Salsa Express meets Shanali in sprint feature

With plenty of speed lined up, Salsa Express could get the perfect trip in a $25,000 optional-claiming race at Northlands Park on Wednesday evening. The six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares drew seven horses, and if the race unfolds as expected, Salsa Express has an excellent chance of getting her picture taken for the 26th time.

Trained by Ernie Keller, Salsa Express has been a gem of consistency throughout a career that began with a runner-up finish in a maiden special weight race in Boise, Idaho, in 2008. In her second start, she romped by 10 1/4 lengths in a stakes race restricted to Idaho-breds. The 10-year-old mare has gone on to compile an enviable 25-20-15 record from 72 starts for earnings of $379,861.

Salsa Express arrived in 2010 at Northlands, where she has won 17 times, including 14 for Keller, who claimed her for $15,000 in 2011.

Salsa Express is coming off a third-place finish in a $35,000 optional claimer Aug. 3 and will be seeking her third win at the meet with Tony Maragh riding.

Shanali has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite but could be vulnerable while making her first start since she won the $49,000 Filly Sales Stakes in her third career start last August. Trained by Tim Rycroft, the lightly raced 3-year-old filly also could have her hands full facing proven older fillies and mares for the first time.

Momma’s Gone Wild has good speed and will make her presence known after leaving from the inside post with Shannon Beauregard aboard. The Rod Cone trainee is coming off back-to-back front-running wins for $12,500 and $17,500.

KEY CONTENDERS

Salsa Express (Last 3 Beyers: 60-59-46)

◗ How can you not like a horse who has shown up in just about every one of her 72 starts?

◗ Her good tactical speed should give her the edge in a race where there is an abundance of speed.

Momma’s Gone Wild (Last 3 Beyers: 61-68-56)

◗ The speed of the speed could be tough to get past if she clears early after leaving from the rail. She likely will be under substantial pressure from more than one horse, however.

Holy Force (Last 3 Beyers: 63-53-30)

◗ Trained by Rycroft, she was very game in losing by a neck as the 9-5 favorite in a similar race Aug. 7. She was ridden by leading rider Rico Walcott, who retains the mount.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Since 2012 at Northlands, Walcott has a 35 percent strike rate while riding for Rycroft.