Saunders looks to right the ship with Minutesandtouches

Trainer Dale Saunders is hoping to start turning things around when he runs Minutesandtouches in a $12,500 claiming race that will serve as the Friday feature at Northlands.

The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew an overflow field of 12 horses and goes as the seventh race on an eight-race card that begins at 6:30 p.m. Mountain. Cook Kahuna and Wild Crush are stuck on the also-eligible list and will need scratches in order to run.

Saunders has been a prominent trainer in Alberta since 1970, and in 2013, he was the leading trainer at Northlands with 48 wins from 185 starts. That equates to a solid 26 percent strike rate, and he also led all trainers with 15 stakes wins. In his career, Saunders has won 1,942 races for earnings of $14.8 million.

Fast forward to this year, in which Saunders uncharacteristically has just a single win from his first 44 starters.

“I can’t really put my finger on it,” Saunders said. “A lot of my horses did so well last year that it is hard finding the right spot for them. Last year, they had conditions, and now they have to run in open company. Hopefully, we will start winning some races soon.”

Minutesandtouches has a big shot at winning in his second start at the meet. He forced an honest pace before tiring in an optional $25,000 claiming race won by Mia’s Miracle on May 24, and he will appreciate the easier company he is facing with the substantial drop in class. Minutesandtouches went winless in two starts last year, but he was facing stakes winners in an optional $35,000 claiming race in his initial start and was overmatched in the $50,000 Journal won by Silver Baubles. Commander finished third in the stakes for his only loss at Northlands.

Minutesandtouches won a $30,000 claiming race in his last start of 2012, and if Rico Walcott can get him interested early, he could be tough to catch late.

There is other speed in the field, and the race could set up nicely for either Indoctrination or Bobby Handy.

Indoctrination, trained by Deryle Mullaney, is coming off a win going six furlongs at this level May 24, when he got through along the rail to hold off Fleet Attack, who rallied from last to miss by a neck.

Trained by Rod Cone, Bobby Handy came from a stalking position to finish third in the same race.