Shade On tops Maturity/Matron

Shade On seeks her first stakes win of the year when she faces five others in the $15,000 Columbus Maturity/Matron Stakes for older Nebraska-bred fillies and mares Friday night.

Shade On was claimed by trainer Sean Foley earlier this year at Fonner Park and she has since been stakes placed while posting a 2-1-3 record from 9 starts this year. Her closing style should be very effective at Friday's 6 1/2-furlong distance. Shade On, now 5, was a stakes winner as a 2-year-old in the Columbus Debutante. Armando Martinez has the ride.

Senorita Conchita gained her first stakes win in the Falls Amiss Handicap at Horsemen's Park on July 17. In her first start here, she turned in a dull effort when last against allowance company. A three-time winner this year for trainer Herb Riecken, Senorita Conchita will have Luis Ranilla aboard Friday.

Real Battleaxe can be expected to contest the pace with Senorita Conchita. She set the pace to the top of the stretch in the one-mile Matchmaker Stakes at Lincoln on June 13 before fading to third. She returned to win an open allowance race.

* Post time for the Saturday, Sept. 5 card at Columbus has been moved up to 2 p.m. Central to avoid going up against the Nebraska Cornhuskers football season opener that night.