Ruffaroundtheedges tops Distaff

It is somewhat rare to come across a 3-year-old filly who has put up five wins this year, but at Zia Park there will be two such individuals running in the $55,000 Distaff. Ruffaround-theedges and Miss Missile will each be looking for her sixth win of 2008 in the race, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. Their chief competition is another 3-year-old, Sassy Blend, who has won 4 of her last 5 starts and is now looking for win No. 5 on the year.

Ruffaroundtheedges comes into the Distaff off a dominant win in the $50,000 New Braunfels at six furlongs at Retama Park on Nov. 8. She earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94, which also is the best last-race number in the Distaff. Alan Love, who trains Ruffaroundthe-edges, shipped the filly from her Retama Park base to Zia on Wednesday. He said he targeted this race for a number of reasons.

"It's about what she's been running in, and close to the time period in which we run," he said. "And it's kind of her distance."

Ruffaroundtheedges is a strong closer and should get a decent pace setup in the Distaff behind speed horses Lauras Last Magic and Almost Ten, as well as Sassy Blend, who set a quick pace en route to a 2 1/2-length win in the $50,000 La Fiesta at 5 1/2 furlongs at Albuquerque on Oct. 26.

"She's going to be off the pace and come on the end," said Love, who has named Jeremy Collier to ride Ruffaroundtheedges.

Miss Missile also figures to be prominent. She was third last out in the $50,000 Mademoiselle at five furlongs at Delta Downs on Nov. 1, and she worked a bullet three furlongs in 34.20 seconds in her final prep for the Distaff. A.J. Martinez has the mount for trainer Charlie Smith.