Sly Lady puts streak on line

EDMONTON, Alberta - Sly Lady will have four rivals as she seeks her fifth straight victory in Saturday's $40,000 John Patrick Memorial at Northlands Park, the feature on day three of the Klondike Days run.

Sly Lady will carry high weight of 124 pounds, including her regular rider Real Simard, in the 1 1/16-mile race. She will be making her first appearance at Northlands since 2001, when she won two races as a 2-year-old, including the Princess Margaret.

Owned and bred by Verne Slywka of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Sly Lady suffered a season-ending training injury after winning the Penny Ridge on the final weekend of the 2002 Stampede Park season. But she came back from that layoff better than ever and swept all three stakes open to her at Calgary this spring.

Sly Lady rallied from ninth place to win in the mud in the six-furlong Marc Jenkins Memorial. Then, on fast tracks, she won in front-running style in the one-mile Ken Pearson Memorial and the 1 1/16-mile Duchess of York.

Sly Lady will give six pounds to Secret Bullet, who won the 6 1/2-furlong Wild Rose in her first appearance in Alberta after shipping here from Vancouver.

Secret Bullet, who won for a $35,000 claiming price at 6 1/2 furlongs in her final outing at Hastings, will be ridden by another Vancouver expatriate, David Wilson.

The 2001 champion mare in Alberta, Northern Neechitoo is also trying a route after finishing second in the Wild Rose and winning two allowance sprints at Calgary. She has the riding services of Quincy Welch.