Rock'n U S A enters Spears on a roll
Unbeaten at Assiniboia in five allowance starts this year, Rockn U S A steps up to face stakes foes for the first time in Sundays $30,000 R.J. Speers over 1 1/16 miles.
Rockn U S A won all five races using his early speed, either going wire to wire or, as he did two starts ago, sitting just off the early pace in second. Those five victories ranged in distance from five to 7 1/2 furlongs and it will be interesting to see how Rockn U S A handles the extra distance and the tougher company.
Rockn U S As victory two outings ago was at 7 1/2 furlongs and he did defeat two of his R.J. Speers foes, Charley Tango and Arthurlooksgood. Trained by Tanya Lindsay, Rockn U S A also defeated two other Speers combatants, Brinello and Rage Till Dawn, in sprint events, but those two do their best running at a mile or over.
At least three of Rockn U S As foes could be forcing the pace early, so leading rider Alan Cuthbertson will have to make a decision whether to try to go wire to wire or take up a stalking position early.
Monsoon Rain carries his own three-race winning streak into this event, the most recent being a 1 1/4-length victory in the one-mile Wheat City. Trained by Martin Drexler, Monsoon Rain was first or second at every call in that race and he should be latched on to Rockn U S A early.
Monsoon Rains previous victory was at Sundays distance, as he beat allowance foes by over six lengths.
Brinello tries for his third straight score after having dominated Manitoba-breds last time out in the one-mile Agassiz. Brinello wired the field in the Agassiz, winning by 12 1/4 lengths with final time of 1:37.80.
Trained by Carl Anderson, Brinello has 2 wins from 3 starts at the distance so he may be able to turn the tables on Rockn U S A, who beat him by three-quarters of a length in a six-furlong sprint three starts ago.
Also lining up for the Speers are Voorhees Ballad, Charley Tango, and Arthurlooksgood, the second- through fourth-place finishers in the Wheat City, and Rage Till Dawn, who ended sixth there.
Arthurlooksgood, second in this race last year, should be near the lead early, while the other three will be looking for a hot pace to run at down the lane.