Rescheduled stakes has clear favorite

EDMONTON, Alberta - Kathern's Cat heads a field of four Sunday in the $50,000 Penny Ridge, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park. The Penny Ridge was originally scheduled to be run on the final day of the Stampede Park meeting, which was canceled due to flooding conditions.

A Kentucky-bred, Kathern's Cat will rule as the heavy favorite as result of her victory in Stampede's one-mile Lilac Handicap May 29. That was her second start since being claimed at Gulfstream for $75,000 in March by trainer Stuart Simon and the McLellan family.

Kathern's Cat will carry 122 pounds with Quincy Welch up and will be opposed by Lilac runner-up Speedy Gone Sally, Wild Bender, and Nessarose.

Last October, Kathern's Cat shipped out from Toronto to win the one-mile Freedom of the City here at Northlands.

The Penny Ridge is named in honor of the late founder of the Alberta division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society.

"Penny was the one person really responsible for Alberta becoming a member society of the CTHS," said Rennie Gellner, Alberta CTHS manager. "She organized an office originally in her own home, and she looked after the registration of Alberta's racehorses and did all the office work in her labor of love before retiring in 1978."

In 1985 Ridge became the first winner of Alberta's horseperson of the year award out of recognition of her two decades of service.