Silver Patrona back home in sprint

PORTLAND, Ore. - Silver Patrona will return to the sprint game in Sunday's featured invitational handicap at Portland Meadows, a 5 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares that has drawn a field of six.

Silver Patrona, a 3-year-old daughter of Tiffany Ice from the barn of trainer Jim Fergason, strung together five straight sprint wins here last season. After defeating maiden special weight runners in her local debut, she ran off wins in the Janet Wineberg, Lassie, Jane Driggers Debutante, and Ms. stakes. She then posted two seconds and a third around two turns before getting the summer off. Tony Gutierrez will have the mount at 120 pounds.

Silver Patrona, a front-runner, figures to be challenged early by Texas Bobbi R., who will be making her first start at Portland Meadows for trainer Tom Longstaff. Texas Bobbi R., a 3-year-old daughter of He's Tops, was a wire-to-wire winner of 3 of her 8 starts, including a score over $20,000 optional claiming company at Turf Paradise last spring. She was claimed for $20,000 at Golden Gate in June, and she made her first start for her current connections Sept. 14 at Northlands Park, showing the way before fading to fifth against $32,000 optional claimers at 6 1/2 furlongs.

A pace battle would play into the hands of the two closers in the field. Bagels Baby and Musical Wine can finish with gusto when presented with a fast and contested pace to target.