Sixthirtyjoe's next race still in doubt

EDMONTON, Alberta - Owner-trainer Deanne Davies has an interesting problem as the signature race of the Klondike Days portion of the season approaches next Saturday.

Should Davies take a shot at continuing the fight for Alberta's divisional title for older horses by entering her remarkable athlete, Sixthirtyjoe, in the $40,000 Klondike Handicap at 1 1/16 miles?

Or should Davies save her ammunition and opt for the $50,000 Northlands Sun Sprint Championship, which is only nine days after the Klondike? Sixthirtyjoe could succeed in ending Timely Ruckus's four-year reign as Alberta's sprint champion.

Davies is not about to concede the Klondike, however, pointing out that it took a photo for Fancy As, the eventual Alberta horse of the year, to turn back Sixthirtyjoe in the 1 1/16-mile Ky Alta last year.

Sixthirtyjoe and another horse trained by Davies, Rancour, are among the eight Klondike nominees, which include another dangerous threat in Highland Leader.

Highland Leader finished a stubborn second in the one-mile Spangled Jimmy, beaten a length by Sixthirtyjoe and edging Rancour for second money.

The other nominees are Oolamah, Bubblegum Kid, Tyko Tycoon, Scotman, and They Call Me Cody.

* Meanwhile, a one-mile allowance open to 3-year-old fillies on the list of nominees who chose not to enter last Saturday's Northlands Oaks failed to fill here Sunday. That left six $20,000 sophomore fillies to assume top billing on the Sunday card. The 6 1/2-furlong race goes as the fifth of eight on the program.