Ruffenuff now healthy for Red Smith Handicap

Ruffenuff, who has never lost on the racetrack, will try to keep that record intact when she runs in the $50,000 R.K. (Red) Smith Handicap at Northlands Park on Friday evening. Ruffenuff figures to be a short price in the one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies that drew six horses.

Also on the eight-race card that begins at 6:30 p.m. Mountain is the $50,000 John Patrick Handicap for fillies and mares, and the shape of that one-mile race should work in favor of Quality Lane.

Ruffenuff’s only blemish in her six-race career is due to a positive test for the muscle relaxant dantrolene after she won the one-mile Freedom of the City by 10 1/4 lengths at Northlands last year. Trained by Greg Tracy, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Dialed In won three races as juvenile at Northlands by a combined 29 1/4 lengths. She hasn’t lost this year but hasn’t been as dominant.

After winning allowance races at Turf Paradise and Hastings, she was expected to romp in the Chariot Chaser at Northlands on May 26. However, after opening up six lengths on the field at the half-mile call with Quincy Welch aboard, she was hard ridden to hold off Savitforarainyday in the six-furlong dash for sophomore fillies.

The extremely fast 44.85-second half-mile time might have had something to do with her coming back to the field.

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“She was also coming off a five-week layoff, and because she had caught a virus at Hastings, she had just one work between races,” said Tracy. “She’s doing very well right now, and she showed in her wins at Turf Paradise and Hastings that she doesn’t need to be on the lead.”

Ruffenuff drew post 5, with Welch retaining the mount.

Dumont will make her first start at Northlands for trainer Tim Rycroft. A Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Hero, Dumont has been a gem of consistency on Tapeta, compiling a 3-2-0 record from five starts at Golden Gate Fields this year. She is coming off a win in a one-mile, $40,000 starter race April 8.

“We skipped the Chariot Chaser with her because she doesn’t really want to sprint,” said Rycroft. “She’s been training progressively better, and I’m looking forward to seeing what I’ve got.”

Dumont will break from the outside post, with Shamaree Muir riding.

Saveitforarainyday, a two-time stakes winner for trainer Tom Rycroft, figures to be rolling late with Rico Walcott riding.

◗ Quality Lane, trained by Joan Petrowski, will be making her second start since she won the John Patrick last year. In her first start since her head win over Truvi in the John Patrick, she rallied to edge Classyshadesofgrey by the same margin in the $50,000 Wild Rose Handicap on May 26.

With a fast and honest pace expected, the 5-year-old mare by Quality Road has a good chance of getting up in time with Dane Nelson retaining the mount.

Onestaratatime, who dominated the local 3-year-old filly division with four front-running romps in middle-distance stakes races last year, will try to get back on track after finishing fifth in the six-furlong Wild Rose.

Trained by Tracy, Onestaratatime should appreciate the added distance and likely will be the one they have to catch if she breaks alertly with Walcott riding.

Tracy also entered Classyshadesofgrey, who had the lead at the top of the stretch in the Wild Rose but couldn’t hold off Quality Lane. She was coming off a sharp score going 3 1/2 furlongs in her first start at Northlands.

A five-time winner at Woodbine, Classyshadesofgrey will be looking for her first win at a middle distance.