A Shaky Start looks obvious

EDMONTON, Alberta - A Shaky Start, winner of the $75,000 Sonoma in her last start here Aug. 9, will be a prohibitive favorite in Friday's $50,000 Sales Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park.

This will be the first running of the Sales Stakes, a one-mile race for products of the local yearling sale.

A Shaky Start defeated Raylene in the 1 1/16-mile Sonoma, and that filly came back to defeat males in the Canadian Derby.

Alta Aire surprises

Leading up to last Saturday's $50,000 Bird of Pay, all the talk was about 2-year-old sensation Classa Red Wine, who entered the race undefeated in three lifetime starts. The race, however, belonged to Alta Aire, who scored a four-length win under jockey Rickey Walcott.

Classa Red Wine beat only two horses in the field of nine at 4-5.

Alta Aire, an Alberta-bred trained by Joan Petrowski, will now be pointed towards the $50,000 Sturgeon River on Alberta Fall Classic Day, Sept. 20.

* Tigger Bay, a 14-1 shot, went wire to wire to finish more than three lengths ahead of Fly Esteem, another longshot at 19-1, in Monday's $50,000 Birdcatcher for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

* Taiaslew, runner-up in the Canadian Derby, will make his next start in the $250,000 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 21.