beth's Best Bet comes off an impressive six-length victory in her career debut in which she well could have been everyone's best bet here at Northlands Park. A California-bred by Valid Wager, Beth's Best Bet seeks to win a first-level allowance for fillies and mares here Wednesday.

Beth's Best Bet, a 3-year-old, dominated a group of maidens with a front-running tally under Rickey Walcott, completing 6 1/2 furlongs in the good time of 1:17.80. A repeat of her July 15 opener would put Beth's Best Bet and Walcott back in the winner's circle, although she did draw the outside post in the field of seven.

Beth's Best Bet's main threat to contest the early lead is Fanning for Gold, who breaks just to her inside with Real Simard up. A 4-year-old, Fanning for Gold won her maiden in wire-to-wire fashion going six furlongs two starts ago, but faded in her subsequent outing, which came over 6 1/2 furlongs here July 2.

* Tanika ($8.80) improved her lifetime mark to 5 for 7 with a determined effort in last Saturday's $100,000 Northlands Oaks.

A daughter of Orientate, Tanika avenged her defeat to Calendar Girl in the May 6 Mount Royal at Stampede Park under another fine ride by Stephan Heiler. Despite the fact that Quincy Welch was allowed to set leisurely early fractions with Calendar Girl in the 1 1/16-mile Northlands Oaks, Heiler patiently bided his time in second with Tanika and made his move at the top of the turn for home. The two fillies battled the length of the stretch with Tanika prevailing by a neck in 1:43.40.