Rycroft looks to continue roll in Princess Margaret, Duchess of York

Leading trainer Tim Rycroft called it “a perfect day” when he set a Canadian record by winning six races last Saturday at Northlands Park.

“I just kept leading them over, and they all ran through the bridle,” he said. “Things are going good right now. It would be nice to be in front at the end of the meet.”

It is a foregone conclusion that Rycroft will win his first training title. Going into Friday, Rycroft had 41 wins, 22 more than Greg Tracy, who is second in the standings.

Rycroft has a good chance of winning both stakes Saturday at Northlands. First up is the $50,000 Princess Margaret for 2-year-olds, and he thinks Smarty River Pants is the better of the two horses he has entered for Riversedge Racing Stables Ltd. The six-furlong race drew six horses.

Smarty River Pants will break from the outside post with Wilmer Galviz riding. Rycroft’s other horse in the race, Only One Kiss, will likely flash her good speed when she breaks from the rail with Rigo Sarmiento aboard.

A homebred son of Afleet Alex, Smarty River Pants was an easy three-length winner when he debuted going 3 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race July 7. Only One Kiss romped by 4 1/2 lengths going the same distance June 23 in her only start.

“Smarty River Pants shows me that he can be placed anywhere, and right now Only One Kiss is a bit one dimensional,” he said.

Rycroft could have mentioned that the 64 Beyer Speed Figure that Smarty River Pants received is easily the best in the field.

The main threat to the Rycroft pair is Passive, who is one of three horses in the six-horse field trained by Tracy.

An Ontario-bred daughter of Violence, she is the only horse in the field with a race going around two turns and she was impressive winning a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race by 4 3/4 lengths July 14.

She will break from post 3 with leading rider Rico Walcott aboard.

Rycroft is hoping for another strong performance from Sail On By in the $50,000 Duchess of York. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares drew six horses and goes as race 7.

A a half-sister to three stakes winners, Sail On By figured to improve when she stretched out to a middle distance, and she did in spades. In her first start going around three turns, and first for Rycroft, she came from well back to win a one-mile first-level allowance race June 17. The British Columbia-bred daughter of Finality proved it was no fluke when she took them all the way going 1 1/16 miles in the $75,000 Shirley Vargo Handicap on July 7.

“She is a big, nice-looking filly, and has been training very well,” Rycroft said. “There is a lot of speed in the field, so I don’t expect her to be on the lead this time.”

Sail On By will break from post 4 with Neptali Ortiz retaining the mount.

Tara’s Way and C U At Eau Claire will be the ones providing the speed.

Anstrum, trained by Monica Russell, came from last to finish second to Sail On By in the Shirley Vargo. She rallied to win the $50,000 John Patrick in her previous start.