Shorter distance should benefit Dr Hook McCracken

Coming off a solid effort going 1 1/16 miles in the $42,000 Alberta Derby at Grande Prairie, Dr Hook McCracken shouldn’t mind the move back to a sprint in a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds and up Wednesday at Northlands Park.

The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew seven horses and goes as race 6 on a seven-race card that begins at 6:30 p.m. Mountain.

Trained by Greg Tracy, Dr Hook McCracken sat just off the pace in the Alberta Derby and moved into serious contention at the top of the stretch. He settled for third behind Extreme Denigray and Cowboys Don’t Cry. The winner and runner-up returned in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby last Saturday, with Cowboys Don’t Cry rallying to finish third in the 1 3/8-mile race dominated by the 3-year-old filly Academic.

Dr Hook McCracken’s only win came sprinting, and the last time he went 6 1/2 furlongs, he came from well back to finish second in a first-level allowance race June 10. He will break from the rail with Scott Williams aboard.

Congrats Seattle, trained by Robertino Diodoro, will appreciate the class relief and cutback in distance after chasing Blue Dancer early in the 1 1/16-mile, $50,000 Count Lathum in his first start at Northlands on July 18. His only win came going seven furlongs in a $30,000 maiden-claiming race at Santa Anita on Feb. 21.

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Key contenders

Dr Hook McCracken (Last 3 Beyers: 54-54-50)

◗ Prior to his solid effort in the Alberta Derby, he rallied to finish third in a one-mile, first-level allowance race won by Go Max, a stakes-placed 4-year-old with $100,190 in earnings.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years at Northlands, Tracy has a 29 percent strike rate with horses going from a route to a sprint.

Congrats Seattle (Last 3 Beyers: 49-66-57)

◗ His best races have been sprinting.

◗ It could be telling that leading rider Rico Walcott abandons Dr Hook McCracken to ride him.

Feisty Forester (Last 3 Beyers: 56-4-0)

◗ The Ron Grieves trainee ran an improved race in his latest and might be coming around after a couple of disappointing efforts.

◗ There isn’t a lot of obvious speed in the field, and he could be the one they have to catch.