Stakes try for Talk Me Again

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Eric Kruljac isn't shy about the reason he's sending Talk Me Again to Golden Gate Fields for Saturday's $55,000-added Richmond Handicap.

"We're trying to get her a win in a North American stakes," he said.

Talk Me Again, a 6-year-old Argentine-bred mare, is a Group 1 winner in her native land. In her last start in Argentina, she was second to males, losing by a nose "in Argentina's equivalent to the Breeders' Cup Sprint," according to Kruljac.

Kruljac spotted Talk Me Again when he went to Argentina to look for prospects for S.M. Mitchell Ranch LLC, a new owner at the time, and paid $100,000 for her.

Talk Me Again raced five times with one win last year and ran third in a Santa Anita allowance race in her 2004 debut.

"She's off-the-wall doing well," Kruljac said. "This is an appropriate race. She should be tough considering the company she's run against down here. She's doing well, but she's got to ship well and break."

The field for the race should be six or seven depending upon whether Sidestepping is entered. Bold Roberta and Channing Way, second and third in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint, both passed because the Richmond came up a little quickly following their last races.

Amber Hills, Brite Betty, Christmas Time, Goldy Rock and Pheiffer are also scheduled to run. Two Jerry Hollendorfer trainees, Gone to Party and Just Bill Me, are also still being considered.

There is plenty of speed in the race with Goldy Rock, Talk Me Again, and Pheiffer.

Talk Me Again has a bullet 33.80-second three-furlong work since her last start in which she opened up early with 21.55 and 44.02 fractions.

"That's as slow as she can go," said Kruljac, who will take advantage of that early foot Saturday.

Three try for two in a row

Flying Biscuit, Snowbound Nan, and Jackpot Party will all try for their second straight win in Friday's feature, a $20,000 claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

Flying Biscuit, who starts from the rail, may hold the pace advantage here. She alternated on the lead with runner-up Ardum Rose in a $50,000 maiden claimer on Jan. 7, winning by a head after being claimed for $32,000 from her Dec. 14 debut at Hollywood Park by Hollendorfer.

Jackpot Party, who scored her second victory for a $12,500 tag last time, looms a threat from just off the pace.

Snowbound Nan, who was a wire-to-wire 10-length winner for an $8,000 tag on Jan. 23, will apply most of the early pace pressure.