Speers comes down to two-horse race

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Arthurlooksgood and Coast Line tower over eight other colts and geldings in Sunday's $30,000 R.J. Speers Stakes here at Assiniboia Downs.

Owned and trained by Clint Willson, Arthurlooksgood scored his first stakes win in the Wheat City Stakes last time out. Arthurlooksgood, 5, also has won two allowance races this year and would likely solidify his status as top older male here with a victory in Sunday's 1 1/16-mile feature.

Coast Line made his first start since late April and his first for trainer Martin Drexler in the Wheat City and finished third, a length back of Arthurlooksgood. A 6-year-old son of Boston Harbor, Coastline won five in a row in the eastern United States while in the care of Todd Pletcher.

Alan Cuthbertson who rode Speers entrants Local Legend, Car Keys, and Illusive Force in their last start, will ride Coast Line for the first time.

Illusive Force has tailed off slightly since winning the Free Press Stakes and an allowance race in his first two starts of the year. Trained by Carl Anderson, Illusive Force was fourth in the Wheat City. Ken Hendricks takes the call.

Car Keys will try stakes company for the first time in the R.J. Speers. Renaldo Cumberbatch will ride Car Keys, a 9-year-old who has won 3 of his last 4 starts, all against conditioned allowance foes.

Jezawi moves up into stakes company after finishing no worse than second in his last four starts, all around two turns. Paul Leacock rides Jezawi, who was second behind Car Keys in his latest.

Local Legend won his local debut last time out against first-level allowance foes in his first start since late April. Clint Magera will ride for trainer Martin Drexler.

Also entered, with jockeys, are Pass the Bar, Robert May; Storm Patrol, Kirk Johnson; Elite Mercedes, Travis Hightower; and Excellent Cut, Chris Husbands.