Small field for Chariot

EDMONTON, Alberta - Providing ample evidence that this season is not a vintage one for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park, Canada Day's featured Chariot Chaser will go with a field of four.

The Chariot Chaser, honoring the filly who beat the boys here in the 1965 Canadian Derby, is a

6 1/2-furlong sprint worth $40,000.

The Penny Ridge, a race for 3-year-old fillies on closing day of the Stampede Park meeting, June 16, could draw a field of just five.

The Chariot Chaser topweight is Fancy Prancer, a confirmed sprinter who won the Mount Royal at Stampede Park and was a distant runner-up to Sweet Monarch in the one-mile Lilac.

A California-bred, Fancy Prancer will be carrying 121 pounds, conceding five pounds to the second highweight, Slewpy Time. She breaks from post 2 under Quincy Welch, who was the runaway top rider in Calgary this spring.

Slewpy Time, who won her maiden May 22 sprinting six furlongs at Stampede, appears to be a versatile sort. She has since finished a bang-up second to Big Babe in an allowance at a mile and was the runner-up to Sly Lady in the Penny Ridge.

With Welch riding Fancy Prancer, Slewpy Time, who starts from the inside post, will have a new rider in Rickey Walcott.

This will be the first stakes try for Big Babe, who is trained by Deanne Davies. Big Babe will break from post 3 under Real Simard.

The outside post goes to Sister Patsy Ellen, with her regular rider Perry Winters. Sister Patsy Ellen is 2 for 3 this year, with six-furlong successes sandwiching a distant sixth-place finish in the Lilac.