Shampoo: Win, work, repeat?

AUBURN, Wash. - Shampoo is the one to beat on Saturday when she takes on nine other 3-year-old fillies in the $60,000 Federal Way Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Shampoo, a daughter of Gulch who races for Jerre Paxton's Northwest Farms, is coming off an impressive 4 1/4-length victory in the six-furlong U.S. Bank Stakes on May 12. She came back from that effort to post a sharp half-mile drill in 47.40 last Sunday and appears to be coming up to another big try. Trainer Doris Harwood has again named Kevin Radke to ride at 119 pounds.

Shampoo will concede highweight honors to Ochoco Salmon, who will carry 120 pounds and jockey Clark Jones after dominating the 3-year-old division at Portland Meadows. Ochoco Salmon, an Oregon-bred daughter of Ochoco who races for trainer Jonathan Nance and Allen Floyd, graduated at the maiden $8,000 level in February, then ran off four more wins, including victories in the Oregon Oaks, the Preview Stakes, and the Oregon Derby.

It should be noted that Ochoco Salmon scored her last three wins at route distances, however, and she defeated questionable competition. Eduardo, who ran third to Ochoco Salmon in the Oregon Derby, was entered for a $7,500 tag here on Thursday night.

Eddie's Favorite and Broker's Risk might prove more formidable opponents for Shampoo in the Federal Way. Eddie's Favorite, a daughter of Jambalaya Jazz from the barn of trainer Pat Mullens, is coming off back-to-back wins over $40,000 maidens and $40,000 optional claimers in her last two outings. She will be trying stakes company for the first time on Sunday, when she will be ridden by Jose Zunino at 117 pounds.

Broker's Risk, a daughter of Broken Vow trained by Howard Belvoir, had a three-race win streak snapped by Shampoo in the U.S. Bank Stakes. She finished fourth after failing to get the lead in that stakes, but she beat Shampoo when going wire to wire in a $50,000 optional claiming event at 5 1/2 furlongs here on April 20. She again looms a threat to lead throughout on Sunday, but she will need to break alertly from the rail post under rider Jennifer Whitaker at 117 pounds.

Another possibility is Follow Your Shot, a recent winner at the maiden $25,000 level for trainer Tim McCanna. Follow Your Shot lures leading rider Ricky Frazier from Eddie's Favorite, and she gets in under 113 pounds.